1966 Charger - cranks but won't fire.

[jmbass98]

My '66 Charger worked fine two weeks ago. I changed the intake manifold, valve covers, and the carburetor. Now it will crank and (seemingly) fuel properly, but it will not fire. Ignition coil is reading .002V. Replaced it. Still reading poorly and won't fire. Unsure of how to continue, but frustrated currently.

Due to it working previously, I have a hard time assuming that the issue is something major. I likely missed something minor along the way during install (or disconnected a wire where I shouldn't have, didn't ground properly, etc.). But I'm getting frustrated troubleshooting so I figure a fresh opinion would help.

Any ideas please? What is the common cause of something like this?

Interior lights, headlight motors, headlights, and pretty much everything else electrical works fine.

 

[jmbass98]

Everything was bone stock until I replaced the ignition coil. I replaced it with this:
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/...MIs9yZl9H_6wIVRBh9Ch3ekAx9EAQYBCABEgIB4vD_BwE

I apologize, I'm slightly a novice when it comes to stuff like this. Unsure of some of the terminology.

There was no spark.

 

[jmbass98]

This is the stock coil.
https://www.classicindustries.com/product/1966/dodge/charger/parts/mpd356.html

 

[twecomm]

You state ignition coil reads .002 V ? Do you have a resistor on the firewall still ? Or have you re-routed wiring from resistor to new coil ? Measure volts on each side of the resistor with ignition in the run position. One side of resistor should have full battery volts. Other side should be less, that's assuming that your ignition coil is good. When cranking, the resistor is electrically bypassed thru ignition switch applying full battery volts to the ignition coil. If you don't see full volts when cranking you may have a bad ignition switch. If you have electronic ignition, your ECU ( orange box ) may be bad which could explain why you have no spark. If points, is the lead from dist. connected properly to coil?

 

[Fran Blacker]

If that Summit coil is 1.5 ohms and you go through the ballast resistor on the coil plus the ballast resistor on the firewall that maybe the problem.

 

[jmbass98]

Stock coil did not have a resistor. Just a wire to negative and a wire to positive. Wouldn't fire. New coil has resistor, not mounted to firewall but on the coil itself as picture shows. Tried with resistor and without resistor. Didn't fire still.

 

[jmbass98]

Will try and post a bunch of pictures of my engine bay when I get home from work. Maybe that will help clear things.

 

[jmbass98]

Just to clarify. Everything was working great - perfectly, UNTIL I started replacing the Carburetor, Intake Manifold, and Valve Covers. So I have a feeling this is a very simple issue and I'm too inexperienced with electrical to figure it out.

 

[vance.dykes]

look at the f.s.m on my mopar .com and they have wiring diagrams and videos to watch all from Chrysler corp,

 

[Don Frelier]

Two things to check:
1. With a meter check coil + and battery -. (not coil -) with key in start and run position
2. Trace the wire from the coil - back to the distributor and check for bad spots or pinched to engine block somewhere.

 

[jmbass98]

Bypassing coil ballast for testing reasons. Also aware that battery POS is unhooked.

 

[jmbass98]

More.

 

[jmbass98]

Person who helped me install pulled these off. Any ideas?

 

[Nate S]

I’m all in with Don. Flick on ignition switch and measure coil + and - terminals with ground probe on block. Better see something. If not, check both sides of firewall ballast resistor.

 

[jmbass98]

With key turned and bypassing the coil ballast, both neg and pos on coil read 10, pos on terminal reads 10 and neg reads -10.

 

[Nate S]

With key turned and bypassing the coil ballast, both neg and pos on coil read 10, pos on terminal reads 10 and neg reads -10.

That’s the beginning of a good sign. Pop off the cap and turn the engine (1-1/4” socket) until the points close and do the same. Should be 0 on the - side. If it’s not there’s an issue with them closing.

 

[BSB67]

......Now it will crank and (seemingly) fuel properly, but it will not fire.......

Explain "seemingly"

Have you pulled a spark plug to see if you at least have fire?

 

[jmbass98]

This wire is connected with a ground and not the negative on the coil... I'm assuming this is the issue.

 

[jmbass98]

Based on this diagram.

 

[jmbass98]

Looks like the guy I had helping me wired the neg from the distributor to the coil to a ground instead... which are both on the firewall.