72 satellite 400 ci won't start

[Maxxx]

Hey bought a classic earlier this year and enjoying Sunday drives with it over past several months, but yesterday and today it won't start. Battery / Starter turns over strong but won't catch, pumping gas pedal few times like normal, but no. Lots of fuel in tank. Charged battery overnight, sprayed "quick start" into the carb before I tried today, but no catch. I'm thinking it's either fuel delivery or spark. Because "quick start" didn't even pop I'm thinking it's spark / wires, even though they are recent. I always take the car out on a good stretch when i drive it and I always use shell 93 octane so I don't expect that things are gunky. I reached out to nearby mechanic but no one was available to trouble shoot. Hoping someone here may have helpful thoughts?

 

[Maxxx]

(Cont'd)
Here are photos of engine bay to give you an idea of components etc.

 

[67440chrg]

It will be fuel or spark. Remove the breather and look in while you pump the carb linkage. You will see fuel from the squirters if its getting fuel. If so then remove a plug wire place a screwdriver in the boot from the plug hold it close 1/4 inch from a grounded metal part and crank it over you will see a spark or have someone hold it by the metal end of the screwdriver and see if it makes them jump. This will normally let you know which it is. then go from there. It could be as easy as a fuel pump or filter or a cap, rotor or coil. Let us know what you find. Good luck.

 

[67440chrg]

Your engine bay looks good. Nice, clean and uncluttered.

 

[Don Frelier]

Most likely the orange box, they have a fairly high failure rate. It's not recommended for use with the old style points regulator, although many seem to do it.
I like to pull the coil wire out from the distributor it should spark more rapidly than using a plug wire, but either way is fine.
It should spark blue and be crisp, not yellow and lazy.
The wires would not just go bad, especially if they are newer.

 

[tonysrt]

With key in run position make sure you're getting about 6-8 volts from the ballast resistor and 12 volts going into it. That will eliminate key and ballast resistor. It looks like he has the electronic regulator.

 

[Maxxx]

Thanks guys, so far:
I tried creating spark with the wife returning it over and the centre coil-to-distributor wire a hair away from the very-grounded nearby intake manifold bolt, no spark.
There is +12V at the positive terminal of the coil with key on or cranking.
The white ballast resistor shows identical voltage on either side when key is on or cranking, so I'm assuming this is the most damning item. May have shown the coil too much voltage and after time burnt out the coil?
Presently I am going to remove the white ballast resistor and coil, replace both with new and see what happens. If still nothing, I will look to diagnose the orange box. Yes the orange box apparently replaced / upgraded the "points" distributor setup that the engine may have come with initially, all before my time. Anyways it's been a good runner up to this point and rebuild seems conscientiously constructed. Hopefully the new ballast resistor and coil will do the trick.

 

[Don Frelier]

The ballast resistor is checked with an ohm-meter. 12V on both sides indicates there is no current so no voltage drop.
My money is still on the orange box.
Always change 1 thing at a time.

 

[66Satellite47]

Just a suggestion, sand the mounting screw area on both the box & the firewall. A good ground is needed.

 

[Maxxx]

Thanks guys. In case I need to reach for one, what is the easiest and hopefully most economical source for the orange box?

 

[Maxxx]

Classic has one that looks identical, $54.99
Here are pics from the classic site and from my engine bay:

 

[Maxxx]

(Cont'd)
The orange box ($54.99) is treated up to 6000 RPM, whereas they have a chrome unit ($89.99) rated at 8000 RPM, might it have less of a failure rate than the orange? Naturally I'll ask classic but just wondering if there's experienced input here

 

[Maxxx]

BTW the ballast resistor measured a consistent 0.8~0.9ohms, not sure if that's desirable?

 

[WP29440SE]

make damn sure you have metal on metal at the ignition box and firewall, firewall to engine ground, engine to battery and battery to body grounds. that will kill spark in a second without it.

 

[Maxxx]

Also curious if any Canadian members know of a source in Ontario for the orange control units, other than shipping from classic?

 

[Maxxx]

OK battery is in trunk, so I doubt there is a direct engine to battery connection. But car had been running fine for a while prior. I'll check metal contact at ignition control box.

 

[rrTor-Red]

http://4secondsflat.com/ Pricey but worth it

 

[ddpsnake]

Also curious if any Canadian members know of a source in Ontario for the orange control units, other than shipping from classic?

TRY NATIONAL MOPARTS,THEIR in Beaverton ont.

 

[Don Frelier]

Just an option:
Mancini racing has an orange replacement and a stock replacement.
Maybe get 1 of each? Price is pretty good.
http://www.manciniracing.com/igcomo.html

 

[Maxxx]

Since orange box is difficult to source in Ontario, and apparently problematic anyways, my trusty local performance shop has convinced me to upgrade to MSD electronic ignition ~US$270, which seems compatible with my present distributor and coil, and will eliminate ballast resistor. Thoughts here?