No spark-Slant 6 1970 Dodge with Electronic Ignition

[minnesota guy]

Hi, I am baffled. Working on the kids 1970 Dodge Dart Swinger with 225. Last week it was starting to start hard. He stated once warm, it was harder to start and he would pump the pedal to keep it going. Started right up cold. He came home for lunch (we live in California-so temps around 60) then went to restart, and no spark. Lost it. The distributor rotor turns clockwise with distributor cap off. Doesn't appear to have jumped timing. Someone prior to us installed a new timing chain and gear anyway. It didn't feel too sloppy.

Electronic Ignition converted car prior to our purchase. Only 110k miles on car and was a 2 owner. Nice shape. I took off his Orange Ignition box and tried it on my 440 Dodge. Worked fine. Rule out the orange box. Also switched to new ballast resistor. Same issue.
Then went to new coil. Still no spark.

Then went to distributor. This distributor appeared to be a factory type, no MP kit type. I switched out the pick up module inside the distributor. Replacements are certainly cheapy in feel and quality compared to factory. It went on. They are crooked however for the gap. I set it at .006 then .004 at the beginning of the gap--it got larger further in due to cheapo brain module. However, in racing I have ran them with little to no gap--so that shouldn't prevent no spark. Still No spark.

Then, I switched out the ignition switch. As before, the car turns over. No neutral switch issues where you need screw driver at the relay with key in "on" position.
I did try starting car in neutral and park...and with key in "on" position and firing it at the relay near the battery. No spark.

I then switched out the ignition switch. No spark. Same issue.

I then put a hot wire from (+) of battery to (+) of the new "Driveworks" Advance auto coil. no spark. I didn't really tie it down to much at the coil as it was solid green solid wire what I had around.

I had also tried another coil that worked as well. No spark.
--
The cap doesn't fit the best on this and I did try a different rotor I had laying around.
-
what else is left for the ignition system? The bulk head doesn't look burned and a simple wiring bulk head--but if that the case I wouldn't get juice to the starter.
-
I was thinking about what my 17 year old son told me how it was acting to see if something else.
-I was thinking of just getting a rebuilt distributor and new cap and rotor. I also need an volt/ohm meter--could use a recommendation there for a good inexpensive one.
Neutral switch still attached on the 904 tranny.
-
Could I have a bad relay? (near the battery)

Thanks. Normally I get this problem solved before all this. This one is going extra innings. I am older now so no problem throwing parts at it

 

[HALIFAXHOPS]

OK start at the ballast resister then work to the dist, I was going to say pick up they do fail when they get heated on the tester. If before and after the ballast you have voltage during cranking and in start go to the next component and do a voltage check, you already eliminate the box.

 

[HALIFAXHOPS]

There is a volt/ohm/tach/dwel meter on e bay I picked up for I think 30 works great and is accurate also.

 

[PurpleBeeper]

You're trying all the right things...you just missed something or another. You DEFINITELY need a meter and a parts store cheap one will do.

The first thing I would check is with the key "on" you should have 12volts on the blue wire going into the ballast resistor & about 7 volts (?-less than 12 anyway) coming out of the ballast resistor, still on the blue wire. The brown wire is 12V going into the ballast, but ONLY when the key is at "start", then the blue wire takes over when the engine is running.

Personally, I like to check for spark at the plugs & work my way backwards.
1. ground an extra plug on a convenient, big engine bolt using any convenient plug wire while someone cranks. (you're probably already doing this).
2. to check the entire ignition system (EXCEPT the distributor/cap/rotor) try this trick. Unhook the coil wire going into the center of the distributor cap. Put a phillips screwdriver in the end of that wire (on the end where it would go into the cap). Put that screwdriver very close to a good ground bolt, but not touching. Now, disconnect the double plug that goes to the distributor... the male/female combo plug. Turn the ignition to "on". Take the ignition side of that double plug (not the distributor side) and temporarily touch the exposed, male connector to another ground. Whenever you touch that connector, a spark should jump from the screwdriver to the ground it's close to. Spark Jumping = problem is the cap/rotor/ignition pickup. No Spark = The center plug wire you're using to run this test/ignition module/ballast resistor/wiring itself.
3. Spark - swap out the cap since you already changed the rotor/pickup. Might double check your pickup too.
4. No Spark - check with a meter back "upstream" checking power as you go (fyi-I've had an ignition box that worked cold, but had no spark when warmed up...it looked "gooey" on the back side), follow that blue wire for power & double check the ballast for power in/out.

HOPE THIS HELPS!

 

[HALIFAXHOPS]

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Digital-Ta...456130?hash=item4d32f5df82:g:7YQAAOSwoudW6NnJ

 

[mopar 3 B]

If he had to pump the gas pedal to keep it running is it getting fuel. You need a volt ohm meter to check electronic ignition. Pickup gap needs to be set between .008 &.010 with a brass gauge.