What is difference in late B body ignition switches w/tilt vs n/tilt

[XS22J8R]

I've been chasing an issue with a intermittent crank but no start with my '78 Magnum since I bought it a couple years ago. Most recently it isn't starting at all.
Being mentally challenged when it comes to electrical issues I've mostly alternated between scratching my head, and throwing a few parts at it to no avail. New ECU, grounded the crap out of the ECU, new ballast resistor are the extent to what I've done. A number of people have pointed at the ignition switch as something that might be causing the problem, and I was thinking of replacing that before I give up and have the car towed someplace to have it fixed and back on the road.
But when I look online, I find ignition switches for late Bs available everywhere, but so far all the ones I find say "except tilt wheel". Of course my Magnum has a tilt wheel. Just wondering what the difference would be between an ignition switch with and without tilt wheel?
ex- 1978 Chrysler Cordoba Ignition Starter Switch - Standard Motor Products US-92
To add to the confusion, I found this-
For 1977-1979 Chrysler Cordoba Ignition Switch SMP 16458MP 1978 | eBay

 

[pnora]

Non tilt the switch mounts up on the shift collar. Tilt the switch mounts down low on the tube. The tilt switch is adjustable the non-tilt is not. Also the non-tilt comes with a harness and the tilt does not. They have a totally differnet electrical plug.

 

[YY1]

Can you jump the relay for the solenoid?

 

[XS22J8R]

Non tilt the switch mounts up on the shift collar. Tilt the switch mounts down low on the tube. The tilt switch is adjustable the non-tilt is not. Also the non-tilt comes with a harness and the tilt does not. They have a totally differnet electrical plug.

So is the switch in the ebay link I posted the one I would need if I want to throw another part at my problem?

 

[XS22J8R]

Can you jump the relay for the solenoid?

I've wanted to try that, as I sometimes get a "hiccup" after I stop cranking and rotate the ignition cylinder through the "run" position to off, like maybe a cylinder or two get spark then. It would be interesting to see if it starts by jumping the relay with the ignition in run. The car has a more complex starter relay than my older rides, and looks to be designed to prevent being jumped?

 

[pnora]

So is the switch in the ebay link I posted the one I would need if I want to throw another part at my problem?

The second one is for tilt.

 

[Cop car wagon]

Your intermittent crank and hiccup could be the distributor pickup. You didn't mention testing or replacing.
Tilt column uses a GM switch, that is adapted to fit mopar columns. I've had nothing but problems with aftermarket switches.

 

[XS22J8R]

Your intermittent crank and hiccup could be the distributor pickup. You didn't mention testing or replacing.
Tilt column uses a GM switch, that is adapted to fit mopar columns. I've had nothing but problems with aftermarket switches.

The thought of the pickup/reluctor gap or pickup did cross my mind. I have a Challenger in storage that a few years ago when I went to start it, cranked but wouldn't fire. My friend who manages the storage building has a buddy who is a retired fleet mechanic and they dug into it a few days later. He told me they found out that the reluctor had to be replaced, or maybe the gap was way off. Not sure how that would happen as the car ran fine months earlier when I drove it in there.
I am not sure how his buddy diagnosed that this was the problem. How do you check a pickup? The car has always run smooth as silk... if it will start.

 

[HALIFAXHOPS]

Ohm it out. If you have resistance it is ok USUALLY. Sometimes hot they open up. Forget the actual ohms for them thinking 700 or so can look it up in te shop if needed. I also have them NORS if needed.

 

[DeltaV]

The thought of the pickup/reluctor gap or pickup did cross my mind. I have a Challenger in storage that a few years ago when I went to start it, cranked but wouldn't fire. My friend who manages the storage building has a buddy who is a retired fleet mechanic and they dug into it a few days later. He told me they found out that the reluctor had to be replaced, or maybe the gap was way off. Not sure how that would happen as the car ran fine months earlier when I drove it in there.
I am not sure how his buddy diagnosed that this was the problem. How do you check a pickup? The car has always run smooth as silk... if it will start.

I have seen several instances where the reluctor wiring shorts to ground . For example, the reluctor wiring shorted to the distributor case (grommet worn through and wire shorted out). Also, maybe one case of an electrical open at the reluctor inside the distributor.

 

[XS22J8R]

Coincidentally, a local Superbee owning car buddy of mine who was a mechanic and recently retired as a United airline mechanic came by Friday and tested a bunch of things.
He thought the spark looked weak when I cranked and he checked with a wire disconnected.
He found a voltage a little low but I need to check with him to see which one (battery is strong).
The reluctor did show wear like it rubbed something at one point, but gap was correct.
We did get the car started. During some more checking, he found that the coil was wired backwards. We corrected that.
The voltage he’d been concerned with improved and the spark looked stronger.
The car fired repeatedly, we went to lunch, tried again after getting back and it fired. Could it just have been the coil hooked up wrong?
Yesterday I took it out to a local cruise, first crank, no sign of life. Second crank, fired. Ok. First time out of garage in 6 weeks! Stopped and put some fresh gas in it. Started right up at the gas station, continued on to the cruise. Looking good!
Had a good time at the cruise, perfect weather.
I‘m thinking I can drive it 65 miles to our big area end of season show in Morris IL in a few weeks even rather than just spectating!
Getting dark early now, so time to leave.
Starter cranks repeatedly no spark. Heart sinks. Back to the drawing board, will I need a tow?
My friend was there with his Bee, when I cranked with wire disconnected he didn’t see spark. He noted he didn’t hear the buzzer when I put the key in. I remembered when I was looking at it in the garage a few weeks ago the horn was hesitant to work.
I don’t know if that has anything to to with my starting issues.
With key in run position the ballast resistor started to warm indicating it was getting amps.
He unplugged the distributor and plugged back in, repeated a few times, I turned the key, and it fired up.
I mentioned the horn, tried it and it was fine.
So I got it home not on the back of a flatbed at least…
After I got home I tried firing it up around 20 minutes after getting it parked in my garage, first crank, nada, second, fired.
Oh, another thing, he checked the resistance I think it was on my coil Friday at 4000, same with a spare used coil I have, he expected 8000 or something. Again I’m an electrical amateur so I’d need to confirm those numbers with him.

 

[XS22J8R]

Another observation. I thought the engine would sometimes hiccup for a split second as I turned the key through run after giving up on cranking. My friend observed that the engine hiccups at the moment the key goes into the off position, not run.

 

[XS22J8R]

I checked with my friend, coils measured 4700 ohms, book says 8000.
Voltage at ballast resistor was 10.8. After some cleaning up and such it measured 13.7.
As previously mentioned the issue is intermittent, I bought the car 2 years ago and I have had this problem off and on since I got it.
It would always start after a few tries, sometimes first crank, often 4th or 5th though.
But recently it’s gotten to the point it sometimes won’t start at all.