383 just shut down while driving.

[Russ69Runner]

Out for a cruse yesterday and while driving it started to spit and sputter then shut off. Could pump the pedal and it fires then dies. New Holley carb and showing fuel in the site glass on the bowl. Coil not that old and wonder if it may be the ECU box. I am lost. Had to have it towed home. Darn. Any thoughts appreciated. Going to get another coil today. Have a blue box ECU. I am lost darn thing was running fine. One thing then another, I guess.

 

[torredcuda]

Does it have spark when it dies? My Barracuda had an intermitant not starting issue and it turned out to be the pick up in the electronic distributor getting hot and not working.

 

[Russ69Runner]

It really makes you mad when we do so much to these cars and drive for quite a while. Then bam it goes crazy. Have replaced one coil before and now going to get another one tomorrow. It fired up but acts like it is out of time or shakes violently then dies. Won't run long. It has been running fine since putting the new Holley 650 carb on it just had to increase the primary jet size to match the old Quad jet carb I had on it. Thanks for info. I do have electronic ignition bought from summit. Ballast resistor is showing voltage output of 4 volts . I only have about 5 thou. miles on the car and engine. Just put 440 source heads on it due to one of the 906 heads developed a leak between 5 and 7 exhaust side. Good size crack in the head.

 

[Russ69Runner]

Ok found out another coil bit the dust. LOL. Tow fee plus the coil ouch. Just glad it was something that simple. It Was an EDB coil and going to put one in the trunk with some tools. She runs grate again. Keeping the receipt in the glove box and see how long this one last. Think it is getting too much heat from the motor with it sitting horizontal on intake manifold near the distributor cap. Maybe being on the inner finder would take the heat away from it would help in the long run. Any Ideas would be great Guys. Russ.

 

[Rapid Transit]

It's either spark or fuel, right?
All my ideas will cost you money.
But will give peace of mind and could save in the long run.
Years ago I was stranded when a well known capacitive discharge system failed on me.
Tow home.
I won't name it because people will say "I've never had trouble blah blah blah.
It was an intermittent thing. And resolved itself. Seems like I did adjust the reluctor gap in the stock distributior.
But that's beside the point. I wound up continuing to run the system with an orange box and terminal strip for back up if it ever gave me trouble again.
Swap the wires.
Since then I've been running the FBO box and Flame Thrower coil 20 years on more than one car daily witn no issues.
Coils on the intakes.
Now, they DID get a bad run. My brother in law bought one my word back then and so I knew about this.
https://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/threads/heads-up-on-fbo-boxes.490632/
I've Run Q Jets for years too.
Bought my first ever new carb last year.
The AVS2. Lots of buzz about it and I'm pleased.
Hollys have never been my thing for a couple of reasons.
Just me.

 

[bobby albertson]

IMO.. loose the ballast convert to electronic ignition. I did that and use a mad ready to run distributor. Thought I have had a voltage regulator fail, which they do. I have never had an issue once i changed out to this set up. The ballast was fighting the voltage regulator and causing the issues for me with the MSD especially at top end under load. Loose that and see

 

[Roadtrip]

Russ, if you have the coil laying on its side in a factory style bracket I would recommend a msd high vibration coil. It can handle that orientation, I think it’s an epoxy coil. Not all coils can handle laying on their side. Original Mopar coils were manufactured to handle this. I can’t remember when or where I read all about this in the past but the explanations seems plausible.

On my A body I mounted it on the firewall. On Big block runner you could mount it on the RH inner fender I suppose. Depending on if your hung up on how authentic and original the engine bay is.

I think the ballast is measured in ohms resistance not volts? 4-5 ohms sounds high but I. Can’t remember the exact value you’re looking for. Halifax hood should know.

Not a fan in general of any off brand distributor or newer aftermarket ignition. See if you can round up a spare oem even used is fine ecu and keep it and a ballast in your glove box.

Getting towed sucks. Been there done that.

 

[mr4speed]

If i may suggest try uncle tonys garage or dead dodge garage on u tube which they talk about exactly you are dealing with.

 

[droptop]

A coil that is mounted on its side can be installed incorrectly. Both of the wires should be on the lower side of the of the center coil wire. If one wire is above the center coil wire, it will not be covered with the internal oil and will over heat making the life of the unit much shorter.

 

[Russ Hood]

Out for a cruse yesterday and while driving it started to spit and sputter then shut off. Could pump the pedal and it fires then dies. New Holley carb and showing fuel in the site glass on the bowl. Coil not that old and wonder if it may be the ECU box. I am lost. Had to have it towed home. Darn. Any thoughts appreciated. Going to get another coil today. Have a blue box ECU. I am lost darn thing was running fine. One

Mine did the same last year and it was the box.

 

[Russ69Runner]

So now have taken the ballast resistor and replaced the coil in it with solid wire. Easy enough to remove the resistor and solider a wire in there. Then filled it back with tile grout. Wanted to have it on the fire wall as it was there to make it look and keep my wiring the same. It is running fine now. After reading the manual it stated a six-volt coil. Confused when everything is running 12 volts. Must have been a 68 through 70s thing. A friend of mine told me low voltage would burn up a coil and I agree. So now trying this and getting an extra orange box-coil- and some tools in a pouch for the trunk. Thanks for all the input will let you know how it goes from here. Russ.