Electrical issue...why she don't start?

[woodwiz]

I have heard several posters here chatting about why the car won't start. I talked with a gentleman the other day who said if i'm going to own a 50yr.old roadrunner that i should carry a couple of electrical ballast modules in the glove box...just in case she don't start on that sunday morning cruise. Anybody here had this issue or related?
Thanxs!

 

[Roadcuda]

I've carried extra ballast resistors in my classic Mopars for well over 20 years and have had to replace maybe 2 while on the road so it is worth having an extra in the car. They are just one of several things that could cause a no start situation and easy to check. You can put a meter on it, or pull it off the firewall and check the coil on the back. on the ones that went bad for me there was a burnt section of that coil. If the coil is still intact across the back then you know you need to check for problems elsewhere

 

[Ranger]

If you have an electronic ignition, also carry a spare ECU.

 

[RonLiv]

Ditto that, just replaced mine, both the ECU and Resistor.
Going to order another one and keep it with me in the car.

 

[1HTBIRD]

Just finished installing a Mopar Performance distributor upgrade with ECU and ballast resistor. Problem know is when the tach wire to coil (-) is hooked up car will not start. Remove that wire and car starts just fine but no tac. Any suggestions?

 

[69hemibeep]

Put the wire back on the coil and unplug it from the tach and see if it starts. This will tell if the wire or the tach is the problem.

 

[Russ69Runner]

Just finished installing a Mopar Performance distributor upgrade with ECU and ballast resistor. Problem know is when the tach wire to coil (-) is hooked up car will not start. Remove that wire and car starts just fine but no tac. Any suggestions?

Did you loose the ground on the tach. Would check for that. Maybe a loose wire on tach also.

 

[1HTBIRD]

Well, checked the wiring and upon ignition key run position a very distinctive smell and puff of smoke. Fried the tac circuit board. Luckily I had the dash cluster out. Ordered a new circuit board and we will see if that works.

 

[Russ69Runner]

That did not sound good. Fried electrical parts never a good thing. Hope the board fixes it.

 

[1HTBIRD]

Well..... after pulling the cluster again, replacing the tic toc tac and all other gauges along with low voltage limiter all was going well. Start up was good, gauge were reading fine.

Then.... after driving about 5 miles the temp, oil pressure and fuel gauges all in "unison" starting falling off the the left or low position. A few minutes later they started to return, in "unison" to their correct readings then slowly fall back again.

Any suggestions? Maybe the limiter is not providing constant 5 volts.

 

[Russ69Runner]

That has to be a real kick in the you know what's. Man that is really bad to have what you have going on. Wish you the best of luck on finding the problem. Sound's like your staying on it and rechecking all connection's. Just may need another set of eye's on it to help figure it out.

 

[1HTBIRD]

Just spent the morning pulling the cluster out again, and all the goes with it, and replaced the new voltage limiter with the 50 year old one I saved. With the gauges "fading in and out in unison" I figured it had to be that. Well.... my old Bird loves the "oldies" Everything works great. Would anyone recommend installing the Real Time Engineering IVR4 solid state limiter? Does this provide a cleaner gauge reading. My fuel gauge and sending unit are new but it moves up and down with the "incline" of the car but not a huge deal. I'm just glad they work.
Thanks for all of your input on this issue. Much appreciated.

 

[69hemibeep]

RTE is all I use

 

[woodwiz]

Backed the bird out of the garage for a short hop around the neighborhood and got out in the street and she just shut off,thought it might just be a carb burp. Went to turn the key and the alt.gauge moved as expected but no fire. I'm super spoiled with new cars ignitions they have always worked. So my first thought was the ballast resistor issue,ccuz i was'nt getting any action while i was turning the 383 over. Went to the coil wire and thought its worth a look and behold....The end of the wire connection on the coil side was looking a little crusty, upshot a bad connection so i popped it back on better and shazam! It started. I better get me a new coil wire a should i test the coil or get a new one also??
Thanks!

 

[quikbird]

If it started coil is probably fine

 

[woodwiz]

Pulled the coil wire today and the distributor side was fine,however the coil side of the wire connector kinda came out in pieces. It appears to be a stock coil and the plug wires seem fairly new. Is it possible whoever plugged all of it together just didn’t get it plugged tight and maybe their was some of a loose fitting connection and some arching,cuz on the distributor side it’s all shiny clean.

 

[woodwiz]

It's all good now! Went to the local parts store and they had 10-12 single wires hanging in the back,so i took the shortest 7mm i could and just shortend it and a little dilectric grease and she works.

 

[Russ69Runner]

On the road again.

 

[woodwiz]

Yes sir! Wish all fixes ran me $1.08!!!

 

[Russ69Runner]

That is the truth for sure. They told me the other day 14 dollar's and change for apart and said your braking me just kidding I said.