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FBO Ignition system toubleshooting #1068570 09/03/11 06:11 PM 09/03/11 06:11 PM
Joined: May 2004 Posts: 4,920 Joplin, MO USA Robbins OP master
Robbins OP master Joined: May 2004 Posts: 4,920 Joplin, MO USA	I have less than 500 miles on the system. It just died in the garage from driving around town, lucky I know. Now no fire. The dizzy has 365 ohms.....ignition 1 and 2 at the ballast is good. The ballast has .9 ohms. The coil is hot on both sides(12 volts) though, this doesn't seem right to me. Isn't the negative side of the coil supposed to blink with a test light when spinning over. It's just as hot as the positive side even just sitting not turning the motor over. Also when key is on I have less than 4 volts coming from the ignition box to the dizzy, not sure if that's correct or not. Any help would be appreciative, thanks. Moparlee

Re: FBO Ignition system toubleshooting [Re: Robbins] #1068571 09/03/11 07:22 PM 09/03/11 07:22 PM
Joined: Apr 2010 Posts: 4,154 bethlehem pa M mikemee1331 master
mikemee1331 master M Joined: Apr 2010 Posts: 4,154 bethlehem pa	FBO ignition? which components exactly?

Re: FBO Ignition system toubleshooting [Re: mikemee1331] #1068572 09/03/11 08:55 PM 09/03/11 08:55 PM
Joined: May 2004 Posts: 4,920 Joplin, MO USA Robbins OP master
Robbins OP master Joined: May 2004 Posts: 4,920 Joplin, MO USA	It's an older (a couple of years ago now) system I guess, cause the website shows some different boxes now. Mine looks like the regular mopar style brain box, but it's black. I got the box, coil & ballast with it. Moparlee

Re: FBO Ignition system toubleshooting [Re: Robbins] #1068573 09/03/11 09:41 PM 09/03/11 09:41 PM
Joined: Apr 2010 Posts: 4,154 bethlehem pa M mikemee1331 master
mikemee1331 master M Joined: Apr 2010 Posts: 4,154 bethlehem pa	all things being equal i would say the ballast went south, do you have spark at all from the coil? do you know what ohm the ballast is supposed to be rated at (should be stamped on it somewhere). can you just run a temporary jumper wire and bypass the ballast and see if it starts.

Re: FBO Ignition system toubleshooting [Re: Robbins] #1068574 09/03/11 11:10 PM 09/03/11 11:10 PM
Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 5,439 So Cal Sinitro master
Sinitro master Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 5,439 So Cal	Make sure the ignition module is grounded well. It needs to be screwed down tite, metal-to-metal.. Especially its rear side... Also double check the reluctor gap should be 0.008 using a brass feeler gauge... Just my $0.02...

Re: FBO Ignition system toubleshooting [Re: mikemee1331] #1068575 09/04/11 12:38 AM 09/04/11 12:38 AM
Joined: May 2004 Posts: 4,920 Joplin, MO USA Robbins OP master
Robbins OP master Joined: May 2004 Posts: 4,920 Joplin, MO USA	Quote: all things being equal i would say the ballast went south, do you have spark at all from the coil? do you know what ohm the ballast is supposed to be rated at (should be stamped on it somewhere). can you just run a temporary jumper wire and bypass the ballast and see if it starts. Thanks, No spark at all, not sure it will being that its hot on both sides of the coil. My stock set up only has 6 volts in the run position with only 1.2 volts or so on the negative side of the coil. I'll try jumping it tomorrow, just to try it. Moparlee

Re: FBO Ignition system toubleshooting [Re: Robbins] #1068576 09/04/11 08:57 AM 09/04/11 08:57 AM
Joined: Apr 2010 Posts: 4,154 bethlehem pa M mikemee1331 master
mikemee1331 master M Joined: Apr 2010 Posts: 4,154 bethlehem pa	i didn't realize you had a spare coil. jump the ballast, see if it starts. if yes, the ballast is bad, if no leave the jumper in place and swap out the coil. if it starts then the coil is bad and most likely the ballast too (ballast failed, overheated/shorted the coil)and then you will have to decide what to do. i don't know if the FBO ecu requires the ballast or if it only there to protect the coil. being that the ECU is faily new i suspect the ballast is only there to protect the coil but you would have to contact FBO about that.

Re: FBO Ignition system toubleshooting [Re: mikemee1331] #1068577 09/04/11 09:06 AM 09/04/11 09:06 AM
Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 5,443 Indiana Y YO7_A66 master
YO7_A66 master Y Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 5,443 Indiana	Don told me that his original ECU could not handle 12v and that is why he had it redesigned with the new 12v coil. I ran his old ECU with another brand 12v coil (no ballast) on the street for about 6 months with no issue. That ECU "might" last for a while with 12v on it. I bought his new 12v ECU/Coil but I only have about 4 weeks driving time on them, but so far no problems. 1970 YO7 A66 [Canadian Export] F8 Challenger 340 (Currently in shop for stroker assy.)

Re: FBO Ignition system toubleshooting [Re: YO7_A66] #1068578 09/04/11 10:14 AM 09/04/11 10:14 AM
Joined: Apr 2010 Posts: 4,154 bethlehem pa M mikemee1331 master
mikemee1331 master M Joined: Apr 2010 Posts: 4,154 bethlehem pa	Quote: Don told me that his original ECU could not handle 12v and that is why he had it redesigned with the new 12v coil. I ran his old ECU with another brand 12v coil (no ballast) on the street for about 6 months with no issue. That ECU "might" last for a while with 12v on it. I bought his new 12v ECU/Coil but I only have about 4 weeks driving time on them, but so far no problems. good info here and do check what Sinitro suggested.

Re: FBO Ignition system toubleshooting [Re: mikemee1331] #1068579 09/04/11 11:11 AM 09/04/11 11:11 AM
Joined: Oct 2005 Posts: 902 S.E. Minnesota gtsdude super stock
gtsdude super stock Joined: Oct 2005 Posts: 902 S.E. Minnesota	I had same issue with my ballast blowing, try an MSD ballast, have never blew one of those yet, been 5 years now.

Re: FBO Ignition system toubleshooting [Re: gtsdude] #1068580 09/04/11 11:42 AM 09/04/11 11:42 AM
Joined: Apr 2010 Posts: 4,154 bethlehem pa M mikemee1331 master
mikemee1331 master M Joined: Apr 2010 Posts: 4,154 bethlehem pa	Quote: I had same issue with my ballast blowing, try an MSD ballast, have never blew one of those yet, been 5 years now. his ignition is all matched. your suggestion is all well and good if the ohms are the same ballast to ballast.

Re: FBO Ignition system toubleshooting [Re: mikemee1331] #1068581 09/04/11 11:49 AM 09/04/11 11:49 AM
Joined: May 2004 Posts: 4,920 Joplin, MO USA Robbins OP master
Robbins OP master Joined: May 2004 Posts: 4,920 Joplin, MO USA	I haven't had a chance to go outside this morning, but it doesn't seem wrong to have 12 volt on the negative side of the coil? Moparlee

Re: FBO Ignition system toubleshooting [Re: Robbins] #1068582 09/04/11 12:04 PM 09/04/11 12:04 PM
Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 1,251 Slidell, LA Ronnman pro stock
Ronnman pro stock Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 1,251 Slidell, LA	You have 12 volts on both terminals because its is not being grounded by the ECU. The ECU may not be receiving a signal from the distributor module or the ECU has a problem, maybe grounding as mentioned, or is bad. If you disconnect the distributor 2 prong connector and tap the male connect on the harness side that goes to the ECU, that should trigger the ECU to fire the coil. You are reading the "dead end" 12V on both terminals because there is no current flow. If no current flow through a resistor (coil) the voltage drop will be zero, thus the presence of 12V on each terminal. Ron

Re: FBO Ignition system toubleshooting [Re: Ronnman] #1068583 09/04/11 12:29 PM 09/04/11 12:29 PM
Joined: Jan 2004 Posts: 1,249 North Carolina 4 469runner pro stock
469runner pro stock 4 Joined: Jan 2004 Posts: 1,249 North Carolina	That box is probably bad. I had the same issue and replaced the box. I barely had 2000 miles on this set up. That stuff is all hype. It won't produce one more horsepower. "Yap, yap, yap,my stuff is better than everyones elses, all made in the USA." Yeah, tell that to the guy that spent 200 dollars on your stuff and is now sitting on the side of the road. OK, rant off. Just get a mopar performance setup. You'll be happier.

Re: FBO Ignition system toubleshooting [Re: 469runner] #1068584 09/04/11 02:55 PM 09/04/11 02:55 PM
Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 74,974 U.S.S.A. JohnRR I Win
JohnRR I Win Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 74,974 U.S.S.A.	Quote: That box is probably bad. I had the same issue and replaced the box. I barely had 2000 miles on this set up. That stuff is all hype. It won't produce one more horsepower. "Yap, yap, yap,my stuff is better than everyones elses, all made in the USA." Yeah, tell that to the guy that spent 200 dollars on your stuff and is now sitting on the side of the road. OK, rant off. Just get a mopar performance setup. You'll be happier. And carry a spare ECU and a ballast ....

Re: FBO Ignition system toubleshooting [Re: JohnRR] #1068585 09/04/11 07:10 PM 09/04/11 07:10 PM
Joined: Oct 2005 Posts: 902 S.E. Minnesota gtsdude super stock
gtsdude super stock Joined: Oct 2005 Posts: 902 S.E. Minnesota	I had the same FBO system, MSD Ballast is what they suggested after i blew two of the regular ballasts. 6810733-DSC01625%20(Small).JPG (149 downloads)

Re: FBO Ignition system toubleshooting [Re: gtsdude] #1068586 09/04/11 08:14 PM 09/04/11 08:14 PM
Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 11,076 Berlin, N.J. A abodyjoe I Live Here
abodyjoe I Live Here A Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 11,076 Berlin, N.J.	i know a few guys that had issues with FOB ecu and ballasts on the older units. don suggested the msd ballast and it cured the one guys problems. the other went through like 2 ecu's. fbo did stand behind his product and get him another one out. what ever you decide always carry an extra ecu and ballast with you. i carry a ecu,coil and a ballast in my trunk at all times. never know when you may need it. cheap insurance. It's better to keep your mouth shut and give the impression that you're stupid than to open it and remove all doubt. www.MoparMisfits.com

Re: FBO Ignition system toubleshooting [Re: abodyjoe] #1068587 09/04/11 08:23 PM 09/04/11 08:23 PM
Joined: Oct 2005 Posts: 902 S.E. Minnesota gtsdude super stock
gtsdude super stock Joined: Oct 2005 Posts: 902 S.E. Minnesota	yep, me too. Had the FBO coil crack where the plug wires goes in. Was almost a year after I installed it, Don sent one out free of charge and no questions asked. Great to deal with. 6810835-DSC01625%20(Small).JPG (142 downloads)

Re: FBO Ignition system toubleshooting [Re: gtsdude] #1068588 09/04/11 11:50 PM 09/04/11 11:50 PM
Joined: May 2004 Posts: 4,920 Joplin, MO USA Robbins OP master
Robbins OP master Joined: May 2004 Posts: 4,920 Joplin, MO USA	Thanks guys, I'll be calling him and see what he says next week. Moparlee

Re: FBO Ignition system toubleshooting [Re: Robbins] #1068589 09/06/11 05:52 PM 09/06/11 05:52 PM
Joined: May 2004 Posts: 4,920 Joplin, MO USA Robbins OP master
Robbins OP master Joined: May 2004 Posts: 4,920 Joplin, MO USA	Well...........I called him. I'm out on warranty by a day or two. But he did give some info....I shouldn't have 12 volt with the key in the on position like I do. Well as soon as I plug into the ballast I get 12 volts, I'm not sure how or why. Unplug the pink wires from the ballast and no voltage. My blue wire is supposed to have 12 volts, but the pink two wires on the other side in the run position shouldn't have until you turn the key to ignition two. When I ohm the resister it shows 1.2 ohms. What I'm missing here? Last edited by Robbins; 09/06/11 05:53 PM.

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