410 six pack crate engine

It appears to not be getting spark all the time.

It has all the MP stuff....distributor and orange box etc..

Just tried to start it and it appears to only get spark when I stop turning it over and let off the ignition.

I have heard a lot about bad luck with these orange boxes.

I have had it running by the way and the first day it ran great. Tonight it started right up and drove it a little bit and then went to start it 1/2 hour later and it cranked over but wouldn't fire and that's when I found it had no spark. It seems to come and go...maybe once it gets warmed up?

Any ideas?

Thanks.

Quote:

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Just tried to start it and it appears to only get spark when I stop turning it over and let off the ignition.

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I was going to say ballast resistor, but thats usually the opposite-spark when cranking and no spark when stop turning over.

I would disconnect the starter relay so the starter won't come on, and disconnect the wires on the ballast resistor. Check voltage at both wires for the resistor to ground. With key in "run" position you should 12v on one wire, and with key in "start" you should have 12v on the other wire. Could be bad connection somewhere-ignition switch, firewall, etc. Is the orange box grounded well?

I've had problems with the orange boxes, I finally have an MSD 6AL and I'm happy with it.

4 prong ballast has a start side and a run side, sounds like the start side is burned out and it try's to fire when the key returns to run.

I've been experiencing exactly the same problem.
I'll watch this and not hijack it.

Same thing happened when my ecu went down.

Make sure your ECU box is grounded good. Had this problem with my GTX. Going down the road and dying. No spark when cranking it. Would start later. Sanded around the mounting bolt holes and the back plate of the (yes it was an orange one) ECU and that cured it.

made sure the orange box was grounded well and had the same results. Bought another duralast box just to check it and still no spark. Tried a different coil and had the same results. The ballast resistor seems to be working but may not be the right spec...it measured 1.5 going through it when we tested it.

2 terminal ballast? 1.5 ohms is more resistance than is needed but thats not the problem. You might pull the bulkhead connectors apart & check/clean them.

Yes dual ballast. I suppose the bulkhead connection is something to check. It's an all new engine harness on it. Not at the garage now so I will start there first thing in the morning.

Got it fixed......bad pickup coil in the distributor. Is there any reason why it was fine for 2 days and then went bad? It was a totally new MP distibutor.

hi
recently had a friends truck not start .
after much trouble shooting and replacing parts found the coil was shorting out the ecu.

replacing resistors did no good .

coil would kill thr rcu then treplaced the ecu and no spark , replaced the coil still no spark because coil had killed ecu !

finaly replaced both coil and ecu and fired right up !

good luck , keep us posted !