I have a problem where my 1964 383 Sport Fury just suddenly dies as if someone turned off the ignition. Happens hot or cold. Used to be that it would start right up again. Now it only restarts occasionally if at all. Right now it is dead in my garage. I eliminated it being a fuel problem and when it dies and I leave it in gear the tach gets no reading. I have replaced the ignition switch, key, ballast resistor, coil, points, and condenser. Sometimes 2 times. In all cases these parts appeared to be OK based on resistance and other tests but I replaced them anyway. The distributor is tight - no wobble. When I turn the ignition to ON I get at least 11 volt readings on both sides of the ballast resistor, positive side of coil, negative side of coil, and connection at the points when opened. Sometimes I will get a 5 volt reading from the brown (ignition) and blue (coil) wire side of the ballast resistor. The problem is, no matter what the reading, I get no spark at the points or plugs when I crank the engine and it will not start. Have gone over all wire connections and see no problems. Then all of a sudden it will start and run for a while then die. Could you offer some suggestions on what I could try. I have called in some of my friends on this to recheck everything I have a dozen times just to make sure I did not overlook anything but they are all at a loss. Thanks in advance for any help you all might give me.

Just wacking away since it seems you covered most of your bases.
Not sure on the run and die, but on the no start, did you check voltage at start rather than on?
When you turn your ignition switch to start, it sends 12 volts to the other side of the ballast resister rather than the normal side which drops the voltage.
So even though you replaced the ignition, perhaps it is a wiring issue that you don't get the 12 volts to start so you have no spark.

Next time it stops try wiggling the bulkhead connector on the firewall. It could be corroded or melted.

If its cranking its likely not the bulkhead connection

I know you said you replaced the coil but when you crank the engine and it dosent start is the coil firing to the distributer? If yes then you have a pronblem in the distribuiter.

by the way, why are you running points?

I just took a reading at both the pos and neg side of coil while cranking. Getting around 10 to 11 volts. To educate me what side drops, the ignition (brown wire)and blue wire to coil side of the resistor or the double blue wire side from the voltage regulator and ignition. Thanks.

Ken, when I have everything together I do not get spark from the main coil wire but I am guessing that this is because the points are not working correctly to cause the coil to function properly. By the way I have tried 2 coils and both checked out OK on the resistance tests. I just received the Petronix ignition conversion and will try to hook up sometime today or tomorrow. I am a little confused about the red wire hookup they say to run to the ignition switch side of the ballast resistor. Would this be the brown and blue wire side with the blue wire leading to the pos side of coil? I think this would be right. Also can I just put all 3 wires together and then plug into the ballast resistor? Thanks for your help.

http://www.mymopar.com/downloads/1964/64BelvedereFurySavoyB.JPG

There is a wire on the same side that goes to the coil. That wire drops. It only comes on in start

The wire on the other side of the ballast resister of the one that goes to the coil stays up in run.
The wire that stays up/on the other side of the resister from the coil wire is the one you need to tap off of for the petronix, and just put the negitive on the neg of the coil.

Thanks for the info. I was going to hook it up wrong. If I wanted to convert everything to electronic ignition I have heard there is a conversion kit I could get from a chrysler dealer. Is this true?

Yes, but that requires a few more parts.
I prefer the pertronix myself. Ran them on my last 2 cars.

check the coil center in the dist cap.

Thanks. Will give it a try. I have checked the wires on both sides of the wall and all seems OK. I have wiggled, yanked and generally tried everything to recreate the dieing when I could get it to run. For now I hooked the petronix ignition in and it started right up. A little adjustment to the timing and it was running smooth. Still perplexed as to why this works but the regular points will not. Maybe the direct wiring from the 12 volt side of the ballast resistor has something to do with it. Guess my backup will have to be another petronix unit. I sent an email to petronix as the largest air gap I can get between the rotor and the reader is .018. They want it adjusted to .030. The adjusting hole is not large enough. Do you all think this will impast the operation or shorten the life of the unit? Thanks again for all your help.

Put a jumper wire from the ballast resistor to the battery and see if it will remain running. If it remains running, re-check or jumper the fuseable link as it may be intermitent, same with the bulkhead connection, etc.

If it still dies (assuming the problem is electrical), you just need to verify the ballast resistor, coil, points & condenser and distrubitor (and the wiring connecting it all.)

The only other posability is an intermitent short to ground (maybe a short in the charging system?) or it might be the ignition condensor or noise filter (if equiped) on the coil?