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Why won't she start! #939459
02/27/11 11:41 PM
02/27/11 11:41 PM
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 9
Fallon, Nevada
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Youngun Offline OP
member
Youngun  Offline OP
member
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Joined: May 2010
Posts: 9
Fallon, Nevada
So here's the deal,

I have a street 440. All the following ignition parts are brand new: Summit CD ignition, Summit ready to run billet distributor, MSD wires, MSD blaster coil, autolite plugs.

The problem: While turning over, NOTHING happens. No spark at the plugs or even the coil and the ignition box LED light does not indicate the trigger signals are going to the coil like it should by blinking.

So far I have found: I can get a spark from the coil by jumping the magnetic pickup wires, so the coil must be good and the ignition is capable of delivering a "fire" signal to the coil. There is voltage going to the distributor via the magnetic pickup + wire, but nothing comes out of the distributor to send a trigger signal to the ignition box. I'm not sure who makes the distributor, but the wierd thing is (for a mopar) it has 3 wires coming from it wired as follows:

BLACK (grnd)
RED (+) connected to the mag + from the ignition (VIOLET)
ORANGE (-) connected to the mag - from the ignition (GREEN)

I have not checked the gap between the reluctor and pickup, could this be the problem?

Any help would be appreciated!

(Here's the car for some eye candy, finally 98% complete after 7 years and lots of help from Moparts)

6500701-P1120077.JPG (82 downloads)
Re: Why won't she start! [Re: Youngun] #939460
02/27/11 11:48 PM
02/27/11 11:48 PM
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 733
Northern Virginia
Moparmaniacc Offline
super stock
Moparmaniacc  Offline
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Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 733
Northern Virginia
Definitely check the gap. I had a weak spark many years ago and that was the problem.

Re: Why won't she start! [Re: Youngun] #939461
02/27/11 11:55 PM
02/27/11 11:55 PM
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 36,040
Lincoln Nebraska
RapidRobert Offline
Circle Track
Happy Birthday RapidRobert  Offline
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Posts: 36,040
Lincoln Nebraska
See if you are getting fire at the coil positive primary terminal when someone is cranking it w the key & if not check the bulkhead and either work forward (to the coil) or backward (to the ign sw) to find the open. If yes as said see why the dist is not triggering the coil (this is a self contained dist/ecu right?) pickup gap/open/improper wiring there inside the dist


live every 24 hour block of time like it's your last day on earth
Re: Why won't she start! [Re: RapidRobert] #939462
02/28/11 12:13 AM
02/28/11 12:13 AM
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 9
Fallon, Nevada
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Youngun Offline OP
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Youngun  Offline OP
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Joined: May 2010
Posts: 9
Fallon, Nevada
The only other thing i can think of is i am supposed to use the "white" wire for trigger. The MSD ready to run billet dist appears to be similar to the summit ready to run dist with the black/red/orange wires, and the MSD instructions say to wire the white from the ignition box to the orange dist wire and the red dist wire then connects to a switched 12 v source.

That MSD dist is labeled as a magnetic pickup but does not use the purple and green "magnetic pickup" trigger wires from the ignition box?

Am i confused what a magnetic pickup dist is?

FYI i will be contacting Summit tech tomorrow to get their answer....

Re: Why won't she start! [Re: Youngun] #939463
02/28/11 12:27 AM
02/28/11 12:27 AM
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 36,040
Lincoln Nebraska
RapidRobert Offline
Circle Track
Happy Birthday RapidRobert  Offline
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Posts: 36,040
Lincoln Nebraska
A magnetic pickup dist is one of Mopars' OE 70's/early 80's dists or the MSD replacement (other brands also). a self contained dist has the ECU inside & 2 wires go from the dist to the coil positive and negative and seperately full 12V (no ballast at least on the MSD) from the ign sw to the coil positive to energize the coil/dist. I dont want to type any more that might add to the prob. If OE magnetic pickup type the PU triggers the ECU to open the coil pri. In a self contained (dist) the PU triggers the (mini) ecu (both of which are in the dist) to open the coil pri


live every 24 hour block of time like it's your last day on earth
Re: Why won't she start! [Re: Youngun] #939464
02/28/11 01:20 AM
02/28/11 01:20 AM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 5,435
So Cal
Sinitro Offline
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Sinitro  Offline
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 5,435
So Cal
Make sure you have gapped the reluctor properly inside the distributor.. If too wide, the coil and box will not fire...

Just my $0.02...

Re: Why won't she start! [Re: Sinitro] #939465
03/01/11 04:08 AM
03/01/11 04:08 AM
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 9
Fallon, Nevada
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Youngun Offline OP
member
Youngun  Offline OP
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Joined: May 2010
Posts: 9
Fallon, Nevada
So, in conclusion, I gapped the dist (it was a little wide). Called the Summit tech line and their ignition "guru" informed me that this particular dist should be run off the white wire trigger, not the magnetic pickup wires. There are no instructions with either the ign box or dist showing this setup so take note for future reference!

She runs, but real rough and with lots of carb backfire. Now i just have to get the timing worked out....

Thanks for the input guys.

Re: Why won't she start! [Re: Youngun] #939466
03/01/11 09:34 AM
03/01/11 09:34 AM
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 4,154
bethlehem pa
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mikemee1331 Offline
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Posts: 4,154
bethlehem pa
love the RR by the way, especially the wheels! very nice......

Re: Why won't she start! [Re: mikemee1331] #939467
03/01/11 09:50 AM
03/01/11 09:50 AM
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 905
SD
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zrxkawboy Offline
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zrxkawboy  Offline
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Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 905
SD
Quote:

love the RR by the way, especially the wheels! very nice......




+1...very clean!


It's Swifty! Swifty, you toad sucker!






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