440 won't start in start

I know this has probably been posted before but I can't solve this problem. Converted over to Mopar electronic igniting on a 70 e body. Everything involving ignition is brand new including ignition switch. Will not start in the start mode. As soon as I release the key to on it starts. Shows 8 volts on run and 10v on start at the coil. Even if I run direct from the battery giving me about 12volts it still won't start in start position. At this point I've tried everything I can think of with no results. Any help would be greatly appreciated.....thanks

Post all you want (on any issue/anytime). Check that what is being fed in ign1 (run) is the same as what is being fed in ign2 (crank). Post how you have it wired. Your hard parts are fine cuz it does start in ign1 "run" which is thru the ballast so it has to be how it is wired. Something dont sound right tho (but we'll get it figured). EDIT 4 terminal ECU I am assuming. the coil positive primary and the blue/yellow ECU terminal need to be fed in "run" and in "crank" (& in "run" the 12v in the blue wire main feed out from the ign sw goes thru the ballast before it reaches the coil positive primary terminal).

I will take some photos of the wiring and post them. What really confuses me is running a wire directly from the battery to coil. It reads about 12 volts when cranking yet won't start until it's in the run position....Thank you for your help

I would make sure you're getting full battery power to the ECU in the start position Keep us posted

Check that power is making it thru the bulkhead connector (start terminal)

Jump 12V to the ballast (upstream end of it so it goes thru it to the coil) & 12V to the blue/yellow terminal on the ECU pentastar connector (stick a pin in there to do that) & stick the red one if it is an OE pentastar connector. crank it & see if it starts

More info need to help. How is it starting in run? Are you manually activating the starter solenoid? Why did you change the ignition switch?
Having good volts at coil is nice, but is the ignition box getting voltage in Start mode?

to simplify this. in start, the starter circuit gets current as well as the ignition circuit.
engine runs.
key is let go to run position. engine continues to run.
starter circuit is disabled [current is cut to that part of wiring circuit.
engine continues to run because run circuit is still getting current.

when engine "starts" in the run position only, the starter has got the engine spinning fast enough that when the key is released and current is established in the run position, the engine fires and continues to run.

places to look at include the ignition switch, the connector where the ignition switch connects to the main harness, the bulkhead connection, the starter relay, and anything that looks "suspicious".

wiring can [at times] make a guy tear his hair out.
good luck, and please post back when the problem has been worked out.

My 2-cents..... the brown ignition wire, coming from the bulkhead disconnect, is not getting 12V.
a) bad brown wire
b) bad connection at bulkhead disconnect
c) bad ignition switch

d) bad ballast resistor

e) wiring is bas-akwards or crossed in some way

d) bad ballast resistor

lol

Must be another, Hey it's fixed now thanks to the boards help,
Sorry but I don't have time to respond

I had an orange box go bad and was doing this before it went out completely

Why do you think that?

because the OP just dropped out without responding to those that took the time to try and help him.

It's only been a couple of days. Maybe he hasn't responded because he hasn't fixed it yet. Perhaps we will hear from him yet. The posters I take offence with are the ones that come back with a "never mind, it's fixed" without revealing the solution, or they delete their posts so you don't know what the heck they were even asking.

I thought I fixed it by switching the connections on the resistor. Starts fine but when it's been running for a while it once again won't start in the start position. Posted some pictures. I don't know if it will help

Sorry took so long to respond. Christmas took priority

Amen Pal.
Never mind the curmudgeons.

(1) the two terminals on each long "end" of the ballast in the white connectors, connect them together (makeing a parallel circuit) on each end (I hope that makes sense, in other words making the dual ballast into a single ballast). (2) run the blue ign1 "run" wire to the upstreeam end of the ballast (3) run the brown ign2 "crank" wire to the downstream end of the ballast (bypassing the ballast) (4) then the downstream end of the ballast to the coil positive primary. I believe the black/yellow to coil neg & the other two to the dist pickup are polarity correct for correct Rotor Phasing cuz it does run OK when it runs. EDIT As said, confirm the box is grounded well (removeing/retightening the 2 mounting screws usuall does it) MORE EDIT post how you have it wired (I couldn't quite see from the pic but something ain't right). the green with red tracer wire should not be connected to anything (useing the orange box), more later when you post what is where.

A 70 E body should not be running a dual ballast. Especially with an orange box. Sounds like something is heating up, failing then when it cools it works again.

Time to get a meter out and take some voltage readings before and after failure.

Hope this helps a little

Note the blue wire crimped together below the ballast resistor. It now runs to the coil. Also this was a conversion from standard points ignition

you may also want to look closely at the blue butt connector that is hooked on the harness "holder" below the voltage regulator.
i can't tell from the pics just exactly what it is connected to, but i have found many, many problems using those type of connections.
a crimp/solder connection using shrink tubing is a better connection in my opinion.

There no problem with current flowing through the connection. However you are right I should change it. The blue wire comes from the factory harness and connects to the coil. It just looks like it may have connected to the resistor and it was changed. Thanks for your help so far

Doesn't the blue wire go to the ecu and not the coil?

It looks like the red wire on the coil positive (I am assuming) terminal is loose (camera distorsion or was the pic taken in the middle of things) or is it (now) tight? How about trying this: Working with the top & bottom (only) terminals on the left ("pass" side like you have it mounted) side of the ballast: (1) run the blue ign1 wire to either top or bottom left terminal & T from that same ballast terminal into the blue/yellow 9 0'clock ECU terminal/wire (2) Connect the "other" (top or bottom left side) downstream ballast terminal out to the coil positive primary terminal (so you are going thru the .5 ohm half of the ballast in "run") and (3) connect the brown ig2 "crank" wire either to the coil positive primary terminal or to the "other" downstream left side ballast terminal mentioned in (2) (whichever is more convenient for you so the ballast is bypassed via the brown wire in ign2 "crank"). You might be able to manipulate/use half of the white connectors to try this without a bunch of rewireing & see how it goes. Do not use the red/green ECU 7 0'clock terminal/pigtail on anything & the 11 0'clock & 2 0'clock ECU terminals for the dist pickup terminals are wired OK if it ain't sputtering from reversed Rotor Phasing when you rev it esp with vac adv which I assume you have & you did not mention so I assume OK there.

Ok thank you very much. I will try it this weekend