|
Eating Orange Boxes
#1030024
07/11/11 12:38 AM
07/11/11 12:38 AM
|
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 661
Iowa
jon01
OP
mopar
|
OP
mopar
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 661
Iowa
|
I installed a radio in my wife's 68 Coronet over the weekend, in the process of which accidentally left the key in the 'run' position for about an hour.
The car has an MP electronic ignition setup on it.
Started it after finishing things up and ran it for probably 5-10 minutes in the driveway just to charge things back up from having the dome light off(small load on the ammeter) and enjoy the music. It ran fine, shut off with the key and proceeded with the day.
Went out this morning to go for a spin and it had no spark. Changed the orange box out with a new one and that fixed it.
Went for probably a 3 mile drive and it died, again, no spark. I don't have another box to test it with, but I'm sure that's the problem.
The electronic ignition has been in the car for over a year now and no issues up till now...
Has anybody ever run into this kind of problem or have any idea where to start looking?
Thanks for any help!
Jon
68 Charger R/T - #'s matching car, 499/727/3.91
|
|
|
Re: Eating Orange Boxes
[Re: dennismopar73]
#1030026
07/11/11 01:01 AM
07/11/11 01:01 AM
|
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 661
Iowa
jon01
OP
mopar
|
OP
mopar
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 661
Iowa
|
Quote:
that can and does happen to all the 'boxes ' if left in the on position, heat is the culprit, gets to hot,
some who have issues its due to high charge/ or fluctuations in chargeing, the rest is grounding issues
Yeah, I figured me being a dummy and leaving the key in the run position smoked the first one.
But, the second one only saw 10-15 minutes of use before it gave up the ghost. It's installed in the same way...maybe it was just defective out of the box?
|
|
|
Re: Eating Orange Boxes
[Re: Kern Dog]
#1030031
07/11/11 11:39 AM
07/11/11 11:39 AM
|
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 9,436
Blair County,PA
62maxwgn
master
|
master
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 9,436
Blair County,PA
|
Quote:
The dreaded ORANGE box strikes again!
I've heard many stories of these units crapping out without warning. Some have had great luck, but it seems that many more have not.
Most of the orange box failure I have seen are the ones made in the last ten years,most early ones seem to last forever. 
|
|
|
Re: Eating Orange Boxes
[Re: Dean_Kuzluzski]
#1030034
07/11/11 12:20 PM
07/11/11 12:20 PM
|
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 661
Iowa
jon01
OP
mopar
|
OP
mopar
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 661
Iowa
|
Quote:
You may have shorted out the ballist resistor too. This would cause a high current load on every ignition module thereafter. Chrome or orange it will succumb to it.
Not questioning you, but if the ballast was bad wouldn't I get the usual symptom - start when cranking but die as soon as the key was released back to 'run'?
I'm still getting juice to the positive side of the coil, checked that first since I'd been messing with the wiring underhood...
Quote:
The Mopar ignition module is basically a very large "switching transistor" that is biased or influenced by the magnetic pulse from the reluctor/magnetic pick-up in the distributor. Heat and current load is its enemy.
A dedicated ground lead from the body of the ignition module to a good ground (engine, where the negative cable is) is also a very good idea. The unit grounds through its case but many folks don't assure a good contact. If you ground to the body, make sure you have a good groundstrap from the engine-to-body like when it was made.
I have a 12ga wire running from the box mounted on the inner fenderwell to a bolt on the alternator bracket.
Quote:
Not sure if any drawbacks to running a chrome box. Mine work fine on a street/stript 69 RR. They're basically more sensitive to heat and current due to a more sophisticated switching transistor.
There was a stand-off plate on some production Mopars to help cool those modules in the early 70's. Something to think about.
I have it mounted on the inside of the passenger inner fenderwell on an area with a concave curve which 'should' allow some airflow behind it, this was done with that in mind...
Maybe I should just stick the points dist back in it and add a Pertronix unit, those have always been great to me in other applications...
|
|
|
Re: Eating Orange Boxes
[Re: 62maxwgn]
#1030036
07/11/11 01:31 PM
07/11/11 01:31 PM
|
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 661
Iowa
jon01
OP
mopar
|
OP
mopar
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 661
Iowa
|
Any reason I shouldn't just go to the parts store and buy a couple of their lifetime warranty units, keeping one for a spare?
This is not a hi-po car yet, just the stock low compression 383.
When the new motor/trans go in it'll get MSD stuff.
68 Charger R/T - #'s matching car, 499/727/3.91
|
|
|
Re: Eating Orange Boxes
[Re: NachoRT74]
#1030040
07/11/11 10:08 PM
07/11/11 10:08 PM
|
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 5,445
So Cal
Sinitro
master
|
master
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 5,445
So Cal
|
Quote:
Quote:
Upgrade to the Chrome box, and be done with it..
Just my $0.02... 
I can say, latelly not even that... two in a row gone in last year.
actually one gone, the other one hard to start.
Installed at least 15 Chrome boxes over the last 3 years in different cars, no problems...
Just my $0.02...
|
|
|
Re: Eating Orange Boxes
[Re: jon01]
#1030041
07/11/11 10:46 PM
07/11/11 10:46 PM
|
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 2,177
ill
dennismopar73
top fuel
|
top fuel
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 2,177
ill
|
Quote:
Any reason I shouldn't just go to the parts store and buy a couple of their lifetime warranty units, keeping one for a spare?
This is not a hi-po car yet, just the stock low compression 383.
When the new motor/trans go in it'll get MSD stuff.
yep, that what i would do for the present,
those stock boxes will run real well so dont think they wont do the job because they will!!!! 
|
|
|
|
|
