Strange ignition behavior
#1176253
02/10/12 10:40 PM
02/10/12 10:40 PM
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Joined: May 2008
Posts: 322
San Diego, CA, United States
Texas_Charger
OP
enthusiast
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OP
enthusiast
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 322
San Diego, CA, United States
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Hello everyone,
I have a 71 Charger with a Pertronix ignition system, and an MSD blaster 2 coil. The car was idling and running fine, and then all of the sudden it just immediately died... no stutter, no stumble, it was like someone had reached in and cut the ignition off. When I tried to restart it, I got nothing.
It would crank over fine, and as soon as you let off it would backfire through the carburetor. I tried running a hot wire from the battery to the positive side of the coil (not my idea but it seemed reasonable) and still nothing. No spark to the plugs.
After I took the hot wire off the coil, it began to behave a little differently. It now will crank and crank in the "start" position and when you let off to the "run" you get nothing, but when you turn the switch to the "off" position, as if you are about to take the key out, the engine will jerk and turn a little bit.
Do any of you have any idea what could be causing this? I've got a feeling tonight is gonna be a long night of pouring over wiring diagrams, but any advice would help. Thanks!
1971 Dodge Charger SE 470/727/3.91 Suregrip
2016 Dodge Challenger Hellcat, 6-speed
1980 Pontiac Trans Am, Y84, WS6
2002 Ram 2500 Cummins/6-speed/2WD/QC
1971 Ford F-350 Ranger
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Re: Strange ignition behavior
[Re: Texas_Charger]
#1176254
02/10/12 10:45 PM
02/10/12 10:45 PM
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Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 14,889
up yours
Supercuda
About to go away
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About to go away
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 14,889
up yours
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Quote:
Hello everyone,
I have a 71 Charger with a Pertronix ignition system, and an MSD blaster 2 coil. The car was idling and running fine, and then all of the sudden it just immediately died... no stutter, no stumble, it was like someone had reached in and cut the ignition off. When I tried to restart it, I got nothing.
It would crank over fine, and as soon as you let off it would backfire through the carburetor. I tried running a hot wire from the battery to the positive side of the coil (not my idea but it seemed reasonable) and still nothing. No spark to the plugs.
After I took the hot wire off the coil, it began to behave a little differently. It now will crank and crank in the "start" position and when you let off to the "run" you get nothing, but when you turn the switch to the "off" position, as if you are about to take the key out, the engine will jerk and turn a little bit.
Do any of you have any idea what could be causing this? I've got a feeling tonight is gonna be a long night of pouring over wiring diagrams, but any advice would help. Thanks!
Only time I ever saw anything like that was when someone had stripped the plastic drive gear off a slant 6 distributor.
They say there are no such thing as a stupid question.
They say there is always the exception that proves the rule.
Don't be the exception.
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Re: Strange ignition behavior
[Re: Texas_Charger]
#1176255
02/10/12 10:55 PM
02/10/12 10:55 PM
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Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 4,452
Morristown Tn.
71birdJ68
master
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master
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 4,452
Morristown Tn.
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Try putting a set of points back in with a stock coil, that will elimate that stuff.I had a brand new pertonix and it fried as soon as power was applied the first time. Some one told me they would do that at times.They gave me a new one but haven't tried it yet.Crane also makes a brain box that goes under the dist. cap. The other stuff, ck switch and starter relay if its not the ing.
PS. do you have the light package on your charger?
Last edited by 71 RR- J68; 02/10/12 10:58 PM.
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Re: Strange ignition behavior
[Re: Texas_Charger]
#1176256
02/11/12 12:06 AM
02/11/12 12:06 AM
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Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 36,040
Lincoln Nebraska
RapidRobert
Circle Track
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Circle Track
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 36,040
Lincoln Nebraska
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I'd opinionate that the prob is under the dist cap
live every 24 hour block of time like it's your last day on earth
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Re: Strange ignition behavior
[Re: Texas_Charger]
#1176257
02/11/12 12:35 AM
02/11/12 12:35 AM
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Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 4,848
Memphis
HemiRick
master
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master
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 4,848
Memphis
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Its not unusual for a Pertronix to throw a spark when the igntion is turned on and or off. I think thats the jerking your seeing.
Take care,
Rick
68 Coronet R/T 440 & 68 Charger 528 Hemi,and 5 Challengers! 6 cyl, 318, 360, 383, 451
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Re: Strange ignition behavior
[Re: 71birdJ68]
#1176259
02/11/12 11:54 AM
02/11/12 11:54 AM
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Joined: May 2008
Posts: 322
San Diego, CA, United States
Texas_Charger
OP
enthusiast
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OP
enthusiast
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 322
San Diego, CA, United States
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My charger used to have the hidden headlight package, but I recently swapped them out for regular exposed lights. Does that somehow make a difference?
Thanks
1971 Dodge Charger SE 470/727/3.91 Suregrip
2016 Dodge Challenger Hellcat, 6-speed
1980 Pontiac Trans Am, Y84, WS6
2002 Ram 2500 Cummins/6-speed/2WD/QC
1971 Ford F-350 Ranger
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Re: Strange ignition behavior
[Re: Texas_Charger]
#1176260
02/11/12 12:18 PM
02/11/12 12:18 PM
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Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 36,040
Lincoln Nebraska
RapidRobert
Circle Track
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Circle Track
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 36,040
Lincoln Nebraska
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Scratchn said that you do not want to leave the ign on w pertronix but it did die while running. I think the Pertronix just up & died. Reportedly they are very reliable but no system is 100% and it may have been abused or Murphy's law
live every 24 hour block of time like it's your last day on earth
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Re: Strange ignition behavior
[Re: Texas_Charger]
#1176262
02/11/12 04:25 PM
02/11/12 04:25 PM
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Joined: May 2008
Posts: 5,399
Aurora, Colorado
451Mopar
master
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master
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 5,399
Aurora, Colorado
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If it uses a magnetic pickup, check the gap, and that the shaft is rotating when cranking the engine.
Also, check for a short on the coils "-" side. It sounds like the coil is grounded on the "-" terminal, either a short, or the ignition module. When you turn off power to the coil, the magnetic field discharges into the secondary creating a single spark. Most of the electronic ignition systems will grounf the coil "-" terminal until it senses the trigger, so if the pertronix unit does not sense the rotation of the distribitor it will not release the grounded output which would normally create a spark. It is also possable the ignition coil has an internal short.
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Re: Strange ignition behavior
[Re: mopars4ever]
#1176263
02/11/12 04:28 PM
02/11/12 04:28 PM
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Joined: May 2008
Posts: 322
San Diego, CA, United States
Texas_Charger
OP
enthusiast
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OP
enthusiast
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 322
San Diego, CA, United States
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Okay guys, I chased my tail for a few hours and then finally took the petronix off and replaced it with the old points system. Of course it fired right off...
So my question now is, do I need to run a ballast resistor with the MSD blaster II coil until I can get a new petronix?
1971 Dodge Charger SE 470/727/3.91 Suregrip
2016 Dodge Challenger Hellcat, 6-speed
1980 Pontiac Trans Am, Y84, WS6
2002 Ram 2500 Cummins/6-speed/2WD/QC
1971 Ford F-350 Ranger
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Re: Strange ignition behavior
[Re: Texas_Charger]
#1176264
02/11/12 06:08 PM
02/11/12 06:08 PM
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Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 36,040
Lincoln Nebraska
RapidRobert
Circle Track
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Circle Track
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 36,040
Lincoln Nebraska
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Lot of grey area on what you can & cannot get by w on ballast amt but w a non MSD I would use some ballast exp as you dont need another breakdown till you get the Pertronix replaced EDIT somehow missed that you said points, absolutely run a ballast 1 ohm or more
Last edited by RapidRobert; 02/11/12 06:12 PM.
live every 24 hour block of time like it's your last day on earth
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