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340 cranks but won't kick over and run anymore #365646 07/03/09 09:16 PM 07/03/09 09:16 PM
Joined: Feb 2003 Posts: 455 Ashburn, Virginia A ashburnmike OP mopar
ashburnmike OP mopar A Joined: Feb 2003 Posts: 455 Ashburn, Virginia	While I am tryng to figure out why my 340 surges at a constant speed...now all of a sudden, it won't kick over and run. Cranks over like crazy. I stuck a screwdriver in the #1 wire and held it near the exhaust manifold while cranking the motor, to see of there was any spark...nothing. Pulled the #1 plug and it was "wet". I installed the Mopar Electronic Ignition kit, bought from Mancini, when I got it together and it ran well, except for that surge issue. I checked the installation connections according to the instructions. All good. With the key in the on position I took a test light and I have power from the ballast resistor and power to the coil. Called Mancini and the gentleman there told me "It could be the ECU box or the ballast resistor" So I went to a local parts store, bought a replacment ECU...but the plug end won't slip on it easily like with the mopar ECU though the pin placement looks the same. I didn't want to force it on so I stopped to check in with you guys before I broke something. What else should I be looking at. I wanted to drive it to Carlisle..but that's not looking very good at this point. thanks Mike

Re: 340 cranks but won't kick over and run anymore [Re: ashburnmike] #365647 07/03/09 09:30 PM 07/03/09 09:30 PM
Joined: Nov 2003 Posts: 36,041 Lincoln Nebraska R RapidRobert Circle Track
RapidRobert Circle Track R Joined: Nov 2003 Posts: 36,041 Lincoln Nebraska	Hello Mike. Those connectors can be a tight fit, just wiggle it a bit to make sure it's starting straight & all of the pins are started then wiggle it as you push it in. Hopefully you'll be ready to hit the road & if not take off the coil neg to ecu wire & w a jumper ground the coil negative TERMINAL(key on) to ground, tap tap tap to ground & see if your coil wire(1/4" from ground) sparks live every 24 hour block of time like it's your last day on earth

Re: 340 cranks but won't kick over and run anymore [Re: RapidRobert] #365648 07/03/09 09:57 PM 07/03/09 09:57 PM
Joined: Feb 2003 Posts: 455 Ashburn, Virginia A ashburnmike OP mopar
ashburnmike OP mopar A Joined: Feb 2003 Posts: 455 Ashburn, Virginia	Quote: Hello Mike. Those connectors can be a tight fit, just wiggle it a bit to make sure it's starting straight & all of the pins are started then wiggle it as you push it in. Hopefully you'll be ready to hit the road & if not take off the coil neg to ecu wire & w a jumper ground the coil negative TERMINAL(key on) to ground, tap tap tap to ground & see if your coil wire(1/4" from ground) sparks Hello Robert, I took a jumper and grounded the neg side of the coil to the exhaust manifold and there are sparks. Mike

Re: 340 cranks but won't kick over and run anymore [Re: ashburnmike] #365649 07/03/09 10:05 PM 07/03/09 10:05 PM
Joined: Nov 2003 Posts: 36,041 Lincoln Nebraska R RapidRobert Circle Track
RapidRobert Circle Track R Joined: Nov 2003 Posts: 36,041 Lincoln Nebraska	ECU or dist pickup & very likely to be the ECU. You're going to make Carlyle yet in spite of your luck! live every 24 hour block of time like it's your last day on earth

Re: 340 cranks but won't kick over and run anymore [Re: RapidRobert] #365650 07/03/09 10:13 PM 07/03/09 10:13 PM
Joined: Feb 2003 Posts: 455 Ashburn, Virginia A ashburnmike OP mopar
ashburnmike OP mopar A Joined: Feb 2003 Posts: 455 Ashburn, Virginia	Quote: ECU or dist pickup & very likely to be the ECU. You're going to make Carlyle yet in spite of your luck! What is the distributor pickup....I bought this system several years ago year @ carlisle...did I make a mistake going with the Mopar product and not with another brand....and this could be my surge problem too..couldn't it? lots of questions tonight

Re: 340 cranks but won't kick over and run anymore [Re: ashburnmike] #365651 07/03/09 10:21 PM 07/03/09 10:21 PM
Joined: Nov 2003 Posts: 36,041 Lincoln Nebraska R RapidRobert Circle Track
RapidRobert Circle Track R Joined: Nov 2003 Posts: 36,041 Lincoln Nebraska	Quote: What is the distributor pickup lots of questions tonight (1) its the small coil inside the dist that puts out a small current when a reluctor tooth goes past it & this current triggers the ECU to open the big coil pri field(for it to fire) just like dist points used to do back in the day (2) No sweat, I have more time than money live every 24 hour block of time like it's your last day on earth

Re: 340 cranks but won't kick over and run anymore [Re: RapidRobert] #365652 07/03/09 10:34 PM 07/03/09 10:34 PM
Joined: Feb 2003 Posts: 455 Ashburn, Virginia A ashburnmike OP mopar
ashburnmike OP mopar A Joined: Feb 2003 Posts: 455 Ashburn, Virginia	thanks for the primer Robert. Earlier today I pulled the dist and checked the air gap w/ a .008 feeler gauge. Seemed pretty sloppy. When you adjust the screw to .008...some of the reluctors gapped out @ .010. Is there a tolerance on the air gap? wish I had the dual point still.

Re: 340 cranks but won't kick over and run anymore [Re: ashburnmike] #365653 07/03/09 10:38 PM 07/03/09 10:38 PM
Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 33,005 Grand Prairie,Texas stumpy I Win
stumpy I Win Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 33,005 Grand Prairie,Texas	Do you have 12v to the coil while cranking? There are two different power sources one during cranking that bypasses the ballast and the one in run that goes through the ballast.

Re: 340 cranks but won't kick over and run anymore [Re: stumpy] #365654 07/03/09 10:40 PM 07/03/09 10:40 PM
Joined: Feb 2003 Posts: 455 Ashburn, Virginia A ashburnmike OP mopar
ashburnmike OP mopar A Joined: Feb 2003 Posts: 455 Ashburn, Virginia	Stumpy All I have is a test light and a timing light in my tool box. what tool do I need to measure voltage?

Re: 340 cranks but won't kick over and run anymore [Re: ashburnmike] #365655 07/03/09 10:46 PM 07/03/09 10:46 PM
Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 33,005 Grand Prairie,Texas stumpy I Win
stumpy I Win Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 33,005 Grand Prairie,Texas	Just use the test light to see if it lights up while cranking.

Re: 340 cranks but won't kick over and run anymore [Re: stumpy] #365656 07/03/09 11:09 PM 07/03/09 11:09 PM
Joined: Feb 2003 Posts: 455 Ashburn, Virginia A ashburnmike OP mopar
ashburnmike OP mopar A Joined: Feb 2003 Posts: 455 Ashburn, Virginia	make sure I have this right. Hold the test light on the negative post of the coil with the two wires screwed on (they are still off when I did the spark test earlier) Crank the motor and see of it lights up.

Re: 340 cranks but won't kick over and run anymore [Re: ashburnmike] #365657 07/03/09 11:12 PM 07/03/09 11:12 PM
Joined: Nov 2003 Posts: 36,041 Lincoln Nebraska R RapidRobert Circle Track
RapidRobert Circle Track R Joined: Nov 2003 Posts: 36,041 Lincoln Nebraska	yes, stab the test light to a ground & see if it blinks when you crank it live every 24 hour block of time like it's your last day on earth

Re: 340 cranks but won't kick over and run anymore [Re: RapidRobert] #365658 07/03/09 11:21 PM 07/03/09 11:21 PM
Joined: Feb 2003 Posts: 455 Ashburn, Virginia A ashburnmike OP mopar
ashburnmike OP mopar A Joined: Feb 2003 Posts: 455 Ashburn, Virginia	Quote: yes, stab the test light to a ground & see if it blinks when you crank it Test light grounded to the battery. stick end on the Negative side of the coil. key in the off position. cross the starter solenoid with a screwdriver to crank the motor. Cranks...No light Key in the start position. Cross the starter solenoid with a screwdriver to crank the motor. Cranks and lights up. not strong light but it does light up.

Re: 340 cranks but won't kick over and run anymore [Re: ashburnmike] #365659 07/04/09 12:11 AM 07/04/09 12:11 AM
Joined: Nov 2003 Posts: 36,041 Lincoln Nebraska R RapidRobert Circle Track
RapidRobert Circle Track R Joined: Nov 2003 Posts: 36,041 Lincoln Nebraska	No blinky? Did you get that ECU in? live every 24 hour block of time like it's your last day on earth

Re: 340 cranks but won't kick over and run anymore [Re: RapidRobert] #365660 07/04/09 07:27 AM 07/04/09 07:27 AM
Joined: Feb 2003 Posts: 455 Ashburn, Virginia A ashburnmike OP mopar
ashburnmike OP mopar A Joined: Feb 2003 Posts: 455 Ashburn, Virginia	Quote: No blinky? Did you get that ECU in? I want to start the trouble shooting process from scratch so I put everything back together with the Mopar ECU. The plug does not want to go on the aftermarket "blue" ECU without major forcing.

Re: 340 cranks but won't kick over and run anymore [Re: ashburnmike] #365661 07/04/09 11:02 AM 07/04/09 11:02 AM
Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 33,005 Grand Prairie,Texas stumpy I Win
stumpy I Win Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 33,005 Grand Prairie,Texas	First you need to check for power at the positive side of the coil when starting with the key. Clip the test light wire to the pos coil post and ground the pointed end of the light. Then turn the key to start and the light should light up steady while cranking. Plug should go on the ecu without being forced very hard.It will fit snug. Make sure the pins are straight and that you have the plug going on the right way.

Re: 340 cranks but won't kick over and run anymore [Re: stumpy] #365662 07/04/09 11:25 AM 07/04/09 11:25 AM
Joined: Feb 2003 Posts: 455 Ashburn, Virginia A ashburnmike OP mopar
ashburnmike OP mopar A Joined: Feb 2003 Posts: 455 Ashburn, Virginia	Quote: First you need to check for power at the positive side of the coil when starting with the key. Clip the test light wire to the pos coil post and ground the pointed end of the light. Then turn the key to start and the light should light up steady while cranking. Plug should go on the ecu without being forced very hard.It will fit snug. Make sure the pins are straight and that you have the plug going on the right way. Clipped the test light to the POS coil post. had a helper crank the motor. I have a steady light. The pins are straight on my replacement ECU, but I would have to take channel locks and try to squeeze the plug on.

Re: 340 cranks but won't kick over and run anymore [Re: ashburnmike] #365663 07/04/09 11:36 AM 07/04/09 11:36 AM
Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 33,005 Grand Prairie,Texas stumpy I Win
stumpy I Win Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 33,005 Grand Prairie,Texas	If you have to fight the plug on that hard something is wrong.

Re: 340 cranks but won't kick over and run anymore [Re: stumpy] #365664 07/04/09 11:45 AM 07/04/09 11:45 AM
Joined: Feb 2003 Posts: 455 Ashburn, Virginia A ashburnmike OP mopar
ashburnmike OP mopar A Joined: Feb 2003 Posts: 455 Ashburn, Virginia	Quote: If you have to fight the plug on that hard something is wrong. I ran to the parts store this morning and got another ballast resistor. The counter guy had an ohm meter and I asked him to read it. It read 2+ on the meter. He read the one I took with me that came in the Mopar kit and it read 1.2 / 1.3...I put the parts store unit on and when my helper cranked the motor it got REALLY hot. That can't be right either. I took it off and put the one that came from the kit back on. That can't be right either. So I'm not sure where to go from here. Get another ECU?

Re: 340 cranks but won't kick over and run anymore [Re: ashburnmike] #365665 07/04/09 11:48 AM 07/04/09 11:48 AM
Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 33,005 Grand Prairie,Texas stumpy I Win
stumpy I Win Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 33,005 Grand Prairie,Texas	The ballast resistor gets very hot. It's job is to create resistance which generates heat.You need to get the ecu that fits correctly. You should not have to force the plug on.

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