Today I changed out the ballast resistor (old one was pretty much annihilated), plugs, plug wires, and installed a new cap and rotor. While everything was apart I did a compression check (more on that later), but when I went to put it all back together and start it.......nothing. It'll crank, but won't give any indication of even wanting to start. I checked for spark and that was good. It's getting fuel (which probably explains the headache I have now), and I made sure the firing order was correct (1, 5, 3, 6, 2, 4) and the wire connected to #2 was on the post closest to the engine.

I can't for the life of me figure out what the deal is. Only other thing I can think of now is maybe I got the wrong rotor and it's got too short of a reach perhaps?

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'74 Duster w/ HEI ignition, beat to snot suspension, A904, 8.25" 3.55 SG rear, still being tuned up and gets 17 MPG

Know how they always build a better idiot? That's me

Did you get spark to fire your timing light? If you pull a wire off the plug, will it fire to the block? This will determine if your rotor is doing it's thing. Did you perhaps rotate your plug wires around one plug somehow? It will not fire if the wires are one off, even if they are in the correct firing order. If you got the wiring wrong on your ballast resister, you might get spark in the run postion, but not in the crank position. Jump across the ballast for now, and see if it will fire. If it does, then your ballast resister is bad. Maybe try putting the old one back in and see if it fires.

It is possible for an ignition switch to work in run position, but not provide voltage to the crank side. It does not seem likely that this is the case. It would be too much of a coincidence for it to fail at the same time you did a tune up. Usually these go bad from sitting around for years.

Sam

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Did you take the distributator out of the engine. Thanks Ron Parker












Bagels On Juice Im Bamboozled

I checked for spark by pulling a wire off a plug and it had a good strong spark to the block. Now that I think of that, you're right, the rotor and cap are doing their thing. I can't put the old ballast resistor back in because, well, it fell apart when I removed it. I don't even know how long it had been as fried as it was because some moron had sprayed Great Stuff all over the firewall, which completely covered the ballast resistor up.

I'm complately stumped

Ron, the dizzy stayed in.

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'74 Duster w/ HEI ignition, beat to snot suspension, A904, 8.25" 3.55 SG rear, still being tuned up and gets 17 MPG

Know how they always build a better idiot? That's me

I don't think that's right Sam. The engine will not care which plug terminal on the distributor is number one, as long as the following terminals are wired to plugs in the correct order. In other words, make ANY terminal on the dizzy that you want number one, but once you've done that, the next must be #5, the next #3, then #6 etc etc etc going clockwise from #1. I know this because it makes logical sense, I also know it because I got the distributor in 180 degrees out on a straight six chebby motor, but I just picked the distributor terminal the rotor was pointing at with #1 cylinder at TDC on a compression stroke and made it number one. Then the rest were wired in the firing order and it ran fine. Been there, done that, got the tatoo. Davey

Wait, I think I see what you mean...you mean having the distributor wired so that the rotor is pointing one forward or backward from the the #1 plug when #1 is at TDC on a compression stroke. You are correct...it won't run like that. Also been there, done that, and got that tatoo. Davey

True as far as it goes, but if the plug wires are one tower off correct placement, the ignition timing will be so far off spec (and not adjustable back onto spec) that the engine won't start.

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一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

That is true, and the interesting thing is that it will fool you if you're not careful, because it will have fire if you hold a plug wire against the block and make you think that "fire" isn't the problem. Well, it may have "fire" but in order to run it must have properly timed fire. Big difference. Davey

Exacty what I was thinking. I didn't go the full revolution around the dizzy, but I started (with the correct firing order) with the #2 wire on the farthest inboard terminal, nothing; shifted them all one tower clockwise, nothing; shifted them all one tower CCW from where I had started, still nothing.

I'm about to lose my brain over this. It should be so damn simple but it's driving me nuts.

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'74 Duster w/ HEI ignition, beat to snot suspension, A904, 8.25" 3.55 SG rear, still being tuned up and gets 17 MPG

Know how they always build a better idiot? That's me

Just as a sanity check, bring the engine to TDC on the compression stroke then pop the cap to be sure that the rotor is pointing to plug wire #1.

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David Kight
'62 Valiant Signet, White
'98 Dodge Dakota
'06 Jeep Liberty

Growing older is unavoidable but growing up is strictly optional.

Are you absolutely sure that you had #1 piston at TDC on a COMPRESSION stroke and not an exhaust stroke? Don't ask me how I know this, but the motor won't run if it's firing perfectly on the exhaust stroke. Davey

PS, it'll throw a beautiful spark, but won't hit a lick. Again, don't ask how I know...Davey

I'll give that a shot tomorrow after work. I'm too tired to do any more work tonight. Plus I have to study for a test in the morning

Sounds like a good idea though. If it's not firing on the compression stroke, it could've easily got that way when I did the compression test with everything apart.

Something else I found out is that the MSD Blaster 2 seems to not get nearly enough juice to fire well when it's used with the ballast resistor in place. Thinkg that that was my problem, I put the stock coil back and got a much better spark. Now to just get it to fire when it's supposed to...

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'74 Duster w/ HEI ignition, beat to snot suspension, A904, 8.25" 3.55 SG rear, still being tuned up and gets 17 MPG

Know how they always build a better idiot? That's me

The tricky thing is that if the dizzy was never removed, you KNOW it's timed correctly, BUT...you MUST ensure that the terminal on the dizzy you decide to make #1 is the terminal the rotor points at when #1 piston is up on a compression stroke. Davey

Think the Blaster wants an 0.8Ω resistor if used with other than HEI, but I'm not 100% certain, and I also kinda wonder if your dual ballast resistor is perhaps hooked up backwards! I don't think that's what's causing your problem, though. I really think you will find it to be an issue of timing. It is so easy to screw this up even if you've been fiddling with slant-6 distributors for years. Another question: Are you sure the rotor is pointed the right way round on the shaft, and is all the way seated?

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一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.