Hey guys- first I want to thank this website for over a year of great help- I just couldn't find this one anywhere. I have 65' Valiant 200: its been running great lately since a valve job, even put the new starter and battery on for good measure. Yesterday it starts right up as usual, but then immediately dies after letting go of the key. I figured out that if I hold the key just right (towards crank) it will stay running. After work I pulled out the lock cylinder and the bowl, and sure enough the spring in the switch is worn out, and a chunk of the lock guide is broken off. Easy enough fix, now it starts right up but if you let go it dies. And since the new switch isnt messed up anymore, you cant hold it to keep the car running. I then notice the new switch is equipped for a ground wire that wasnt factory. So I run a ground to the frame- no help. Anyone have any suggestions I would really appreciate them-

Your ballast resistor is dead. Replace it, and the car will stay running once it's started. You will find the resistor bolted to the middle of the firewall, on the engine side.

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

Reach into your glovebox, pull out that spare ballast resistor you should be carrying, and replace the one on the driver's firewall.

OH!! You aren't aware of the classic ballast resistor problems? OK.....on the driver's firewall, possibly on the driver's inner fenderwell, you'll find a ceramic block with two wires running to it, one plugged into each end. This block is about 3/4" square by 3" long. That is your ballast resistor. It drops ignition voltage down to about 8 volts from the primary 12VDC. Disconnect those two wires and "got wire" them together without doing damage to either of them. Try to start the car. If this solves your problem, turn the car off, go immediately to your local parts supplier and buy TWO of them. Install one on the car and keep the other in the glovebox at all times.
DO NOT run the car with the ballast resistor bypassed for any real length of time. The coil is engineered for lower voltage, and you can burn it out in short order.

You have just experienced the classic ballast resistor no-start problem of Mopar vehicles.

Whoops! Looks like Dan is quicker on the keyboard than I am.

Good luck.....Roger

Would have never guessed- thanks for advice- dont tell anyone Im going to school to be an electrical engineer.

Ya gotta appreciate the ironic humor in that!

Roger

I wish I would have read this thread a month ago. I had the exact same problem. Took my car into the mechanics to get a new ignition switch and got my car the next day. I wasted $130 on a ballast resistor that cost $6.99.