Big Block Wiring

[westcoastdodge]

hey guys,aquired a big block chrysler last summer,built a stand for it now i want to fire it up("72 440)what i would like to know if anybody has a decent wiring diagram for the run and charge circuits,already got all the bits that i think im gonna need.not sure how the duel ballast is wired

[ACUDANUT]

Same as a small block, with longer wires. BTW you need a Holley 750, not a 650 to feed that engine.

[1974dodgecharger]

Same as a small block, with longer wires. BTW you need a Holley 750, not a 650 to feed that engine.

Maybe he wants to save gas?

[westcoastdodge]

Same as a small block, with longer wires. BTW you need a Holley 750, not a 650 to feed that engine.

Maybe he wants to save gas?

guys,this was the original factory carb that came with the motor,never been apart

[ACUDANUT]

Knock on wood. 

[Roctania]

I would love to see more on this
Working on 71 Challenger with electronic ignition
5- and 2-wire boxes as shown above

It has a 4-terminal resistor with two independent ballast resistors [which may or may not be correct for this car].  If the two resistors are different values, how does one know which goes to what wires?  It has a new reproduction underhood harness. 

I have only TWO wires for the resistor area- double blue in one female spade connector, and double brown in another. 

The wiring diagram I have shows four wires going to the four tabs on the resistor. Blue into the bottom on one side, then blue also jumps to bottom other side, then from that also blue out to elsewhere. 

The stock distributor makes spark with the harness wires attached to either ballast resistor. 

Unplug that, and plug in the brand new Lamethrower distributor that hits on the Edelbrock heads, and it makes NO SPARK EVER. Even if grounded with a jumper wire.

[westcoastdodge]

ok guys after a little more research managed to find a couple of diagrams on the web,i beleive it matters that the dual ballast must be wired the correct way round as both sides are differant(you can tell by the slot in the resistor,will see how it pans out

[b5blue]

Jensen valve covers......is it from an Interceptor?

[westcoastdodge]

Jensen valve covers......is it from an Interceptor?

hi blue yes was pulled from a "73 interceptor,the guy i got it off was fitting a lexus v8

[tan top]

  Ray  ,  silly question I know  , that blue ignition box you have , who is it from / make ?  have you pulled the plug off to see how many pins ( terminals ) it has ?

the four pin ballast resistor only works with a 5 pin ECU

[b5blue]

Jensen valve covers......is it from an Interceptor?

hi blue yes was pulled from a "73 interceptor,the guy i got it off was fitting a lexus v8

Really cool!  The first 440 I ever worked on was in one! Post pics of the balancer on the front of the engine. A few 73's got the 6 Pack rods assembly. (I heard so at least?) 

[A383Wing]

that carb is plenty good for that engine...you do not need to change it

[Roctania]

Here is my project's 4-post 2-resistor ballast... and the TWO double wires from the harness.

I too have that color diagram for the dual ballast system and printed it out... but where are my other wires? We have the 5-pin ECU...

[ACUDANUT]

4 or 5 pin ECU's all interchange. It will still work.

[westcoastdodge]

 Ray  ,  silly question I know  , that blue ignition box you have , who is it from / make ?  have you pulled the plug off to see how many pins ( terminals ) it has ?

the four pin ballast resistor only works with a 5 pin ECU

tan top,the module was aquired through summit and is a 4 pin so it looks to me that one side of the duel ballast is not used??

[westcoastdodge]

Jensen valve covers......is it from an Interceptor?

hi blue yes was pulled from a "73 interceptor,the guy i got it off was fitting a lexus v8

Really cool!  The first 440 I ever worked on was in one! Post pics of the balancer on the front of the engine. A few 73's got the 6 Pack rods assembly. (I heard so at least?) 

hi b5,looks like a steel crank motor to me with no extra counterweight

[westcoastdodge]

another quick one guys,does it matter which wire goes where on the field windings of the generator??

[tan top]

 Ray  ,  silly question I know  , that blue ignition box you have , who is it from / make ?  have you pulled the plug off to see how many pins ( terminals ) it has ?

the four pin ballast resistor only works with a 5 pin ECU

tan top,the module was aquired through summit and is a 4 pin so it looks to me that one side of the duel ballast is not used??

 hi Ray  ,  oh right ok I see now  ,   the 4 pin ECU superseded  the 5 pin , in the mid 70s I believe ,  5 pin ECU requiring a duel ballast resistor , yes  you can use the  duel ballast resistor  , by  just using the run side I believe , not 100% on that though , ive done the same swap on mine 10+ years ago , with a duel field alternator ,  with a  mopar electronic ignition kit using a  single ballast resistor  ,

heres a couple of wiring diagrams I've  altered to show what goes where better , also the field wires , can go on any alternator spade terminal  , but must be wired as picture below .

[tan top]

4 or 5 pin ECU's all interchange. It will still work.

oh right 

, always thought a 5 pin would not work with a  single ballast resistor 

[westcoastdodge]

great info guys thanks again

[Roctania]

Thanks to those who provided the simple wiring diagrams.

I ended up giving up on the LAMEthrower distributor and putting in the factory distributor that works well.  Makes spark.  Using a single ballast resistor. 

Next issue- 55" plug wire required for #7 cylinder.... Pertronix set max length is about 20" less than that. 

[westcoastdodge]

 

Thanks to those who provided the simple wiring diagrams.

I ended up giving up on the LAMEthrower distributor and putting in the factory distributor that works well.  Makes spark.  Using a single ballast resistor. 

Next issue- 55" plug wire required for #7 cylinder.... Pertronix set max length is about 20" less than that. 

[b5blue]

I recommend Firecore wires and dizzy, A-1 stuff! 

[Roctania]

Taylor wires cut to length solved that problem. They even have a nifty vice based tool to help strip the wire w/o core damage, and make a perfect crimp.  No worries. 

[Rolling_Thunder]

Here you go....   all on one little picture....     >bows<

[Nacho-RT74]

HONESTLY, I think this is a better diagram ( stock for 72s )

[Nacho-RT74]

ok guys after a little more research managed to find a couple of diagrams on the web,i beleive it matters that the dual ballast must be wired the correct way round as both sides are differant(you can tell by the slot in the resistor,will see how it pans out

THIS IS NOT CORRECT FOR MOSTLY PRE 75 MOPARS, just for those with bigger starter relay and dual ign prongs, which feed the bypass ballast from there and not anymore from ign switch... setup used on mostly of post 75 mopars

[ACUDANUT]

You tell them nacho. 

[Roctania]

Engine fired and ran great for about 15-20 minutes.  Got up to temp OK.  Choke working OK, just about to get it to idle down and behave when it quit and would not restart.  No spark now. 



More troubleshooting of the 4-pin 5-wire 1-ballast or 2-ballast system I guess.

1971 Challenger 440

Harumph... aftermarket wiring harness, the two brown wires in one spade connector at the ballast resistor PULLED OUT of their crimps.  WTH?

[VegasCharger]

Okay let me see if anyone has this set-up, highly unlikely.
68 Charger 383 equipped converted to electronic ign.

Single field alt.
5 pin ECU
Old school Volt reg. with updated solid state guts
2 prong Ballast resistor

Bill Evans from Evans wiring made my harness as well as suggesting that set-up once I told him what I was doing with the car.

I would be hard pressed to draw a diagram on this set-up. And the reason I said highly unlikely that most guys that do the elec. ign. conversion usually go with 2 field alt and 4 pin ECUs. Nothing wrong with that at all. I just took advice from Bill even though I was puzzled at the time he explained it to me.

Charger runs fine with that set-up

[Nacho-RT74]

if the brown wire pulled out form ballast, the power to coil has being cut...


you can get dual prong alt or single prong alt ( AKA dual field or single field alts ) to be matched with the old "mech" reg, or electronic respectivelly... BUT is adviced to use electronic regulator with electronic ignition, since is more stable and electric noise free ( given by the mech regulation )... so an old setup with electronic inners  should be fine too.

The only diff on alternator itself between dual and single prongs is the pole is used to be regulated. On dual, the ground is the regulated field, hence both fields are isolated from alt case, on single the positive source is the one being regulated hence the ground field is directly feeded from chasis and is not isolated.

[A383Wing]

Okay let me see if anyone has this set-up, highly unlikely.
68 Charger 383 equipped converted to electronic ign.

Single field alt.
5 pin ECU
Old school Volt reg. with updated solid state guts
2 prong Ballast resistor

both my 66's are this way....runs fine...for now, until I change over to different ignition system this spring