400 runs great but starts hard

[zagnut]

I dont get it !
I have a 72 charger with a 400. When i turn the ignition over to start the car....it just turns over, after a few times of just turning over, the car starts only when i let go of the key in the ignition  It only starts when you let the key go back to the run position otherwise it just keeps cranking over.  Can anyone give me a pointer or two?  Thanks

[RD]

you are pumping the gas pedal before or while the engine is cranking over are you not?  Not to sound condescending, but it is a carbureted vehicle, not fuel-injected.

[Nacho-RT74]

It looks damaged brown wire from ignition switch up to ballast

[dodge freak]

It sounds to me you still have the dumb Mopar spark box on it. Might have been ok 30 years ago but now? When the key is in the crank position the spark box should get all 12 volts or so, then when you release the key to the run position it limits the volts to around 9 , I think. What happen I am now guessing is the resistor on the firewall is bad or for some other resone you are not get voltage to the spark box while you are cranking it, only when it is in the run position. If I was you I would not put any money in to it and this great a brand new spark box from Crane, MSD ,Jacobs, etc. I myself have a msd 7 al and it is great. Motor runs great everyday all of the time, hot, cold.,can go to any gas station and get any grade of gas and it runs the same-great. Had a msd 6a and like it till I got my 7 al unit, now I love it.

[zagnut]

Yes its a carter carb..Iv tried pumping the gas and not pumping the gas Iv tried adjusting the carb "not that im anygood at that" and also moving the timeing around.

[zagnut]

dodgefreak I bet your right!   i never thought of that one!  I have a few extra ones in my basement im gonna try out in the morning. UH which box is it ? electronic ignition box with 3 wires or the other smaller box with 2 wires?
Thanks for the help

[dodge freak]

You spell and write as good as me ha ha. If you are sure it starts right when you let the key go you can turn the motor off and then turn the key on-motor off. Somehow crank the motor over, take a screwdriver to the starter motor or get a push botten switch to bump the motor over. Watch out cause it might start right up. If it does you have to fix the spark box or just get a brand new up to date unit.

[zagnut]

dodgefreak what can i say "typo"....Im a bodyman ...But i love mopars!

[dodge freak]

Well nacho rt74 bet me to it while I was typing. Look I don't know much about the factory unit. Nacho might be right its the wire going to it. Maybe its in the switch on the steering column. I really don't know. What I do know is the aftermaket has some great stuff out now. Thats why I don't like factory. Its to bad they have to make some stuff 50 state legal, cause they don't work as good as the "race" stuff. Somebody may know more than me if you want to keep it stock.

[Nacho-RT74]

try this... feed directly from batt up to engine coil positive terminal... crank engine and should start inmediatly... after that you can remove that wire...

If engine start then I'm right, is brown wire broken between ignition switch and ballast... or switch itself.

[zagnut]

natcho your my new buddy! So when are you gonna come over to help me find the broken brown wire?

[zagnut]

I unwrapped the wire harness and its a big ol spliced mess . What wire should go to ballast I have a brown wire and green with red stripe on one side that looks right on the other side of ballast is one brown that goes? and a cut yellow looks like might of gone to alternator?

[69ChargersRule]

It looks damaged brown wire from ignition switch up to ballast

I has the same problem and it was one of the wires that go into the ignition switch.After i plugged it in it started every time since...

[Nacho-RT74]

that yellow wire doens't look to be the right one.

On next link you will find diagrams ( and more links with more diagrams )made by me with olive wire...  really is the green traced red you found

http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,12808.0.html

[Nacho-RT74]

natcho your my new buddy! So when are you gonna come over to help me find the broken brown wire?

If you pay the air ticket I can go

[zagnut]

Thanks for all the help guys!  You guys would crack up if you saw the pile of electrical tape on the garage floor. Its hard working under the hood of my car bent over with a hurniated back and you saved me alot of time thanks nacho im going to go to your sight.

[Nacho-RT74]

just remove the harness from engine bay and work on a table... is easier and also clean to make a good job

[Nacho-RT74]

hey!!! did you check first if REALLY is not the ignition switch ? check for 12 volts undercolumn on brown wire at start position... also removing fuse box from bulkhead and check 12v on same brown wire on back of bulkhead...

the deal is round up the point of fail until get it.

[zagnut]

I dont have power ro brown wire while ignition is in start position.
How do i pull ignition out ? i took the wheel and turn signal guts out but im having probs getting the lock out

[dodge freak]

Its not there, its on top of the steering column half way down. All the key does is move a rod down 1-2 feet on the steering column. You don't touch the steering wheel. You drop the steering column down to get to it. Look it up,

[Nacho-RT74]

Its not there, its on top of the steering column half way down. All the key does is move a rod down 1-2 feet on the steering column. You don't touch the steering wheel. You drop the steering column down to get to it. Look it up,

I don't know what you talk... but he is on the right way as far I know. Unless there is a different way that I still don't know

You need to remove the lock wheel to get access up to ignition switch. Lock wheel does it have someking of sleeve that you need to remove to get acces to the pin that keepts in place the lock wheel on steering shaft. You need to remove it with a hammer.

I guess you checked 12 volts on brown wire with ignition switch harness still PLUGGED... if you tried to check unplugged you also removed the 12 volts input on red wire and if you don't have input you'll never get output LOL....

With harness unplugged you check for continuity, not power between red wire and yellow and brown on start and red and black and blue on run position...

also red and black on acc

[dodge freak]

Not sure on that car but in the late 70s all the lock does is move a rod to the switch on the column. Maybe thats different , if it is sorry. All the cars I have seen have the switch away from the key. Did not look it up. Your car is very nice and if it is the same type then you now more about than me. Later

[zagnut]

Ok im all cornfused ! This is what i ended up doing guys ....I put a switch under the dash and ran it to the coil and battery, when i start the charger i just flip the switch and the car starts right up then i flip it off. Hey i got my own security system! what do you think about that one?  The cars not a #s matching original anyways. so im not going to be to picky with this one. Anyways i couldnt find my meter to check 12 volt current. Hey i got a question for you I have 2- 72 chargers ones a 340 ones a 400
on the 340 it has a green wire to the field on the alt. and on the 400 i have a cut green/olive  wire going noplace. On the backside of altof the 400 is a grd with nothing to it do you think thats where it goes?

[Nacho-RT74]

Is hard to say if I'm not there or pics at least...

Check for diagrams I posted.

If you have original wiring and alt, on both your cars must have two wires on back of alt, to brushes... one green and one blue, plus a heavy gauge black wire to alt stud.

If you have a laters 70s alt these alts they have an extra thin stud to feed better ground charge between alt chassis and engine what is not really neccesary to conect since alt chassis already charge throught chassis itself and mounts brackets.

Wires up to bruses drive, green negative from regulator, and blue positive from ignition switch.

Check what kind of alt and regulators do you have on your cars... if they are single or double fields. It could be also that on your 400 one of the brushes has been grounded to get always HIGH OUTPUT charge... if so, then regulator is just an ornament because charging system was controled by ground variations since 70 when electronic regulators were introduced. Positives are allways feed at max output on this system for a while ground variations controls the input to change magnetic field and with this output charge.

anyway that means nothing to your starting problem

[itsbacon]

my '67 was doing the same thing. i jumpped a wire from the + side of the battery to the + side of the coil and it has started fine ever since