Elusive electrical glitch found...ChryCo Ign. System

[Rustys74ChargerSE]

Hello, folks...I want to pass along what I learned with my 1974 Charger SE/360. It began to have problems starting a few months ago. Sometimes it would start and run fine, most of the time it was just a workout for the battery and starter. When I would turn the key from the "run" position to the "off" position, the engine would lurch and jerk backward momentarily most of the times that I tried to start the car. Thanksgiving day I took some serious time and finally found out why this was happening. I went through everything electrical, and upon checking the distributor for bearing wear and condition, etc, I inadvertently touched the magnetic pickup coil assembly, and I found that the Hall Effect switch ("pickup coil") had cracked and broken away from the pole shoe; this is the little vertical metal piece seen in the center of the oval pickup coil which is what is gapped between the rotating reluctor("star wheel") and the Hall Effect switch. When I touched it, the coil assembly moved around a bit on the pole shoe...it is supposed to be bonded securely to the center metal pole shoe piece; so there was my gremlin...I replaced the pickup coil assembly in the distributor, and when I cranked the starter, the car started on the very first roll of the engine...oh, what a major relief that was. I have owned this Charger for 20 years and counting. I weigh about 200 lbs...and folks are amazed at the way the car's long hood can easily carry my full weight without buckling anywhere at all or "tin panning" when I demonstrate what "real" cars are made out of...by removing my shoes and literally climbing up onto the car and walking around normally on the hood! Sounds crazy, but all those noisy "rice rockets" can't shine a light on these cars...and we well know that! Most of us won't and don't do what I just described with their own Chargers...but you can! I've had some folks who have needed to be 'shown' a thing or two. You know the drill...they run their mouths...and then I ask them where their cars will be in 30-plus years...in the junkyard under a pile of others just like them, not out pounding the pavement like our wonderful cars still are! Best recent compliment on my '74 Charger SE; "Hey, that's a REAL Charger...not a 'wannabe'!" Yeah, I get the "Hey, that car got a Hemi?" stuff at stop lights from the smart-asses too...  -Rusty Moore in Casa Grande, Arizona  -'74 Charger SE Brougham 360/T-Flite & '74 1/2-ton Dodge Power Wagon 360/4-spd. short box pickup. 

[Shakey]

Welcome to the site!

[Rustys74ChargerSE]

Thanks for the welcome to the 'new' site...and to Troy for getting the site back up and going again. I was on the old DC.com site for a while. I look forward to much more fun and interesting stuff here. -Rusty Moore in Casa grande, Arizona

[ChargerRob]

Welcome.  .

[Charger_Fan]

I weigh about 200 lbs...and folks are amazed at the way the car's long hood can easily carry my full weight without buckling anywhere at all or "tin panning" when I demonstrate what "real" cars are made out of...by removing my shoes and literally climbing up onto the car and walking around normally on the hood!

That's also a good way to check for bondo!

Congrats on finding your gremlin & welcome to the site!