Won't turn over from key & no power to coil

[Kancept]

I'm new to the forum, and thank you for the resource.  I've spent a few hours reading through other things that might give me some insight as to what may be wrong.

I have a 1974 Charger SE with a 318 in it.  I stored it in a field this past winter (I know, I know) and this is the first thaw that it doesn't turn over.  When I try to start it from the key, it won't turn over.  I can bypass it with the starter relay on the firewall and it turns over, however no power is getting to the coil.

I have replaced the battery, coil, starter relay, electronic ignition box, ballast resistor, neutral safety switch, and voltage regulator.  I get the right resistance from the ballast.  My fuseable links all test fine. I know the seat belt interlock system was disabled years ago, so that hasn't ever been an issue.  The ammeter on the dash has continuity. 

My fusebox has it's typical wear and tear, and I have pulled and checked all the fuses, cleaned it's connections and such.  Given I get nothing from the key, I'm thinking it may be in that area, but am unsure where to start.  Given I've replaced everything on the engine side of the firewall, I'm thinking it is in the dash somewhere.

Other than replacing the entire wiring harness, what else might it be? Anything I'm missing?  Thanks.   

[Nacho-RT74]

unplug ballast and check if you are getting power from BROWN wire under the column ( ign switch harness ) when STARTING and BLUE wire when in RUN

[b5blue]

Buy an aftermarket ignition switch and plug it in under the dash without installing it, (40.00) then if it still is acting up it will be easier to trouble shoot. (You'll use the switch sooner or later!) 

[Kancept]

It was raining all day, so I didn't have a chance to swing in and test those wires.

As for the ignition thing, I have one of those trigger grips that clips onto my starter relay to turn it over.  Much easier on the screwdrivers. 

[Nacho-RT74]

the ign switch test with an aftermarket one b5blue is suggesting is not really to trigger up the starter relay, is to FEED the circuits at the time you are triggering up the starter relay, and you will know actually if really the switch is not feeding, or fail is outside the ign switch.

Mopars have TWO starting circuits, one to feed the RELAY ( yellow ) and the other one to feed the resistor BYPASS ( brown )circuit, then once released, RUN ( blue ) circuit is what keeps feeded directly from ign switch, thats why just a starter relay trigger won't work by itself

on RUN Brown keeps hot, but with a power decay since the ballast splits out this blue power source to the brown circuit, thats why I'm suggesting unplug ballast resistor, to test individually each one.

[b5blue]

Well put, you get me.....

[Kancept]

OK, so I swung by the Charger to test the brown and blue.  Pulled them from the ballast resistor and I am seeing no voltage or drop (the meter floats and I am grounded properly).  When I have the key in both run and start, they read about the same.  On the blue, I do notice when the key goes to start, I see the voltage stop floating and go to 0.

I also tried other things in the car.  I didn't try these before as the overhead cabin light works when I open the door.  When the key is in run, the blower motor for heat/a-c doesn't run and also the radio isn't turing on.  Headlights and brake lights do work.

[Nacho-RT74]

yes, with ballast disconected, on RUN you'll have power just on BLUE ( brown 0 ), on START, the Blue turns off, and brown goes on, thats how must work.

while you set the key in START the ECU ( what normally gets the power from Blue ) gets feeded from brown to blue through ballast, and coil gets full 12 volts

While you set the key in RUN, It's the coil what gets the power from blue to brown through ballast.

Dome light, Headlights and brakes feeds direct from batt circuit, ( non switched source )

74s USA build, got a system called INTERLOCK, what won't allow you to crank/start the circuit for a while you don't have fastened the seatbelt.

There is a RESET BUTTON ( red rubber button ) at a side of Ignition Module what BYPASS the interlock system when some fail on the interlock system. Dunno which method used to bypass the interlock system though.

Ammeter can get continuity but still some contact fail able to not run full load ( continmuity is based in low load check ). Check for them being tight and clean.

have you tried to feed DIRECTLY FROM BATT the + lead coil, and jump the starter relay ? ( with the trigger or whatever method you want to use )... ballast needs to be conected to this to be sure ECU will get juice

[Kancept]

I will give this a shot with the battery to the coil and see if I can get it going then.  If that does work, that's eliminating quite a bit in the line.  Without anything firing up the accessories, we have what, the starter switch in the column or the fusebox/ new wiring harness, yes?

The seatbelt interlock was disabled years ago, dunno how dad did it.  I have tried the bypass, but it's a nogo.  I could reconnect it all, but don't think it'll help.

[Nacho-RT74]

if fires up, we will know dist, coil, ballast and ECU are working, so everything will be in the wiring or switches

[mikepmcs]

i'm just gonna throw this out there....sitting in a field....this sounds like a grounding or slight corrossion issue to me.
i'm thinking you have a bad ground somewhere and nothing more..

[purplechargerguy]

     Well I have a 73 SE and to get it to turn over I have to turn the blinker on..  Don't ask how I ever figured that one out.. but after several hours of trouble shooting, and replacing switches and wires it still does the same thing. LOL

[nascarxx29]

Just thinking that the blinker maybe is providing a good ground.

[b5blue]

The point I made is from the mechanical range of the switch, in my case the new switch worked for 2 months then quit cranking. I looked all over, replaced the start solenoid, checked wires and bulkhead connectors and the failure was obvious (the new part) once I broke down and bought another one and plugged it in. (I installed the 2nd new part later.) Upon checking the failed part I found it works...just not when installed. It occurred to me then how handy it was to take the column out of the loop when checking function for any electrical trouble shooting.  (Like your blinker thing) 

[Kancept]

Sorry I haven't gotten back to it yet guys.  I just found out Wednesday that I start a new job on Monday and it's in a town that's 2.5 hours away.  So rushing to find a house and pack and move and such.  Then the tranny in my other car started leaking yesterday.  woohoo!

[b5blue]

Best of luck with the new job and digs!   

[jeryst]

Sorry I haven't gotten back to it yet guys.  I just found out Wednesday that I start a new job on Monday and it's in a town that's 2.5 hours away.  So rushing to find a house and pack and move and such.  Then the tranny in my other car started leaking yesterday.  woohoo!

You dont seem to have your priorities straight!

JK-lol

[Kancept]

So I went to go work on both vehicles yesterday and worked on the Charger some.  I did the wire bypass from the battery(+) straight to the coil (+) and when I tried with the key, it actually made it try to crank!  I didn't fire up.     For some reason, it's still not getting anything from the coil.  I used one of those spark plug lights and it was not lighting up on cylinder one.  So I then tested from the coil to the distributor, and nothing.  I have replaced the coil, and still nogo.  So where to from here? 

Unfortunately, with my new job starting tomorrow, I won't be able to do anything until the weekend when I get back here, and I'll mostly be packing up the house to get moved over there (Boise).

[Kancept]

Sorry I haven't gotten back to it yet guys.  I just found out Wednesday that I start a new job on Monday and it's in a town that's 2.5 hours away.  So rushing to find a house and pack and move and such.  Then the tranny in my other car started leaking yesterday.  woohoo!

You dont seem to have your priorities straight!

JK-lol

Yeah, that whole money thing always gets in my way, cuz trust me, I'd rather be working on the Charger! 

[Nacho-RT74]

pick up coil inside the dist?

[nascarxx29]

If you got a 12 volt testlight on the - coil connection key on and cranking you should get light from the pick up pulses.Another test for pick up unplug the 2 wire connector coming out the dist and using a ohmeter check for resistance .If you got no reading.Replace pick up and be sure to set the air gap