68 charger no spark

[mantoneshyn]

So here is the deal, I just picked up a 68 charger and it ran fine. Started and idled just perfect. Then one night it would not start. I checked for fuel and spark and there was no spark at all. A very weak spark coming from the coil. I tested the + on the coil and it showed 11.6 volts. I got digging and found that the PO had totally bypassed the resistor all together. Also there is no ecu to be found on the car. The distributor is not one with points but an electronic ignition. I'm baffled how this thing ran in the first place. Or am I missing something? I replaced the coil with a new one and it's doing the same thing, no spark at the spark plugs. If I pull the wire off the distributor that comes from the coil and hold it close to the frame while cranking the engine, it will throw a very weak spark. I've also tried jumping a wire directly from the battery to the + on the coil while starting it. Same weak spark.

[myk]

If there's no ECU and the ballast is bypassed there'd have to be an aftermarket ignition box like an MSD or something-that's how my car is set up...

[mantoneshyn]

There is nothing at all. I have no idea how this thing was running in the first place.

[1974dodgecharger]

take a pic of engine bay please...

[charger Downunder]

Plus a pic of the dizzy with the cap off. Look under the battery tray for a hidden ECU

[myk]

There is nothing at all. I have no idea how this thing was running in the first place.

Where do the coil wires lead to?  They have to lead to an ignition control unit...

[mantoneshyn]

I will get pics ASAP. But this is how it's set up. Distributor has two wires coming from under the cap. Black wire and a red wire. Red wire is connected to the + side of the coil and the black wire is connected to the - side of the coil. Then there is a white wire coming from the ignition that is connected to the + side of the coil. I traced that wire all the way back and it's directly connected to a switched 12v source under the dash. No ignition box at all. Then there is a green wire that is connected to the - side of the coil which runs into the cab and is connected to the aftermarket tach.
And that is all that's there.

[Dino]

Dizzy with built in ECU like Firecore?  That's how my setup is.

[mantoneshyn]

Sorry. It won't let me upload pics for some reason. But I pulled the distributor cap off and the 2 wires going into it just go to a small black box beside the rotor. It's more below the rotor actually.

[myk]

Sorry. It won't let me upload pics for some reason. But I pulled the distributor cap off and the 2 wires going into it just go to a small black box beside the rotor. It's more below the rotor actually.

Go to photobucket.com, create a free account, upload your pictures, copy the IMG link of your picture, then paste the link into your post:

[69wannabe]

God bless you MYK!!! GREAT PIC!!    Sounds like what you have is one of them ignitor brand ignition conversions. I put one of these in my dad's old ford truck. Just take out the points and put this in there. Don't even have to remove the dizzy. It's was fairly cheap back about 12 years ago. It has two wires to hook up and thats it. They still sell these at summit and jegs but if I were you I would check with Ron about a firecore distributor and coil since you still basically got a point's distributor in there.

[mantoneshyn]

Thanks for the help guys. I just said screw it and I replaced the whole system. MSD distributor and 6AL ignition system. Works like a charm now. Actually idles a lot better now too.

[myk]

God bless you MYK!!! GREAT PIC!!

God bless Melissa Riso!

Thanks for the help guys. I just said screw it and I replaced the whole system. MSD distributor and 6AL ignition system. Works like a charm now. Actually idles a lot better now too.

Good for you!  What a difference a solid ignition makes...

[mantoneshyn]

Huge difference.