• Welcome to For E Bodies Only !

    We are a community of Plymouth Cuda and Dodge Challenger owners. Join now! Its Free!

Won't crank no fire to spark plugs

Flchallenger

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 31, 2013
Messages
179
Reaction score
21
Location
Panama City Beach
440 stroked to 500 inch with a MSD ready to run distributor. Have 13.5 volts at coil, and wire leading to dist. No spark coming out. Checked coil it checks across the terminals at 2 ohms. When it is turning over I am losing all voltage at coil? No ballast resistor Any ideas. could it be shorting out. Before this started car overheated and all fluids against the coil and distrubtor. This has a march pulley system and the theromastat gasket blew out and sprayed the motor with a nice stream of steam at the end. Lovely day.
 

fasjac

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 27, 2019
Messages
2,237
Reaction score
1,126
Location
Arkansas
I had a similar issue with a water pump failing while driving. 500 stroker. Long story less painful, coolant got into the distributor and corroded the rotor. All my parts were new but, the rotor was too wet/corroded with coolant, it wouldn’t allow spark. I know it’s simple stuff, just check it if you haven’t already. Replaced rotor and cap, good to go. And I’m running MSD 6AL box.
good luck.
 

Chryco Psycho

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 28, 2008
Messages
4,402
Reaction score
2,042
Location
Panama
The blue wire from the ign switch is 12v run , the brown wire from the same switch is the 12v while cranking the dist needs to be connected to both the Blue & brown wire to have voltage while cranking .
I have often seen the ready to run MSD dist fail stranding the cars , in one case it was 400 miles from home want to guess what that tow bill was !!
 

Flchallenger

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 31, 2013
Messages
179
Reaction score
21
Location
Panama City Beach
The dist had some moisture in it. Wiped all that down and took 320 grit cleaned the rotor and cap. I can't find a brown wire anywhere. The car has been rewired with most the wires hidden. I currently have a yellow and orange on the negative side of the coil. A red, blue and green on the positive side. It ran like this for a 100 milles and now it won't. I am baffled. The brown comes from the selonid doesn't it? Or where does the brown tie in at, the ingnition switch on the column?
 

Chryco Psycho

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 28, 2008
Messages
4,402
Reaction score
2,042
Location
Panama
The blue & brown wire originally went to the ballast resistor which likely is long gone , the Yellow & orange on the negative coil terminal should be the MSD & tach feed , as for the red , blue & green who knows , Blue could be the factory 12v feed , red is likely the MSD power feed , green ??
I would bet the MSD has failed maybe from improper connection .
the factory brown wire originates at the start switch in the column , goes through the bulkhead connector to the ballast resister to feed the ign power while cranking , it goes nowhere near the start solinoid .
 

fasjac

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 27, 2019
Messages
2,237
Reaction score
1,126
Location
Arkansas
Thanks I will check that. I have multiple wires to the coil. So I need to run them down
If you are running a 6AL box, I have a copy of the EWD. You could probably go to MSD's site and get it very easy too.
If you need it let me know, and I'll get a copy to you.
Also, could you share a picture of your engine bay? And IF you're running an electric fan controller, where it's mounted.
 

Chryco Psycho

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 28, 2008
Messages
4,402
Reaction score
2,042
Location
Panama
No 6AL Box or Ballast it is a stand alone dist , I have seen a number of them fail
 

Flchallenger

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 31, 2013
Messages
179
Reaction score
21
Location
Panama City Beach
Found the culprit . Junction at the base of the steering column was loose. Apparently column has been in and out of the car multiple times has loosen the connection. And in my wisdom I applied a little electrical grease making it even slipperier and not wanting to contact good. I put some plastic wire raps around it and pulled it together. Well low and behold it worked. Green wire is the old brown ignition wire after much trouble in tracing it back. Thanks for all the advice. You think when you plug the connectors together they won't come apart but the multiple times of disconnecting it and pulling the little tab back to get it to release the tab just doesn't work like it should.
 
Back
Top