Points to Electronic Ignition Question

[Dobalovr]

ok so I've done several of these conversions on lean burn systems but never a points system. Today Scorch got her new Mopar Electronic Ignition Conversion halfway installed when I ran into a problem with the Run circuit side of the ballast. The kit says you need to run Key On power to the run side then split this circuit to the ECM which in turn energizes the coil. My problem is where to pull key on 12v from? Tried several circuits under the hood with no luck. Suggestions? Its the blue wire circuit below that i'm hung up on. The old points system does not seem to have this circuit. 1970 300 440 btw

 

[300rag]

I was sure you just connect to the ballast resistor a shown.

 

[Dobalovr]

That's what I thought but the run side of the old ballast was a single wire which fed into the old points distributor. It was just a wire with no key on feed from what i could find. Test light & multimeter showed nothing on that circuit. Start side lights up on crank - engine sputters but dies when key is released (hence no run voltage in my mind)

 

[Dobalovr]

Looking at FSM diagrams made me go blind looking for the old circuit feeds

 

[300rag]

You should have had a start feed and a run feed at the ballast originally.

 

[Wildaugust]

Should be a dark blue wire and a brown wire at the resistor. (Usually those colors.)

 

[Big_John]

Should be a dark blue wire and a brown wire at the resistor. (Usually those colors.)
View attachment 75496

That is correct and would be the right colors if this is for the 70.

 

[Big_John]

Oh wait... You're in Canada... That would be "right colours"

 

[Dobalovr]

So maple syrup brown and blue jay blue got it eh? Yes on the start side i have blue brown of which one runs to the + side of the coil. Ill check and report back.

 

[Big_John]

That brown wire should run back to the ballast resistor and on the other side of the ballast resistor should be blue and that will run to the disconnect and then to the ignition. That should be "run". Brown will also run back to the disconnect etc. and that will be "start"

 

[Dobalovr]

Please explain "disconnect"

 

[65sporty]

I guess I am not seeing the problem, the blue wire in the diagram should be your 12v feed from the ign switch

 

[Big_John]

Please explain "disconnect"

Sorry. Firewall connector or plug.

Jargon from another life....

 

[MYSINBIN]

Sorry. Firewall connector or plug.

Jargon from another life....

AKA: bulkhead connector

 

[Dobalovr]

With the key in the on position I was not getting any voltage from either side of the resistor with the key in the start position i get voltage on one side. The weird thing is the car ran before the swap and i changed nothing between the bulkhead and the resistor its still setup like it was for points. The engine tries to fire while cranking but immediately dies when key returns to run. The kit instructions talk about adding a wire from ignition to resistor run side. Ill post some pics in a day or two maybe make more sense.

 

[SF-66TC]

Dobalovr,

I recently installed my Electronic 850004 Dizzy from Summit on my 66TC.
I was confused by which was the RUN side as well, but got it squared away - the following is what I went through to get it right.

Hope This Helps!

ECU WIRING CONNECTIONS

• My Ballast has (2) TWO connectors (TOP/BOTTOM) 1st Photo
• The BOTTOM connector w/BLUE & BROWN wires metered to the (+) COIL
• The TOP connector was the RUN side of my ignition switch
• The 2nd photo shown shows how I pig-tailed the ECU's BLUE Wire to RUN side of the ballast

I'm sure you already know, but it always helps to hear it again as we often tend to over-look the simplest things even when we've done such things hundreds of times.

VERIFY TIMING CORRECT

1. I pulled the #1 spark plug and plugged hole with finger.
2. I disconnected coil and remotely cranked starter until pressure just about pushed my finger out
3. Looked at timing mark to see how far off TDC I was then clicked until mark was TDC
4. Made sure rotor was pointing to #1 spark plug wire

Three things that initially stumped me until I corrected them were -

1. Needed to ensure ECU was PROPERLY GROUNDED! (photo #3 below)
2. I installed spark plug wires on New Cap WRONG!
3. Correct ROTATION of dizzy rotor is CCW!

If all else fails, you may need to install a RELAY for the ignition module. The module needs to see FULL LINE VOLTAGE and most of our cars arn't up to the task after all these years. Although my car starts fine without one, I'll be installing one just in case. See instructions below -

www.tvmoparclub.com/files/tech/Quick%20Start%20Relay.pdf

 

[Big_John]

With the key in the on position I was not getting any voltage from either side of the resistor with the key in the start position i get voltage on one side. The weird thing is the car ran before the swap and i changed nothing between the bulkhead and the resistor its still setup like it was for points. The engine tries to fire while cranking but immediately dies when key returns to run. The kit instructions talk about adding a wire from ignition to resistor run side. Ill post some pics in a day or two maybe make more sense.

You need to start tracing the blue wire from the resistor back to the connector and then inside the car, back to the ignition switch. Just to rule it out, check the resistor for continuity. A cheap digital multi meter is your friend here.

You've probably got a bad connection somewhere that was OK until you started messing with the wires.

 

[MYSINBIN]

With the key in the on position I was not getting any voltage from either side of the resistor with the key in the start position i get voltage on one side. The weird thing is the car ran before the swap and i changed nothing between the bulkhead and the resistor its still setup like it was for points. The engine tries to fire while cranking but immediately dies when key returns to run. The kit instructions talk about adding a wire from ignition to resistor run side. Ill post some pics in a day or two maybe make more sense.

Is it possible that the ballast resistor went bad?

Wanting to run in start position and dying in run position is (I thought anyway) a symptom of a faulty BR.

**Disclaimer**

I don't have any experience with ignition conversions. But I remember that cranking situation on points systems.

John

 

[78Brougham]

Is it possible that the ballast resistor went bad?

Wanting to run in start position and dying in run position is (I thought anyway) a symptom of a faulty BR.

I agree, Which style of ballast resistor is in the kit? Single resistor (2 terminals)or twin resistors (4 terminals). I believe the old points have the single resistor as does the Electronic Spark Control/Lean Burn systems. But I think the Electronic Ignition cars have the twin resistors. I'm not sure how you would convert that though.

 

[SF-66TC]

You need to start tracing the blue wire from the resistor back to the connector and then inside the car, back to the ignition switch. Just to rule it out, check the resistor for continuity. A cheap digital multi meter is your friend here.

You've probably got a bad connection somewhere that was OK until you started messing with the wires.

For checking continuity especially of long run wires, I've found this tool to be one of MY BEST FRENDS!!

Amazon product ASIN B000LYTTRK