My 65 Belvedere wagon left me stranded. Ignition issue

[Timmayy]

I know it's a B-body but you guys are so smart and helped me in the past with it and my 67 Fury wagon C-body.

So yesterday I was left stranded. My 65 Belvedere wagon has original wiring with electronic ignition conversion. When I turn the key to start, it runs. As soon as I let go to the run position, it stalls. I was able to get home by bypassing the electric choke wire to the + coil side. Only a couple of miles so I didn't have far to go. I was thinking maybe the ignition switch so I pulled it from the dash and took the tumbler out. I don't see any corrosion.

So this is where I'm at. All with the key on the run position.
Getting power to the + coil side.
Getting power to the orange electronic ignition box (conversion)
Tried my spare orange box.
Getting power to the ballast resistor, bright on input side, dim on output side.
Getting power through the bulkhead.
Getting power on both sides of the fusible link.

Is there something I'm missing?

It will still run if I keep the starter engaged and stall as soon as I let it go.

The car got me home by directly jumping from the electric choke to the + coil side. Any other ideas?

 

[Ross Wooldridge]

Quote from you: When I turn the key to start, it runs. As soon as I let go to the run position, it stalls.

Classic ballast resistor issue symptoms. Try replacing it, even if it's doing it's job. At the same time, check the connectors for corrosion - and check the wiring to the ballast for pinches. A corroded wire will still show a completed circuit on a multi meter, but will fall down on the job when asked to work - classic resistance symptoms.

Your wiring fix that got you home makes me think there is more to the issue(s) though - I suggest you trace the wiring to the coil and look for pinches and cracks that could allow arcing to the engine. I had something that was stranding me too, and it turned out to be that.

 

[Timmayy]

Quote from you: When I turn the key to start, it runs. As soon as I let go to the run position, it stalls.

Classic ballast resistor issue symptoms. Try replacing it, even if it's doing it's job. At the same time, check the connectors for corrosion - and check the wiring to the ballast for pinches. A corroded wire will still show a completed circuit on a multi meter, but will fall down on the job when asked to work - classic resistance symptoms.

Your wiring fix that got you home makes me think there is more to the issue(s) though - I suggest you trace the wiring to the coil and look for pinches and cracks that could allow arcing to the engine. I had something that was stranding me too, and it turned out to be that.

I forgot to add that I did replace the ballast resistor. When I took the old one off it looked fine. I bought the better Moroso ones that was suggested by someone here last year.

 

[Timmayy]

I did order a new ignition switch for the dash. That actually happened to me many years ago. It let go on one of my old cars and switched it out and it was fine.
It was cheap enough. Figured if that's not it then I have a spare. Should be here Tuesday.

 

[Ross Wooldridge]

Yup, sometimes the ignition switch can be the issue, but as far as I could tell from your info, it was doing its job, so I didn't put it into the considerations list. Again, a loose connection at the back of the switch could do the same thing... easy to check.

I would look for pinched wires to and from the coil.

 

[Gerald Morris]

Replace the ballast resistor AND the leads to it. If this was a brand new conversion, I might suggest setting up a separate ignition relay, as I used on my '83 /6 Dodge D150 when curing it of Lean Burn contamination. The fact that describe a "dim on the load side" of the ballast resistor suggests too MUCH resistance there, likely from either its own oxidation, or the conductors to and fro it. Check the resistance using an ohmmeter from the + lead to the R, and ground the load lead . If this reads more than 10% different from the spec resistance, then you KNOW its bad there.

 

[413]

At the ballast resistor unplug both wire’s. Test light or volt meter the single blue wire should have power with key on. On the other side the brown and blue wire side has power with key in start only. Test that.

If the leads look good and flow power don’t replace them. No sense on splicing good wires that don’t need it, and it’s just another area to go bad later. We don’t know what his wires look like, they could be great.

 

[Gerald Morris]

At the ballast resistor unplug both wire’s. Test light or volt meter the single blue wire should have power with key on. On the other side the brown and blue wire side has power with key in start only. Test that.

If the leads look good and flow power don’t replace them. No sense on splicing good wires that don’t need it, and it’s just another area to go bad later. We don’t know what his wires look like, they could be great.

IFF the leads look good. Fair enough. He mentions a Moroso ballast resistor. While its quality might be fine, I wonder if the resistance is correct. Looks like he is testing with a test lamp, ergo, "dim on the output side." If testing while the ignition circuit is cold, this could indicate trouble. Ballast resistors usually should work as voltage dividers to about half or a little better of the running voltage when hot, but permit more current cold until they DO heat up. Of course, the OP might have looked after warming his circuit elements up. IDK. That ballast resistor might be too much of a load for this ECM, driving the voltage down to 1/3 or less than the system voltage.

 

[Timmayy]

IFF the leads look good. Fair enough. He mentions a Moroso ballast resistor. While its quality might be fine, I wonder if the resistance is correct. Looks like he is testing with a test lamp, ergo, "dim on the output side." If testing while the ignition circuit is cold, this could indicate trouble. Ballast resistors usually should work as voltage dividers to about half or a little better of the running voltage when hot, but permit more current cold until they DO heat up. Of course, the OP might have looked after warming his circuit elements up. IDK. That ballast resistor might be too much of a load for this ECM, driving the voltage down to 1/3 or less than the system voltage.

A member here (FURYGT) told me that BR was the one to get while running the electronic ignition conversion. I also bought voltage regulators from him on Ebay and they've worked great. This is his quote from a PM- "Tim, Any one that is 1.0 ohms or higher. I don't like the look of the back of the Jeg's brand ballast ristor. I would probably go with the Moroso or FAST brand ballast resistors."

 

[Gerald Morris]

A member here (FURYGT) told me that BR was the one to get while running the electronic ignition conversion. I also bought voltage regulators from him on Ebay and they've worked great. This is his quote from a PM- "Tim, Any one that is 1.0 ohms or higher. I don't like the look of the back of the Jeg's brand ballast ristor. I would probably go with the Moroso or FAST brand ballast resistors."

1 ohm to 1.2 ohms might be right w the ECM. Read the manufacturer's spec if available. I know w ECMs, even Mopar's, the resistance varied some with the years.

 

[Timmayy]

So I switched out the coil from one of my other Mopars and it fired right up. Seems the coil was starting to go and was only good with full power on start-up. Drove it to a local cruise and it seemed fine. I thank you all for the help. This is really a great community.

 

[Ross Wooldridge]

Fingers crossed that's the issue. Give us a report after a few days.

 

[Gerald Morris]

So I switched out the coil from one of my other Mopars and it fired right up. Seems the coil was starting to go and was only good with full power on start-up. Drove it to a local cruise and it seemed fine. I thank you all for the help. This is really a great community.

Check the impedance on both coils. Note the impedance on the GOOD coil now. I pray it stays good!