Are you ready for a real weird one? Random NO spark from a MP electronic ignition system despite numerous parts swapped around...

[CoronetDarter]

This is exactly what these cars are about, grabbing a buddy or sometimes more, hanging out, maybe something gets fixed (thankfully this time it did,) maybe not, buts it’s always a good time!

Not to mention, Greg's dogs missed me.

 

[Cheapsunglasses]

Not to mention, Greg's dogs missed me.

Dogs, hanging out, cars, fixing something? Great googly moogly!

 

[Kern Dog]

The HiRev7500 is planned to be my spare at trunk. But a friend on mine also got it and failed in a year or so.

I have a few months and 1200 miles on the one that just quit working. I had the matching ballast resistor in place too. No excuses.

Are we seeing a Page 10 yet???? C'mon man...I got money riding on that.

I would suggest a Rev-N-Nator unit Greg, but I think they are still backordered. You could try and contact them... The Rev-n-nator, the revinater, the revonator and R/T Garage - Mopar Restoration and Performance Services in Belle Plaine, MN

They work well up to 7,500 RPM. I have used several in different vehicles.

I did have one. It worked fine but the instructions stated that vacuum advance was not recommended. It got 2 mpg better with vacuum advance so I sold the unit years ago.

Yes on the Ignition Coil 1.5 OHM - I agree

So the Chinese Rick E Box shall now bee called

HIREV 6000

So Kern , what ignition coil brand and OHM rating is your coil

Your Ballast Resistor , what OHM rating is your ballast

When I first started this thread, I took a reading of the coil but I don't remember the number. It is an Accel yellow and It was within the range that Ehrenberg stated in the instructions:

The ballast in the kit was this one:

I expected the resistance to be .55 but I thought that I got a 1.6 number. I'll have to go out and recheck that.

 

[Kern Dog]

Here we go...
This is the ballast resistor that was with the distributor and ECM.

Ready to test.

The resistance with the probes touching...

Now the resistance with the probes on the BR.

It is dead. It reads the same as when the probes are not even touching each other.

 

[CoronetDarter]

That R55 BR just seemed cheaply made.

 

[Nacho-RT74]

The HiRev7500 I got it came without instructions but it was just the ECU, not the rest. I can’t recall which ballast and coil was running at the time ( maybe 13 years ago) but pretty sure it was both MSD. Dunno my friend thought. I just used it maybe couple of weeks while I was waiting for the Rev-N-Nator to be delivered.

 

[MWbirdLOVER70]

I have the FBO advance limiter plate but that is all I have from them.



I did not feel the battery cable. The battery is in the trunk and the main cable from the starter to the trunk mounted solenoid is only live when I am cranking it over. At the starter end, it is clear of the headers.

Again, thank you to all that took the time to chime in. The car is back up and running and what went wrong is a bit disappointing to me.
Two parts failed at the same time though I don’t know how or why. Both the ballast resistor and ECM crapped out. I had some help today….

View attachment 1701576

Rich, AKA CoronetDarter came over in the Coronet. He brought tools and was a welcome help. He has a form of electronic ignition so we used the Coronet as a test mule along with two other cars here and a truck. We tested voltage at the coil and ballast on the Coronet, my 72 Duster:

View attachment 1701578

A 75 Power Wagon:

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Of course, Jigsaw…

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Every vehicle had a different number. The Coronet and “Ginger” the red car had the highest readings, near 11 volts with the engines off. The other cars varied between 7-9 volts yet they all run fine. Checking the other cars was intended to reveal a weakness in the red car since it wouldn’t start. Instead it confused me because that low of a voltage reading should not start and run.
Yesterday on the roadside, the car was untouched and not starting so my diagnostic list was 1) Check for fuel, 2) Wiggle wires looking for loose connections 3)Replace ballast resistor. Each thing I did was followed by trying to start it.
At home I figured the ballast resistor was fine since changing it made no difference so I put it back in. I charged the battery. This morning I put in a different ECM and still no spark. Rich noticed that the plastic connector to the ballast didn’t click on with a snug fit. He thought maybe it could be partially to blame. The terminals on the BR wiggled a little, I don’t know if that matters. I think It is a ballast that came with an MSD coil, I don’t recall. All the times I’ve had random no spark issues, I’ve swapped around parts. I don’t remember where all the stuff came from.
I replaced the ballast resistor with a spare from the shed and BOOM, it starts and runs!
View attachment 1701588

That is a generic parts store ECM that is supposedly rated to about 5000 rpms. It is fine for now. At this point, I knew the ballast resistor was bad but To confirm things, I tried the blue ECM I was using along with an MP Chrome box.

View attachment 1701590

View attachment 1701591

I tried the blue and chrome boxes in the Duster and neither one worked in that car either.
Yes, I threw them out. I have made the mistake of putting junk electronic parts back in the shed only to be pissed later when they don’t work.

Ballast a def weird one. I’m used to them having the starts and then does after you let off after starting” scenario but this year it was on cranking and went through all the usual steps and swapped ballast and bingo. Looks like we both members of the ballast club this year. Glad to hear she’s better