Ignition conversion problem......

[Michael Harmon]

Go back to points before you burn it! I think it is entirely possible to get two bad ecus considering the quality of parts today.
I know how you feel. A couple of years ago I had a condensor (points ignition) fail. I had never owned a car with points before and I had replaced the points and condensor a couple months prior.
I spent all weekend trying and replacing everything until it finally dawned on me.
I'm genuinely curious what the deal is with your car.

Its not like this is rocket science..I've been working on B-body mopars for 25 years. I know the wiring and the potential problems. This just makes no logical sense. I've already spent $60 bucks for 2 ECU's. So now I have to buy another one just to see if the first 2 are bad. Mopars and their damn wiring. If and when I figure it out.....I'll post. Thanks for the help!

 

[65-440]

I'm pretty confident its not the ecu at this point, 2 faulty components in a row is unlikely. Especially failing the same way. Wish you were closer, I'd help you get this sorted out.

 

[Aeronet]

Its not like this is rocket science..I've been working on B-body mopars for 25 years. I know the wiring and the potential problems. This just makes no logical sense. I've already spent $60 bucks for 2 ECU's. So now I have to buy another one just to see if the first 2 are bad. Mopars and their damn wiring. If and when I figure it out.....I'll post. Thanks for the help!

I agree. You're bound to figure it out eventually.

 

[Ranger16]

Sounds like the only thing you haven't replaced is the distributor, but I assume it is new and came with the conversion kit.

 

[Michael Harmon]

Sounds like the only thing you haven't replaced is the distributor, but I assume it is new and came with the conversion kit.

Exactly, its brand new.

 

[Michael Harmon]

I'm pretty confident its not the ecu at this point, 2 faulty components in a row is unlikely. Especially failing the same way. Wish you were closer, I'd help you get this sorted out.

I agree. I don't think 2 brand new ECU's are bad. But at this point, I don't know what else to try.......I wish you or someone else was close too.....Thanks!

 

[Ranger16]

I've replaced, coil, ballast, voltage regulator

Just out of curiosity, where did you get these replacement parts? Please don't say AutoZone.

 

[Michael Harmon]

Just out of curiosity, where did you get these replacement parts? Please don't say AutoZone.

The distributor kit was Proform MP, Voltage regulator from Rockauto, Blue box ECU from Napa. Same for the ballast. Coil is from Autozone. Its fine. The original coil was fine, but I replaced it just to make sure~!

 

[Ranger16]

Most AZ parts are cheap Chinese junk. That's how they offer a lifetime warranty. I would only advise buying "dumb" parts like fluids, wiper blades and such from them. If you tested the coil and are convinced that it is good, then I guess you can rule it out, but how long it will last is another story. Is it possible it could be breaking down under a load?

As an example, several years ago I needed an idler pulley late one Saturday afternoon. AZ was open and close so I broke my own policy and bought one from them. It lasted one month, which is why I always question AZ "Don'tLast" parts.

 

[Fran Blacker]

You could make a mockup wiring harness for a bench test with everything hooked up. ECU, spark plug and negative side of coil grounded to negative battery terminal. The ECU 12v supply, 12v to coil (maybe put ballast in so reduced voltage only to coil). Plug in dist with cap and rotor, attach coil wire to coil and dist cap and a plug wire to the grounded spark plug. You need to know which terminal the rotor is near so you know when the dist fires that cap terminal to spark plug. If you have set under the spark plug is attached you only have to go back and forth (CC/CCW) an eight turn and plug with fire evereytime.
If I left something out somebody chime in, please.

 

[Don Frelier]

I would suggest temporary test leads. I'm not sure you ruled out the ignition switch, bulkhead or wires. There aren't many wires.

 

[superbeedave]

Okay here's my two cents worth! It's time you pulled all that back out and start from the beginning like you just bought it and maybe you
may have missed something such as wired something wrong somewhere. Then check the bulkhead connections examine one wire at
a time in the ignition circuit that carries 12 volts to your ballast/ECU box. If you already did this then forget I mentioned this!!! Your killing me!! Lol!!
Good luck!!!

 

[Fran Blacker]

Waiting for your return to points to see how that goes, hope alright. Wonder if during switch over something went south moving wires around.

 

[superbeedave]

Waiting for your return to points to see how that goes, hope alright. Wonder if during switch over something went south moving wires around.

He said he had a mess with wires all over engine so maybe this was where it all started?

 

[Michael Harmon]

You could make a mockup wiring harness for a bench test with everything hooked up. ECU, spark plug and negative side of coil grounded to negative battery terminal. The ECU 12v supply, 12v to coil (maybe put ballast in so reduced voltage only to coil). Plug in dist with cap and rotor, attach coil wire to coil and dist cap and a plug wire to the grounded spark plug. You need to know which terminal the rotor is near so you know when the dist fires that cap terminal to spark plug. If you have set under the spark plug is attached you only have to go back and forth (CC/CCW) an eight turn and plug with fire evereytime.
If I left something out somebody chime in, please.

I see exactly what you are saying. It makes sense.

You could make a mockup wiring harness for a bench test with everything hooked up. ECU, spark plug and negative side of coil grounded to negative battery terminal. The ECU 12v supply, 12v to coil (maybe put ballast in so reduced voltage only to coil). Plug in dist with cap and rotor, attach coil wire to coil and dist cap and a plug wire to the grounded spark plug. You need to know which terminal the rotor is near so you know when the dist fires that cap terminal to spark plug. If you have set under the spark plug is attached you only have to go back and forth (CC/CCW) an eight turn and plug with fire evereytime.
If I left something out somebody chime in, please.

I see what you are saying. I have a couple things I wanna try also. I'm currently waiting for the new ECU to show up before I can start working on it. I'll report later.....thanks.

 

[Michael Harmon]

He said he had a mess with wires all over engine so maybe this was where it all started?

No dude, I simply meant my engine compartment was messy at the time because of all the redundant grounds I had hooked up to make sure that wasn't the problem. Poor wiring isn't the issue, all my connections are good and have been checked. Kit says black wire with yellow stripe to negative side of coil. Then Blue wire with yellow stripe to ignition side of ballast. Thats all I've done. According to the directions, the green wire isn't used, and I know I have a good ground. I have correct power everywhere in the circuit until I introduce the ECM into the circuit. I have no choice but to try another ECM....but I will test it first for resistance. Report later....

 

[Ernie ingling]

Checking pick up and reluctor if oem two wires out of dist. Black and one orange. Hook dvom leads too wires forgot remove dist. Set on lowest AC scale spin dist shaft meter should show small voltage. If not then pickup faulty.

 

[turbine68rt]

I did the conversion on a daily driver 66 Coronet for 10 years so I totally understand, but are you against running points in a show car? Been doing it for 33 years and still a dependable setup. I only use OEM point sets, no aftermarket stuff and love it. Just remember to recheck timing when point gap is changed, lube the cam and its good to go.

 

[turbine68rt]

Just to rule it out, have you checked the primary and secondary resistance at the coil terminals? Depending on your engine/ trans setup it should be about 1.40-1.80Ω (primary) and 9200-11700Ω (secondary)