Hate to say this walk away for a few then use the troubleshooter in the FSM makes it alot easier and you wont miss anything.
Guys still race with points. Think the maintenance on a points system isn't much consider the bs going on. You'd change points once a year or two depends on miles driven. Did you have any alternator/voltage regulator problems lately?
Take it out on the street and wrap it up to 10,000 RPMs , you will know real fast what is working
LOL
But sometimes (most of the time) the perspective person is searching for a quick horse power increase and an electronic ignition system seems to be the "easiest" way to get what is desired.....but the person is usually disappointed or has functionality problems....won't start, runs poorly or breaks down stranding the owner. Perhaps the old Confucius saying is applicable: "Fancy gizmos don't work and if they do work, they stop working at the MOST inopportune time"........but ....you pay your money and take your choice....there are some excellent in-depth articles on the FABO site regarding this subject even to the replacement of external switching transistor, with a power Darlington type in a TO3 case, capable of the high current switching and/or no ballast resistor for those people that insist on mix matching components.....because "my buddy" did so without any problems.....(that he's willing to disclose). The fix? ......carry some spare parts...ECU, ballast resistor, coil, etc....btw....this is the 358th iteration of this subject to date......Hate to say this walk away for a few then use the troubleshooter in the FSM makes it alot easier and you wont miss anything.
1. Of course - a break in a circuit is a break in a circuit, which is what a bad/intermittent connection is.There are times when you think that a problem is behind you… that whatever was causing the trouble is corrected.
Today I went to move the car and got the same no spark issue again.
Now this is where having diagnostic skills can get you running again.
As stated, I’ve had the habit of just changing parts until it runs when dealing with having no spark. To me, that is a poor method to live by. I want to be able to pinpoint the problem and concentrate on it instead of shooting a bunch of parts at it.
I tested resistance at the coil and it was the same 1.5 number as before. The ballast resistor was between .08 and .09. I used a simple jumper wire between the harness terminals for the ballast resistor.
View attachment 1702661
It started up fine. Then I reconnected the terminals to the ballast resistor again and the car started.
One would think that I had a bad connection before. Maybe I did. I did wiggle the wires and try to start it with no luck.
Bonehead logic moment:
If a problem exists over a period of time where numerous parts fail, maybe what is causing the failures is not just the parts themselves but the parts that have not been replaced.
I know, I’m reaching here but what if these wires and terminals are not crimped right or secured?
View attachment 1702662
The right side was a loose fit on the other ballast resistor. It fits this one okay.
1. Can a bad connection lead to total failure of a ballast or ECM?
2. Here is another one…if a ballast resistor shows adequate resistance, can it still cause a no spark?
It has been my experience that the ballast resistors that are sealed with a ceramic compound and have DALE (the manufacturer) printed on them, run very hot and are prone to failure. The open back ballast resistor units, where the element is visible run cooler, like the OEM units and are extremely reliable. The open ballast resistor on the GTX had been there for 30+ years ......but still carry a spare......1. Of course - a break in a circuit is a break in a circuit, which is what a bad/intermittent connection is.
2. Sure, if there's a problem with the connections.
(Ballasts will, in rare occasions, sometimes fail when hot, but work when cold too).