Thread: New parts, no spark

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I am upgrading the points ignition on my '65 Chrysler to electronic with the Mopar Performance Electronic Ignition conversion kit. The following parts are new; distributor, cap, rotor, ballast resistor, ECU & harness, voltage regulator, plug wires, and coil. I followed the directions, the conversion seems simple. Mount & ground ECU, Install ECU wiring harness, hook black wire to neg side of coil, hook blue wire to "run" side of ballast resistor, plug harness into distributor.....set timing, drive away. Or not........I have no spark, I know the coil is good (painfully aware of that...literally ) I have 12v to the ballast resistor; power to the ECU has been verified.
Is there a way to test these ECUs to see if maybe I got a bum part?
Anything I might have missed?
I'm Stumped.

You should not use the ballast resistor for that system-only for points.

The kit came with a new ballast resistor, and the instructions explained in detail how to connect to the resistor. ???

why didn't ya just adapt the distributor off of a early/ late 70's engine?, the chrysler ignition box's are awsome.

This kit is all mopar parts, the same stuff as the 70's parts.
Anyone know how to test a mopar ECU?

Originally Posted by 65ny

This kit is all mopar parts, the same stuff as the 70's parts.
Anyone know how to test a mopar ECU?

they are transistors. hook it up, go to the - side of coil, put a test light on it, ground to the engine, have someone crank engine, if it flashes, it's good, if it does not flash, somthing is wrong, then take the wires going to the pickup coil, set a digital volt ohm meter, to A/C volts probe the pickup coil connector , have someone crank engine and if it creates voltage, the pickup coil is good. I'd bet the ballast resistor is bad, they are a common faliure part. but just check to make shure your bypass is hooked to a pure 12v source, otherwise it won't start.

Sorry, I guess I misunderstood what you had.

Thanks Matt!
I'll give it a try, but I don't completely understand this. "but just check to make shure your bypass is hooked to a pure 12v source"
Bypass? What does this refer to?
again, I appreciate the help here.

Lucforce, sometimes I type like I speak, I don't understand myself sometimes.

Just so that we are clear, did you visually check for spark at the plugs?

Originally Posted by 65ny

Thanks Matt!
I'll give it a try, but I don't completely understand this. "but just check to make shure your bypass is hooked to a pure 12v source"
Bypass? What does this refer to?
again, I appreciate the help here.

Lucforce, sometimes I type like I speak, I don't understand myself sometimes.

you have a ballast resistor, it has a resisted terminal that will provide 6-9 volt to the coil, and a bypass terminal, hook this up to the S terminal on the starter, this will provinde the coil with full battery voltage whail cranking, once the bypass is switched off ( no power from starter ) than the resistor takes over. the voltage is reduced to the coil because of heat.

"Just so that we are clear, did you visually check for spark at the plugs?"
yep, sure did.

Matt,
I only checked to see if I had power to the run/key-on terminal on the ballast resistor. Are you saying to look for 12v at the starter solenoid while the starter is cranking?

Originally Posted by 65ny

"Just so that we are clear, did you visually check for spark at the plugs?"
yep, sure did.

Matt,
I only checked to see if I had power to the run/key-on terminal on the ballast resistor. Are you saying to look for 12v at the starter solenoid while the starter is cranking?

if the starter is cranking, there is no need to check for power there, check for 12v at the bypass terminal on the resistor. there needs to be 12v to the bypass whail cranking, a wire from the starter is the easiest way to achive this.

You said you grounded the ignition module, but usually on a new install, that's the problem. Remove it, and sand the contacting surfaces till they're bright and shiny. Chrysler used bolts to secure the module to the firewall, not self-threading screws like many guys use on a retrofit. The clamping action of screws is sometimes not enough.

Self tapping screws? How'd you know? I ran a seperate ground wire from the mounting screw to the neg side of the battery, but I will remove and sand the contacts, thanks.

Thanks to all for the pointers. I regrounded the ECU and fully charged the battery, I don't know which one of these things, or both of them were the problem, but I have fire now.