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Ignition Problem: No Spark

45K views 47 replies 10 participants last post by  impish 
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#1 ·
Ok so as you can guess no spark in spark plug (my truck is posted in my signature box), i replaced the coil, spark plugs, cap, rotor, high tension coil wire and all 8 spark plug wires, and when wipped out the volt meter and there is no power to the coil period (i had the ignition all the way to start, one lead on the postivie, and other on negative), we tested the ballas resister and there is about 9 volts (going in and out) when igntion was on but then the igintion was in the start postition it dropped to about 8 volts. i have an assumption that it is the eletronic igniotin control box on the fender.

Please Help Me

Any suggestions???
 
#3 ·
it sounds to me like the problem i had when i got my RC...it would crank and crank...but wouldnt fire...i too replaced all of that...come to find out my PICKUP COIL, inside the distributor was bad, went to autozone and got a new one, 14.95 i believe....and put it in , fired right up, and had no further problem...not sure if this is your problem, but its just a guess...
 
#6 ·
Yes, the coil will have power regardless of the pickup. (pickup indirectly turns the ground of coil on/off) ignition switch controls the + side.

The ignition box also has nothing to do with + side. It works with the pickup to turn the - on/off.

The ballast is going to reduce voltage to the coil when in the "run" position.

In start position, there is a bypass wire that runs from starter relay straight to the coil, and should give the coil 12v or what ever battery is reading at the moment. (if battery drops to 10v during cranking, that's all you are going to get)

You can do like dodgeboys said, run a jumper straight from + side of coil to + side of battery.

(of course none of this will work if you still didn't fix your last wire problem that was preventing the engine from turning over)
 
G
#7 ·
Ok i will try that,

i did fix that last wire problem and the engine will turn over now.

does that wire that runs from the starter relay go into the ballast resister first and then goes to the coil?? 



 
G
#9 ·
i emailed that guy with the wiring diagram

we switched the plugs going into the ballist resister around and now it shows there is 8-9 volts going to the coil, but still no spark.

ok so we did some tests on the wiring first we unplugged the plug going to the distributor and we tested both wires using the battery as a ground,

The Brown and white wire going to the distributor was reading 1.7 volts (with the key to ON position) and it dropped to 1.4 volts (when it was at the start postition)

also

the olive green wire had .6(when in the ON positition) and dropped to .2(when the key was on the start postition)

Does this tell anybody anything?

 
#12 ·
Kenneth Turcotte said:
so then there is resistance somewere in the wiring?
Resistance alone will not magically make electricity appear where it should not otherwise be. I am not exactly sure what to make of that, unless another wire is bleeding into it, through a "short to power".

This is exactly like unplugging your headlights, and then finding out it has voltage while it is in your hand.

I know multimeters sometimes have "ghost" readings when you set them to voltage and don't attach them to anything, but I've never seen one register over a few 10ths on something that is not even plugged in.
 
G
#13 ·
Correct me if im wrong but i dont see this wire that should go to the coil coming from the starter relay box.

Does anyone else??

Cause the wires are right for the ignition system according to the diagrams

There is 5 wires going to the coil thats the only thing i dont like cause according to the daigram there should be 3
 

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#14 ·
The pickup coil is inside the distributor, and requires removing the cap, and rotor, and 3 screws around the outside of it....kinda hard to get one of them without removing the distrib. or loosening and turning it....that would include the 2 or 3 wires that run to the distributor inside a harness, as far as voltage to and from it, i have no idea....but my RC would just crank and crank, and fire from time to time....but nothing more....

It didnt help that the previous owner just let it sit outside for 11 months without moving it, and didnt replace or maintain it, so the dist. was full of water due to a loose cap....but i hope this helps you out....best of luck to you
 
G
#15 ·
Thank You, Rednk_Cowboi

i just had the eletronic ignition unit tested at o'reillys we tested it 3-4 times to makes sure and get a good reading:

It Failed

So i am coming to conclusion that its that unit, it not then i could try the Pickup Coil
 
#18 ·
Kenneth Turcotte said:
HEI Wiring??
all over the place and very very simple. do a *search* (use the search box) and you'll come across a LOT of info here. I am very pleased with it.
 
G
#20 ·
So guess what i replaced the eletronic ignition unit and still no spark!! :mad: :mad:

i have replaced:

Coil
Distributor Cap and Rotor
All 9 wires that go to the distributor
all 8 plugs
eletronic igniton control unit
 
So i almost replaced everything in the igniton system exept the ballist resister, pickup coil (in the distributor), and the distributor itself.


Does any one know any tests i can do to check the pickup or ballist resister???
 
#21 ·
ballast and pickup test are easiest tested with OHMS. As with all other ohms tests, make sure that everything is unplugged.

That means for pickup, unplug the 2 wire step shaped plug and measure ohms between pins.

Unhook the ballast and measure between the pins.
 
#22 ·
The ballast resistor is bypassed when you start the engine, so if you're not getting spark, it isn't the ballast.
 
#24 ·
Start where you know you have power and go one compoment at a time checking each one working your way to the coil. if you wiring harness is still stock and not all butchered to hell, you may have a broken or corroded wire.

Now my question, was it running before you started working on it??
 
G
#26 ·
ok i used the 2000 ohms mark on my multmeter and i got a reading of 379

the truck needed a rebuild after my brother had it in high school(the reason for a rebuild is because of no oil pressure, and the cambearings were shot)
 
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