Tuff to Start
Regardless ............... you likely have a weak spark condition,................ and it sounds like this may be a problem with the ballast bypass in the ignition switch
Sorry, but jumpering the ballast does not "do" anything, read onwards..........
The way to check this is to use a jumper from the coil + terminal to a battery source like the starter relay "big stud." This bypasses all wiring and gives you a good hot circuit to the coil.
Even better is to actually CHECK it with a multimeter. Clip a multimeter to the coil + terminal and ground. Crank the car using the key The reading should be "same as battery" and in no case less than 10V
The bypass circuit is indeed in the ignition switch. This is a separate switch contact that only does this one job, goes out through the bulkhead connector to the coil + side of the ballast resistor
BYPASSING the ballast is NOT going to cure this problem!!!!!!
1....The ballast is not in the circuit during start...........because the "ignition run" (IGN1) circuit goes DEAD during cranking
2....If the starting / bypass circuit is not operating, the car will never fire during crank, see no 1 above.
To put this another way.............
With the key in "start" the ONLY source of ignition power is the bypass circuit or "IGN2"
With the key in "run" the only source of run power is the "run" or IGN1" circuit