hangn0ut
Well-Known Member
Oh yeah. Gotta excuse the others. It is Friday night...lol.
Start side of ballast supplies full volts to coil when cranking engine. That wire can go direct to positive coil but hooks into wire to coil at ballast resistor. This is ignition side of ballast. Other side of ballast is supplied full volts from key. This is run position. Then it is knocked down to about 9 volts by ballast resistor. You have voltage coming from the start circuit. I believe it is supplied voltage at the starter relay when the key is turned to start. Cuts out at the run position and all other key positions. I suspect the start relay is bad. They open up easily to look for any obvious damage or maybe it's just dirty inside causing malfunction. I am no electrician but my rides all run and charge and one has a completely home brew harness as the original was to hacked up. I would open that relay up. Don't cost nothing and you might find the problem. But wasent the original problem a voltage drop? Does your battery spark when you hook up the leads? I would think your battery would drain and die from the ignition constantly on. And actually with voltage constant to the coil your engine would not shut off with the key. Like hot wiring a car. Hmmm. Intermittent short. Maybe the ignition switch.....
12 hour days. That's rough. Kudos for working on the car at all.
Constant volts in start circuit with key off,yet won't start on start. Sounds backwards don't it. Sounds like crossed wires... Gotta think on this...
Ya' probably went through this but...…………
View attachment 1715216420View attachment 1715216421
Check that plug connector for the distributor as well.
Next tests both with ballast unhooked and key in "run", engine off.
Did you unplug the ECU when checking voltage at the disconnected ballast connectors?
How I check...…
1) Disconnect both sides of the ballast.
2) Disconnect the ECU plug.
3) Attach volt meter to Ign 2 ballast plug and ground.
Zero volts in "key off" position.
Battery voltage in "key start" position.
Zero volts in "key on" position.
4) Attach volt meter to Ign 1 ballast plug and ground.
Zero volts in "key off" position.
Zero volts in "key start" position.
Battery voltage in "key on" position.
How I see the system working.
Start circuit acts as a "hot" wire giving full battery to the positive side of the coil and "hotter" spark to the plugs on key start.
Run circuit is battery power reduced through the ballast resistor to not cause the coil overheat as it runs.
Thanks Dave.Did you unplug the ECU when checking voltage at the disconnected ballast connectors?
How I check...…
1) Disconnect both sides of the ballast.
2) Disconnect the ECU plug.
3) Attach volt meter to Ign 2 ballast plug and ground.
Zero volts in "key off" position.
Battery voltage in "key start" position.
Zero volts in "key on" position.
4) Attach volt meter to Ign 1 ballast plug and ground.
Zero volts in "key off" position.
Zero volts in "key start" position.
Battery voltage in "key on" position.
How I see the system working.
Start circuit acts as a "hot" wire giving full battery to the positive side of the coil and "hotter" spark to the plugs on key start.
Run circuit is battery power reduced through the ballast resistor to not cause the coil overheat as it runs.
^^Steve is all wiring connected with above tests?^^
2,........ign2, 10V.......This is likely OK depending on condition of battery. This is why I measure these from this point TO THE battery PLUS so that you see the drop, and the battery voltage becomes unimportant. EG........if your battery is low, and cranking the battery is only 10.5V, then this 10V reading is just fine
5. Key "start" 1.5mV.................if you disconnected something, this is likely OK, as IGN1 goes dead when cranking. With wiring properly connected, this will show some backfeed through the resistor from the IGN2 start voltage. I would expect a fairly low reading, perhaps a volt or two.
6. Key "On" 10.98 volts. A drop of 1 volt?? If your battery is fully charged THIS IS WAY LOW. I thought I told you this earlier. You seem to have the common drop in the ignition harness. "Chase" this back through the path to the battery..............bulkhead connector............ammeter............switch connector........switch itself.
^^Steve is all wiring connected with above tests?^^
2,........ign2, 10V.......This is likely OK depending on condition of battery. This is why I measure these from this point TO THE battery PLUS so that you see the drop, and the battery voltage becomes unimportant. EG........if your battery is low, and cranking the battery is only 10.5V, then this 10V reading is just fine
5. Key "start" 1.5mV.................if you disconnected something, this is likely OK, as IGN1 goes dead when cranking. With wiring properly connected, this will show some backfeed through the resistor from the IGN2 start voltage. I would expect a fairly low reading, perhaps a volt or two.
6. Key "On" 10.98 volts. A drop of 1 volt?? If your battery is fully charged THIS IS WAY LOW. I thought I told you this earlier. You seem to have the common drop in the ignition harness. "Chase" this back through the path to the battery..............bulkhead connector............ammeter............switch connector........switch itself.
That is a beautiful car very clean. Blows my mind how clean that engine bay is.Thanks A833, I have done the HL relay upgrade as well. Noticeable difference! Link below for MAD amp bypass. Works great. Dunno if that's the issue I'm having right now or not. All gauges including FUEL works good, so im leaving IVR for now.
Never heard that ballast can be eliminated with stock elec ignition?? Maybe MSD etc?
Right now im trying to figure out where my voltage drop is. Everything has good ground VR, ALT, ECU.
I'm getting approx 0.8 V from ALT blue field to BATT +ve with all hooked up, key on car not running.
Approx same volts from side of ballast to batt.+ve.
These readings apparently indicate voltage drop/loss. What I've read is 0.2V MAX.
0 resistance in black wire from ALT to starter relay(unhooked).
About to double check bulkhead connectors for the umpteenth time lol.
Car is a 67 we went and picked up in Colorado in 2012.
Thanks for chiming in and kind words.
Link below.
Catalog
View attachment 1715226366
If the black one is in good shape and fits the switch the fact that it has a retainer is "some points." But really that should not affect electrical.
Since you have the ign switch right there I'd check right there for drop
If it's easier to understand, "rig" an extension wire to the battery NEG. With the key in "run" and again in "start" check the following::
The backside of the connector check battery coming in with key in "run." If this is close to battery, it is OK. If it is low, you have a drop between there and the battery, IE the RED wire in the bulkhead, or the ammeter
Next check the "run" (BLUE) and see how it compares to the battery coming in. If it is quite low at the BLUE compared to the battery supply, then you have a drop right there in the connector or switch
Same thing with IGN2. Again, make these checks with wiring all hooked up ready to run. You can ground the coil high tension for safety if you feel the need.
If the black one is in good shape and fits the switch the fact that it has a retainer is "some points." But really that should not affect electrical.
Since you have the ign switch right there I'd check right there for drop
If it's easier to understand, "rig" an extension wire to the battery NEG. With the key in "run" and again in "start" check the following::
The backside of the connector check battery coming in with key in "run." If this is close to battery, it is OK. If it is low, you have a drop between there and the battery, IE the RED wire in the bulkhead, or the ammeter
Next check the "run" (BLUE) and see how it compares to the battery coming in. If it is quite low at the BLUE compared to the battery supply, then you have a drop right there in the connector or switch
Same thing with IGN2. Again, make these checks with wiring all hooked up ready to run. You can ground the coil high tension for safety if you feel the need.
Birthday shopping for 4yr old granddaughter Lennon done, lol.
Hooked everything back up, rigged a lead to batt -ve and to "batt" on back of switch.
Key "on" 11.18 V
Key "start " 10.2 v
Battery static is 12.20 V.
Ampmeter bypassed(MAD)
Thanks Del. More tests coming.
Well you may be off track. What are the two voltages reading with key in run compared........blue "run" and the red coming INTO the switch? That will tell you if the drop is in the switch/ or connector, or whether the drop is upstream in the red? I'm missing that somehow. If those splices are "solid" whether they look bad or not may not be the trouble.
How does the "big red" (battery feed) get through the bulkhead? Is it still "the connector" or drilled through and wire straight through?
Battery static is 12.20 V.
IF "IF" you are measuring this AT the igntion switch IE the battery wire going to the switch, AND WITH the key in the "run" position, then the switch or the connector is your drop, or at least a whole big bag of it
To fully test this, round up a couple of male spade/ flag terminals and make a short jumper wire with no14 or so. Disconnect the switch, and jumper the switch connector from the red batt to the blue. Go out to the ballast and see if things improve
Battery static is 12.20 V.
IF "IF" you are measuring this AT the igntion switch IE the battery wire going to the switch, AND WITH the key in the "run" position, then the switch or the connector is your drop, or at least a whole big bag of it
To fully test this, round up a couple of male spade/ flag terminals and make a short jumper wire with no14 or so. Disconnect the switch, and jumper the switch connector from the red batt to the blue. Go out to the ballast and see if things improve