Barracuda No-Start

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banjoman

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Hello Folks! I got a baffling ignition electrical issue! I have a 1968 Barracuda that I had to pull the motor to replace the freeze plugs between the engine and transmission. I did some cleaning and painting before I put everything back together. I went to fire it up when I was done, I got no start! I converted it to electronic ignition many years ago. I tested power to all the components, 12+volts to everything, I tested individually the ballast resister, coil, ECU, distributer pick-up. All check out good! I tried replacing all of the components individually including the cap and rotor. Still no-start! I removed the distributer with everything still wired and cap and rotor installed. With the ignition on, I spun the distributer shaft and got spark! I re-installed the distributer and get no spark now! What do the experts here think I got going on?

Thanks in advance!
 
banjoman said:
Hello Folks! I got a baffling ignition electrical issue! I have a 1968 Barracuda that I had to pull the motor to replace the freeze plugs between the engine and transmission. I did some cleaning and painting before I put everything back together. I went to fire it up when I was done, I got no start! I converted it to electronic ignition many years ago. I tested power to all the components, 12+volts to everything, I tested individually the ballast resister, coil, ECU, distributer pick-up. All check out good! I tried replacing all of the components individually including the cap and rotor. Still no-start! I removed the distributer with everything still wired and cap and rotor installed. With the ignition on, I spun the distributer shaft and got spark! I re-installed the distributer and get no spark now! What do the experts here think I got going on?

Thanks in advance!
Click to expand...

Are you assuming there is no spark because the engine is not starting or is there actually NO SPARK while the engine is cranking? Have you verified the distributor is turning, by taking the cap off, while you crank the engine?
 
.............and...........Do we have to guess what type of electronic ignition you have............
 
All good questions! The ignition is an old Direct Connection conversion. I did have the cap off and the rotor does turn when I am cranking. (I'm using a remote starter switch) I am using a KD Ignition Tester (it is a spark plug with a ground clamp on it). I get a healthy spark with the distributor out of the block and no-spark with it clamped back in!

OTC6589_1200Wx1200H.jpg
 
It might be that the pickup coil is shorted to ground. Check for continuity between the 2 distributor pickup terminals, this varies, "about" 200 ohms. Check each terminal to the dist case. Should be "open" or infinity


Pull all the connectors, the ECU, the ballast, and the dist. and work them in and out to scrub the terminals, inspect them with a lamp for corrosion, and "feel" for tightness when reconnecting. Hook a multimeter to the distributor pickup and crank the engine. Should generate about 1V AC. That's right AC

With key in "run," disconnect the distributor pickkup connector, and take the engine bay end of the connector. "Tap" the bare connector pin on ground while watching for a spark. You should have a "snap" each time

Make sure the ECU is grounded. What do you have for voltage with key in "run" at the ccoil + and again when cranking WHILE USING THE KEY

Do NOT run your tests by jumpering the starter relay. This changes circuit conditions, and might lead you down the wrong path

Examine the pickup/ reluctor for rust, debri or damage. Wiggle the shaft and look for play. Look for "strike" damage. Examine the rotor for carbon tracking and "punch through" to the top of the shaft
 
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Recheck your wiring carefully and DISCONNECT YOUR tach if you have one. You should only have two wires (for testing) hooked to the coil......the one going from the ECU to coil NEG, and the one coming from the ballast, supplying voltage. If you have a "dual" ballast make sure both sides are good. This is two resistors hooked together

Check coil and ballast voltage.

With key in "run" and everything connected "normally" you should have "same as battery" at "key" side of ballast, (about 12-12.6) and about 6--9 or so at coil POS. Coil NEG should be quite low, perhaps 1/2--1 volt.

Connect meter to coil POS and crank the engine USING THE KEY. You should have "same as battery" while cranking or about 10.5V or higher. Compare to battery PLUS while cranking
 
SUSPECT A BAD CONNECTION in the distributor pickup connector!!!
 
In Addition;
Hang on, the thing sparked when he spun it by hand!!
My question is/are;
is the intermediate shaft in and spinning, and if it is, then
is the distributor driveshaft spinning, and if it is,
is it properly indexed to the cam-plate, and if it is......
is the rotor on and turning,lol,, and if it is,
is it sparking at the right time.
This shouldn't be rocket-science; if it sparked when spinning the D by hand, it should spark when installed; if the rotor is spinning, and the pick-up is properly gapped and secured, with good wiring out of the D.
The D does not require a ground....... as you have already proven, and in fact; the pick-up must NOT be electrically grounded, both points already mentioned.

Happy HotRodding
 
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Could also be pickup "going bad" weak magnet, wide reluctor gap, not cranking "quite" fast enough and when you spun it by hand..............well, you know. "luck." "intermittent" 'n all that
 
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