Car Starts then immediatly stops...help

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71 360 scamp

71 360 scamp

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Hi I'm new to the site, thought someone might be able to help me with am issue im having.
Today was the first day i tried to start it in a week and as soon as the engine starts it stops. It fires right up but then dies just as fast. If i keep the key in the all the way turned position it runs but as soon as i let go of the fully turned position it stops.
the ignition system was updated with an accel super coil. that is when the previous owner kinda deviated from stock wiring. the ballast resistor on the driver side firewall measures the proper resistence across terminals per the factory manual. The ballast resistor near the coil measures a little over 1 ohm across the two terminals. The right side of the coil's ballast resistor is getting full battery voltage, the other side has a short jumper wire that goes to the pos. side of the coil. It gets around 8 volts when the car is running. (i can kind of wedge the ignition switch in such a way that the car will run normally and that is how i've been doing these tests) So anyway it kinda seems like the ballast resistors are doing what they are supposed to. In light of the fact that the running voltages are ok, could a bad ignition switch be the cause of this problem? Although im leaning towards a problem in the harness, anyone have a problem like this before

sorry if this is lenghthy but the more information the better, thanks in advance
 
I'm fuzzy on the wiring because I haven't done any trouble shooting in a long time. Do you have power at the coil with the key in the run position?
 
Ignition relay has a bad connection or is bad. Car should start on 12 volts then run on about 8 volts. I don't know why he would wire in 2 ballasts the way he did.
 
Some performance coils require an added ballast. I'm not familiar with the Accel setups

I'm fuzzy on your voltage tests. You checking this with key on (in run) and engine off?

Or with engine running, key "jammed" towards start?

You understand how Mopar wiring works?


"Dark blue" is ignition "run"

"Brown" is ignition resistor bypass, is what supplies juice with key in "start"
 
im checking these with the car running, i can get the car to start and run by holding the key in a very specific way. Im not very familair with mopar wiring but the "dark blue" run wire isn't and has never been connected to anyting, its just hanging off. I realize that makes this a lot harder but unfortunetly thats the situation im in.
 
With what you have described and being that if you can hold the key in a certain way and the engine stays running, I would have to say that the ignition switch is bad.
 
you should be able to see from the drivers seat whether or not the coil is getting 12V and what effect "jiggling" the key has on the feed to the coil. You can accomplish this with the engine NOT running.

As a previous post pointed out, it might be a bad or dirty connection in the ignition switch.

Just my .02

PK
 
If the ballast resistor has 2 wires going to it than its bad,if it's one wire in than the ign switch is defective.
 
I think these guys are heading you in the right direction. Your wiring sounds funky to me. my 70 is running an old Accel Super Coil (not the one in the giant housing), with mopar electronic ignition, orange box with "normal" mopar wiring, i.e. 1 ballast.
Check your wiring and your switch, I'm sure you can find the igniton circuit schematic here on site.
I think I was even reading recently either here or that "other" mopar site that with electronic you really don't even need the ballast, NOT that I'm recommending that... just saying, check EVERYTHING, you'll figure it out!
Good luck!
 
If you already tested the ballast resistor and it's good, the problem is the ignition switch.
 
man im starting to love this site, thanks everyone.
I guess the next step is to try to trace the wire from the ignition to the ballast resistor. If that doesn't work ill change the ignition switch. Think i have to start a new thread on how to get the ignition switch out, becasue im stumped (not that thats uncommon, im fairly new to car repairs)
thanks again
 
Jump a tempory wire across the ballast resistor.
If it fires and stays running you found your problem.
As soon as they heat up they can give you crap.

If it still dies, try wiggling the key I had an old dodge truck that would start the die, you had to hold the key in the right spot to keep it running.

If it is still DOA try this.
Check the bulkhead connectors where they go in to the firewall.
Common place for corrosion.

It still sounds like the ballast resistor is shot.
They are only $5.00 change it.
 
ive changed both ballast resistors 3 times, sorry if that wasnt clear, not to sound like a complete navice but where is the bulkhead connector, ive hear it before but can't seem to identify it.
Your truck sounds like it has the same problem, did you ever figure out how to fix it?
 
..............The bulkhead connector is in the firewall above and beside ur left valve cover and yes u need the 1 ohm resistor with the big super coil.......... kim.......
 
Ok well if you have this problem DO NOT hold the key in place like i did, it cost me an ignition switch which is an expensive thing to fix at a mechanic shop, it also seemed to blow out my alternator aswell. The problem turned out to be the connection between the ballast resistor and its connection to the bulkhead. Hope my expensive mistake helps someone.
 
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