okay, so I have just left the barracuda sitting for 2-4 weeks and I go to start it because I know your supposed to let them run like once a month and it won't start...last time I had it out it didnt want to start when I was out in it, guy put his screw driver in one plug wire and it would not spark and all at once just started while he was checking... today I didn't get a spark from there either but was using a rusty drill bit so not sure if it was conducting so I try the wire coming out of the coil and it sparked so would it possibly be the blue box on my inner fender gone bad? or would the coil not spark if it were bad? or would my distributor be going bad? kinda clueless and don't wanna leave it sitting all winter... any help is great.
help, car won't start
- Thread starter aarong5
- Start date
-
nothingbutdarts
Well-Known Member
OK, not enough info. What is the blue box, a voltage regulator or is it an electronic ignition box?
nothingbutdarts
Well-Known Member
If it has been converted to electronic ignition (Chrysler system) than you should try using a jumper wire from the battery + to the + side of the coil then try to start it with the wire attached and see if it starts.
If it happens to start than disconnect the wire and see if it stays running.
If it happens to start than disconnect the wire and see if it stays running.
nothingbutdarts
Well-Known Member
You should still try the jumper wire and see if it starts.
Are you are getting gas to the carb.?
Is your choke is closing?
Well I bought a new electronic ignition box but it didn't help, tomorrow I'll try the jump cable and see if that helps, this car hates me and has for years lol, bought it when i was 15 I'm 21 now and it's always something
67Dart273
Well-Known Member
Your car cannot hate you. We need more info,
Did you check spark by USING THE KEY to crank the engine or by JUMPERING the starter relay? This is IMPORTANT.
HOW does the spark look, IE how long, how strong?
I always check spark by eliminating the coil wire first, IE use a grounded probe like a screwdriver with a clip lead to ground. Hold it near the top of the coil tower and crank the enigne USING THE KEY. Yes, you'll need two people. You should get a nice, snappy, blue spark at least 3/8 " long OR MORE. IT should be "rythmic" IE follow the cranking of the engine, and not be erratic and start / stop as the engine turns.
As above, if this does not produce a hot spark, hook up the jumper from coil+ to the starter relay battery stud.
If this looks OK, pull the cap / rotor and take a good look: Dirty? Moisture? Carbon tracks? Rotors have been known to "punch" through from the center contact to the shaft underneath, creating a grounded spark before it ever leaves the distributor.
Then check the spark using the coil wire to ground. Resistance wire will look a "little more yellow" than your grounded probe but it should still be a nice hot spark. Consider checking the coil wire with an ohmeter.
How do the plugs look? Black? White? Tan? Dry? Wet? Oily?
Pull the connectors off the ignition components, the ECU, the distributor, the ballast. Work them in/ out to scrub the contacts clean, and to "feel" for how tight they are. Inspect the pickup/ reluctor in the distributor. Any sign of strike damage? Foreign material, shavings, rust?
While you're "in there" twist the rotor CW (on small block) against the advance spring. It should "snap" back CCW showing the advance is not rusted up or otherwise damaged or stuck.
Did you check spark by USING THE KEY to crank the engine or by JUMPERING the starter relay? This is IMPORTANT.
HOW does the spark look, IE how long, how strong?
I always check spark by eliminating the coil wire first, IE use a grounded probe like a screwdriver with a clip lead to ground. Hold it near the top of the coil tower and crank the enigne USING THE KEY. Yes, you'll need two people. You should get a nice, snappy, blue spark at least 3/8 " long OR MORE. IT should be "rythmic" IE follow the cranking of the engine, and not be erratic and start / stop as the engine turns.
As above, if this does not produce a hot spark, hook up the jumper from coil+ to the starter relay battery stud.
If this looks OK, pull the cap / rotor and take a good look: Dirty? Moisture? Carbon tracks? Rotors have been known to "punch" through from the center contact to the shaft underneath, creating a grounded spark before it ever leaves the distributor.
Then check the spark using the coil wire to ground. Resistance wire will look a "little more yellow" than your grounded probe but it should still be a nice hot spark. Consider checking the coil wire with an ohmeter.
How do the plugs look? Black? White? Tan? Dry? Wet? Oily?
Pull the connectors off the ignition components, the ECU, the distributor, the ballast. Work them in/ out to scrub the contacts clean, and to "feel" for how tight they are. Inspect the pickup/ reluctor in the distributor. Any sign of strike damage? Foreign material, shavings, rust?
While you're "in there" twist the rotor CW (on small block) against the advance spring. It should "snap" back CCW showing the advance is not rusted up or otherwise damaged or stuck.
EL5DEMON340
Well-Known Member
I've had the same problem on my 68 RR converted to electronic, may start 10 times in a row then it will not start just crank, sometimes i have to crank it 10 times before it gets spark. I'm leaning to the dist pickup reluctor or ECU.
It wouldn't hurt to check the distributor reluctor gap as stated above. I've had that problem myself. Double check me, but I think it should be .007".
Bulldozer
free ice cream sandwiches
close Karl , .008 with a brass or non-magnetic feeler gauge
67Dart273
Well-Known Member
No it means you "were lucky" that it fired and you have not fixed the problem
You need to do a few tests.
As above, checking the reluctor gap is always a good plan O'Reallys should have brass feeler gauges
A very common problem area in these cars nowadays is the bulkhead connector, or other wiring problems causing a voltage drop to your ignition system
SO
Hook one probe of your meter to battery + (battery stud on the starter relay). Hook the other probe to the voltage regulator IGN terminal, which is the push - on terminal of the regulator
Turn the key to RUN, engine off. You are hoping for a very low reading, not over .3v (three tenths of a volt) Lower readings are better, higher readings show you have a voltage drop problem
Your top suspects are the bulkhead connector, the connector at the ignition switch, the switch itself, and in more rare cases, the ammeter and it's connections, or the welded "in harness" splice
Wiggle the bulkhead connector and see if this voltage improves or gets worse.
NEXT
Hook one probe to the coil+ terminal, and the other leave on the starter relay battery stud. Crank the engine USING THE KEY and while the engine is cranking, take a reading. You again are hoping for a very low reading, the lower the better. Over .4V means you have a harness drop problem.
Next move the probe hooked to the battery stud to ground on the block. Leave the other hooked to coil+ Again crank the car and take a reading while the engine is cranking. You should see AT LEAST 10.5 V and in no case below 10V.
Read this article which points out the whats and whys of the bulkhead connector problem, as well as a simplified diagram of the major battery/ charging feed:
http://www.madelectrical.com/electricaltech/amp-gauges.shtml
Also, DO you have a shop manual? You can download several for free right here:
http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/showthread.php?t=132309&highlight=manual%2C+download
You have to scroll around in there because some of the top links are broken and have been fixed later on.
Also there are variously useful diagrams at MyMopar:
http://www.mymopar.com/index.php?pid=31
I'm assuming your are working on a 67 Barracuda?
http://www.mymopar.com/downloads/1967/67BarracudaA.jpg
http://www.mymopar.com/downloads/1967/67BarracudaB.jpg
-
