Ignition tester

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moparlee

moparlee

64 Valiant
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I hope that I didn't waste money on this....haven't had a chance to check it out yet. It's a NOS (supposedly) Sorensen Magnition Electronic ETK-1010.

Question.......when(what year) did Ma Mopar do the switch from 5 pin to 4 pin?

20230331_192329.jpg
 
There is likely no way to tell if you are checking some unknown box. This is because some 4 pin boxes have 5 pins, and they will replace older "true" 5 pin boxes

Only way I know to be sure is to look up a 4 pin wiring diagram, so you know for sure "which pin" and if the box has one, check continuity from it to ground and the other 3 pins. Reverse polarity on probes and do it again....... If everything shows open, it's a "4 pin" box.
 
67Dart273 said:
There is likely no way to tell if you are checking some unknown box. This is because some 4 pin boxes have 5 pins, and they will replace older "true" 5 pin boxes

Only way I know to be sure is to look up a 4 pin wiring diagram, so you know for sure "which pin" and if the box has one, check continuity from it to ground and the other 3 pins. Reverse polarity on probes and do it again....... If everything shows open, it's a "4 pin" box.
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Right...I thought all new 5 pins are in fact 4 pins with the extra pin being a dummy if you will....I was just curious when(year range) Ma mopar quit with the 5 pin and went to the 4 pin.

Also this set up is really for on car diagnostic....which I have an engine run stand...but I wouldn't mind maybe finding one that would/could test boxes on the bench also in the future.

This is for fun/hobby if you will...not saying I wouldn't try and help a local Mopar buddy out.....but won't be advertising and such.

Though...LOL....I have a cool inside window sticker saying "We test Electronic Ignition" that came in the box.
 
halifaxhops said:
Good teater does all the major makes.
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I notice that you had sold a couple that actually look like this one but had a different name.

Those folks were out of Texas were they not?

These (Sorensen) seem to have been out of Kentucky.
Not saying either one is better than the other or anything....I personally have no idear on that...I just noticed that they were from two different folks.

Though the thing in your hand looks (key word there) identical except that it has a different name at the top.
 
Thexton I think made them have seen at least three different brands on them. Like sun did for Snap on etc. Works really well on the car system.
 
halifaxhops said:
Thexton I think made them have seen at least three different brands on them. Like sun did for Snap on etc. Works really well on the car system.
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Crazy question, but do you think these would test the five pin Mopar style MSD box's I have?
 
moparlee said:
I hope that I didn't waste money on this....haven't had a chance to check it out yet. It's a NOS (supposedly) Sorensen Magnition Electronic ETK-1010.

Question.......when(what year) did Ma Mopar do the switch from 5 pin to 4 pin?

View attachment 1716071297
Click to expand...
It depended on the model, year, and Ca/Fed. emissions. Most of the cars went to Lean Burn by about '76 or so....at least here in Ca they did. Most of the pickups and vans used the 5 pin all the way up to '79 IIRC.
 
moparlee said:
Right...I thought all new 5 pins are in fact 4 pins with the extra pin being a dummy if you will....I was just curious when(year range) Ma mopar quit with the 5 pin and went to the 4 pin.
Click to expand...
What I was getting at, is, if you have a box you need to test, you might not be able to determine what it is/ when it was made, unless it still has a visible OEM part number which you can reference back. And it is even possible (a guess) that during the switch-over, that some cars harnessed for 5 pin boxes actually / functionally got a 4 pin box off the line.

So you might in theory, pull a Mopar OEM box off a "known" early car, test it and it shows bad, only because actually it is functionally a 4 pin box.
 
67Dart273 said:
What I was getting at, is, if you have a box you need to test, you might not be able to determine what it is/ when it was made, unless it still has a visible OEM part number which you can reference back. And it is even possible (a guess) that during the switch-over, that some cars harnessed for 5 pin boxes actually / functionally got a 4 pin box off the line.

So you might in theory, pull a Mopar OEM box off a "known" early car, test it and it shows bad, only because actually it is functionally a 4 pin box.
Click to expand...
I was actually worried that it wouldn't test the 4 pins and just test the 5 pins. I don't know yet.
 
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