What is this switch?

[Old Tired Rebel]

78 Cordoba I am doing a HEI Conversion I ran a jumper wire to the coil and the engine starting turning over. I wonder if this box has something to do with having no fire to the coil and distributor?

 

[younggun2.0]

that looks like a starter relay switch.

 

[68gtxman]

that looks like a starter relay switch.

We have a winner! Sure thing if that solenoid is trashed, your engine won't start with a key.

$24 at most parts stores. Make sure to disconnect the positive battery cable before removing this part.

 

[66340SEDAN]

that looks like a starter relay switch.

x2

 

[TXDart]

Cliff that is your starter relay and the brown wire powers the coil according to this wiring diagram closest I can get with my software is 1983....

 

[Old Tired Rebel]

Thanks everyone. I will go pick one up tomorrow. Would this cause my distributor and coil not to fire?

 

[67Dart273]

I believe so, OTR. The later model relays are different, they have an additional contact that acts as the resistor bypass circuit

Either same as or at least in function as this

The two on the far right, G and I do the same thing as the older ones--start wire and neutral safety switch

The one marked EGR/ SOL takes the place of the one on the older relay, which goes to the solenoid

Battery stud is the same as older relays

The added function (the difference) is the one at bottom left marked ballast, which goes to the coil+ side of the ballast resistor

You can troubleshoot this

Have someone twist the key to start, and wiggle the shifter from park/ neutral, or play with the clutch if a stick.

Probe the one marked G. It should NOT have voltage in start, if it does the neutral safety switch or wiring is bad

The one marked "I" is actually "start" and should have power in "start."

Battery stud should show power at all times.

Normally, the one marked "EGR / SOL" should be hot in start, and should power the starter solenoid.

Last, the BAL should also be hot in start

 

[Old Tired Rebel]

I believe so, OTR. The later model relays are different, they have an additional contact that acts as the resistor bypass circuit

Either same as or at least in function as this

The two on the far right, G and I do the same thing as the older ones--start wire and neutral safety switch

The one marked EGR/ SOL takes the place of the one on the older relay, which goes to the solenoid

Battery stud is the same as older relays

The added function (the difference) is the one at bottom left marked ballast, which goes to the coil+ side of the ballast resistor

You can troubleshoot this

Have someone twist the key to start, and wiggle the shifter from park/ neutral, or play with the clutch if a stick.

Probe the one marked G. It should NOT have voltage in start, if it does the neutral safety switch or wiring is bad

The one marked "I" is actually "start" and should have power in "start."

Battery stud should show power at all times.

Normally, the one marked "EGR / SOL" should be hot in start, and should power the starter solenoid.

Last, the BAL should also be hot in start

Thanks I ran a jumper wire from it to the coil and the engine started to turn over but still no fire.

 

[TrailBeast]

Ummm, we were talking about this in PM's and I told him to run a positive wire from the battery, to the module terminal, and then to the coil positive and crank it to chk for spark.
I was under the impression that it was cranking but not starting, is this the case?
His car quit awhile back because of no spark and they decided to put HEI in it.
He say's he has bought all new coil, module and distributor, so if it is wired correctly (as he has told me it is) according to the picture I gave him for a four pin module it should have fire.

He told me, the module is grounded.
The distributor is new.
That there is power to the coil and module.
AND that the distributor is turning when it cranks.

So there is a ton of background info was wasn't in this thread yet, and I think unless we have all the info in one spot we are pissin in the wind.

 

[Old Tired Rebel]

Ummm, we were talking about this in PM's and I told him to run a positive wire from the battery, to the module terminal, and then to the coil positive and crank it to chk for spark.
I was under the impression that it was cranking but not starting, is this the case?
His car quit awhile back because of no spark and they decided to put HEI in it.
He say's he has bought all new coil, module and distributor, so if it is wired correctly (as he has told me it is) according to the picture I gave him for a four pin module it should have fire.

He told me, the module is grounded.
The distributor is new.
That there is power to the coil and module.
AND that the distributor is turning when it cranks.

So there is a ton of background info was wasn't in this thread yet, and I think unless we have all the info in one spot we are pissin in the wind.

Yes it turns over using the key. I ran a jumper wire to the coil no change,then ran it to the module no change. I have not done both at the same time. My son wired up everything for me and I double checked behind him. The blue and brown wires are connected and ran straight to the dist.

 

[Old Tired Rebel]

This is the diagram I used.

 

[TrailBeast]

Yes it turns over using the key. I ran a jumper wire to the coil no change,then ran it to the module no change. I have not done both at the same time. My son wired up everything for me and I double checked behind him. The blue and brown wires are connected and ran straight to the dist.

The module and coil both have to have power at the same time.
Don't buy a starter relay, the car cranks and the HEI's power supply comes directlt from the ignition switch (or will) so the relay doesn't have anything to do with the thing not starting because of spark.

Go from battery Pos, to coil+, to module+ and try it.

 

[Old Tired Rebel]

the module and coil both have to have power at the same time.

Go from battery pos, to coil, to module and try it.

brb

 

[67Dart273]

OTR your diagram didn't come through. Here's mine, you must wire it so the dist. connector hooks up as "pictured" to get phasing correct.

So on your firewall photo:

Top left should go to the female terminal of the connector which then hooks to distributor

Bottom left should go to the exposed male of that connector

Top right should go to coil NEG


Bottom right should go to coil + and to switched 12V from key

If you still use a ballast, switched 12 should go to bottom right, and one terminal of ballast should hook there, other end of ballast hooks to coil +

Module MUST sit on a nice flat surface, and MUST use thermal ('heat sink') grease. Make sure the mounting screws are grounded. I use an eyelet under one mounting screw on top of the module, and run that wire to the block.

 

[MoparDaddy]

Hope that test works cliff... Sorry to hear the car is giving you hell.

 

[TrailBeast]

This is the one I posted for him.
It is possible to switch the wires to the distributor and not get spark though.
Some fire and some don't if they are reversed.

 

[Old Tired Rebel]

I did the test like you said. still no fire it turns over great but didn't start. I ran the wires like you said pos battery to pos on the module and pos to the pos coil all at the same time. No change.

 

[MoparDaddy]

I did the test like you said. still no fire it turns over great but didn't start. I ran the wires like you said pos battery to pos on the module and pos to the pos coil all at the same time. No change.

There's gotta be something that we're missing. All grounds are good? Fuses are good

 

[TrailBeast]

I did the test like you said. still no fire it turns over great but didn't start. I ran the wires like you said pos battery to pos on the module and pos to the pos coil all at the same time. No change.

Was the distributor chked for an 008 gap at the reluctor?
Absolutely postive the module is grounded through it's metal contacts on it's frame where the screws go though it?

With the ground wire off the distributor, are you getting power out the negative side of the coil?
)Power the coil and test light the ground terminal on the coil)

All this chks out and I would have to say the module got burned out by reverse polarity possibly.

 

[Seca900r]

Is the Distributor turning?

 

[TrailBeast]

Is the Distributor turning?

Yes, we went through that in some PM's