Testing early chrysler electronic ignition pick up coils

got NO spark???

grab your digital volt meter...   set it to 2K ohms..  disconnect the 2 wire plug at the distributer.  you should have around 800 ohms.  give or take.. anywhere between 600 and 1,500 ohms is usually ok.

before you disconnect the volt meter. flip the setting to 2 volts AC or 20 volts AC range...    crank the engine if the distributor is in..  spin the shaft if it is out...    for the system to work. you need to see over 1 volt AC.    

if the pick up coil passes it's resistance test...  the gap is correct ,,,   replace the reluctor.  

the reluctor keeps a small amount of magnetic field.. so as it passes the pick up coil AC voltage is created to trigger the ignition module

it takes about 0.6 volts AC to turn the power transistor on.   if the pick up coil does not create enough voltage... the power transistor will not have enough voltage to turn on.. if its not on.. it cannot switch off discharging the coil primary...

testing the pickup coil takes only a few minutes..   testing the reluctor, a few seconds more...

rusty reluctors don't work well, sand blasted reluctors don't work well... if at all...    sometimes they just go bad... this is the only test to be sure... other than sticking a new one in..

hope this helps explain some of the hidden magic in the ignition system...

there are also 2 places for the alignment pin..  anybody know why????  lets have some thoughts... i know..  

i have a 74 duster pers like a kitten for about 5 minutes and dies and wont restart unless you wait about 20 minutes or untill everything cools whats wrong ? i replaced ignition module and still no luck help send me a email uncle bubba@suddenlink.net  

sounds like a bad ignition coil  

Hello
I have a chrysler m440 v8,4brl holley carb..(22ft chris craft) inboard..
had it running but then it died on me, tested the way you explaint,(simple and fast).many thanks for that,,,few wonderers,,  on the reluctor is an arrow,does this mean that(when timing)that arrow needs to point to the first plug?..and when i crank the engine and it starts the startermoter will keep turning,,thats no good i guess,,,
hope you can help,,
best regards Marcello  

two slots for the pin  allowed them to make ONE reluctor for clockwise and counter clockwise distributers...



the whole idea... to get the rotor pointing towards the contact in the cap when the coil fires...  rotor phasing...  



turn your distributer cap over...  examine the terminals that stick down on the inside ...  look at the burning marks. caused by the spark jumping the gap....  are the burn marks all towards one side of each??.. and not all the way across evenly...   that usually indicates that the reluctor pin in in the wrong hole..


small blocks have the pin close to the arrow....

big blocks have the pin away from the arrow..  

when i crank the engine and it starts the startermoter will keep turning,,thats no good i guess,,,

that is not good...

you need to verify that when you release the key.. the control power to the starter relay and then the small terminal on the starter is cut off...  if it has the Mopar gear reduction starter... the starter will overspeed if the engine is running and the starter is still being spun by the battery voltage.....   terminating itself... violently..  but covertly.. as the inside will look like a hand grenade went off..

i don't know how they wired the boat you have.....  i almost went to work for Chris Craft..  missed getting the job by minutes.  they were calling me as i was leaving town..  i still ended up working the ODD weekend on a Huge power boat..  104' stephens bros WWII crash boat..  it belonged to a long time friend.. it went down at anchor in santa barbara while i was out on the road.. the owner did get fished out of the water..  

WAUW, we got the spark,,, you are the Man!!!  thank you very very much,, now im going for the starter problem. there were old and cracked wires, so i rewire everything,,the sad part was nobuddy on this island could help me,so here i am under a sunbrella fixing my skiboat with a laptop and google.   If you happen to be back on spanish Waters, let me know  free wakeboarding and waterskiing for your party...that much your help appriciated,,.
 Have a nice day!!
greets   Marcello
csswakeschool.com  

i have a friend who used to work on boats there... i think he has moved back to the states... thanks for the invite.. but i tan like a lobster... red all over.. every time i try to get out of the ocean... people show up.. keep pushing me back in...  throwing wet sheets over me...   yelling something about save the whales... glad to help from afar...  

Holla
after rewire the engine,i have a new problem,it wants to fire up but backfires from the carb and flames,now im no expert but,, fire out the carb is new for me, and not good, what am i doing wrong??   is there hope for my engine,??

greets from Curacao  

put a socket on the crank center bolt...  move the crank back and forth.. see if the distributer turns almost instantly..

you may have also had the timing chain upper gear fail... some of them were plastic over aluminum...

did you move the spark plug wires????    is there water in the distributer cap... and in the distributer??? water in the cap will cause havoc...

does the rotor line up with the number one or six position on the cap when the timing mark on the balancer is at the pointer???  

fire thru the carb can be timing over advanced, back the distrib down.  

dist turns ok inimini delay but reacts instantly

i renewed all the plug wires, what will be the correct size,?? thikker is better??

no water in dist, didnt rain for months here,, its  Hot...


yes the rotor lines up      so there is a spark not the big juicey one,but a spark,,now i have the reloctor in my hands and noticed that not all the "teeth" are even, there is a pointy one and a few with round endings,,can this be the problem??
till now i renewd    coil, pick up coil,dist cap,spark wires ignition module,40amp breaker,voltage regulator,     still looking for a  ballast resistor 4 points,Napa has only 2 points.whats the difference??  and the reluctor 8 teeth,   if you have a site or any idea where i can buy/make these last parts.. Muchas Gracias  

so you are getting spark.. but not a hot spark...   i would really like you to check the ground wires... from the engine to the battery and to the distributer, and to the module...


but it's probably the ignition coil...

did you have a ignition wiring diagram?????    http://waywardgarage.com/tech/5pin.JPG

if you have spark.. but not a hot spark... you have a coil going bad.. does happen..  or low voltage to the coil..   or a bad ground circuit...  read the end of this post...


you might look up parts for a 76 chrysler new yorker.. with a 440...  

here are some napa parts numbers...

~~~~
Product Line:   Mileage Plus Electrical
Part Number: MPE TP50SB
Comments: w/ 5 Pin Module
~~~~~~~


Ignition Coil Resistor
Product Line:   Echlin Ignition
Part Number: ECH ICR24
Attributes Coil Resistor Ohms : 1.20 Ohms & 5.0 Ohms
Comments: w/ 4 Terminals

~~~~~~~~~~~

Reluctor
Product Line:   Echlin Ignition
Part Number: ECH MP800
or
Part Number: MPE MP800SB


~~~~~~~~~
4 different coils to choose from

Ignition Coil
Product Line: Mileage Plus Electrical
Compare MPE IC12SB

Ignition Coil
Product Line: Echlin Ignition
Comments: High Performance
Compare ECH IC1600
 
Ignition Coil
Product Line: Echlin Ignition
Comments: Original Equipment Design
Compare ECH IC12

Ignition Coil - Epoxy Type
Product Line: Echlin Ignition
Compare ECH IC676

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

how it all works....

the reluctor turning on the distributer shaft causes it's magnetic field to pass through the pick up coil winding creating AC  seine wave.. ^v^v^v^v^v...

0 volts-----^   this voltage signal above 0.8 volts AC turns on the power transistor in the module and charges the primary in the coil..    when the signal drops close to 0 again.. the transistor opens the circuit discharging the primary side of the coil.. this creates a HIGH VOLTAGE spark from the secondary windings..  

what you have to understand.. the ballast resistor is on the positive side of the coil....

but the MODULE pulls the negative side of the coil to ground to charge the primary windings..

if the ground between the distributer and the module is weak... you may not have a strong spark...

i would also like you to pull the rubber connector off the module..  look at the ends of the brass tubular terminals..  you will probably notice that each one is part way open... C  you might want to close it slightly with the tip of a screw driver till the ends of the C are almost touching or touching..

most of the time...  on mopars...  when you have a weak spark.. its the coil...    but i know that you have a boat...

warning... the ballast resistor gets really really really HOT!!!!!!!    make sure it is mounted properly on something that WON"T BURN...


do you have a digital camera????    can you post pictures to photobucket or flicker???  then post the links here????  or send them to my direct email.. you probably still have that..

do you have access to a napa store???   autozone.com has pictures on their site.. use 90026 for a zip code...  

Ok with the diagram itwent much better, so i have the HOT spark,tought the prev one was hot,,hahaha did the trick on the module terminals..  so  hotspark, gas,  no vroem....what the Hell..   ill send some pics,or a small film,,  i know im close to fixing this beast, cant wait.
thanks for the parts num,  very magicly the dude at Napa cur has the parts,he didnot even know they had that,,.. meaning  lazy bum, anyway have all new parts so its supose to work,,,   frustrating but have to keep faith for an non car-mechanic..  

change the spark plugs...  they won't spark if they are fouled...


don't leave the dock without 2 sets of new spark plugs and tools to install them in a water proof ammo box..  with silica jel packs in the bottom...   or select brands that have plated spark plugs... not bare metal ... bare metal versions rust..

if you have some clean spark plugs.. test each wire at the spark plug end.. lay the clean spark plug on the top of the valve cover..  with the spark plug in it.. crank the motor...

some are nickel plated...

there is a TON of information at http://www.sparkplugs.com/

be sure to click the bottom of the page.. advanced tuners link...  

or try this link

http://www.sparkplugs.com/search_char.asp


are your spark plugs gasket seat.. and use a 13/16 wrench  or tapered seat and a 5/8" hex..

this is a gasket seat spark plug.. with a 13/16 hex...    gasket seat and tapered seat spark plugs are not interchangeable.. even though they fit. kinda of..

here is the bosch picture of a platinum plus..  these are plated...

http://contentinfo.autozone.com/znetcs/product-info/en/US/bos/4036/image/8/

Bosch-Platinum-Plus / Spark Plug
For your 1976 Chrysler New Yorker 7.2L 4BL 8cyl
Price:$2.99
Part Number: 4036
Weight: 0.15 lbs
Thread Size: M14 x 1.25
Resistor: Yes
Center Electrode Core: Platinum
Insulator Type: Pyranit
Ground Electrode Material: Nickel-yttrium
Thread Reach: 3/8 in. (9.50 mm.)
Seat Type: Gasket


one last thing... you might ., on the boat.. really want to pick up a small tube of dielectric tune up grease.. a tiny bit on the inside of the boots.. not on the contacts in the boot.. this will waterproof the boot slightly.. and prevent high voltage leaks out the end of the boot... it really does work... CRT televisions have used it to seal in the high voltage for decades.. really does work..


do not use it on the spark plug threads... use spark plug antiseize on the threads.. silicone tune up grease.. has dissolved sand it it.. when it drys.. it becomes solid again..   not a good thing on threads... locks them tight..

there are also special marine spark plugs with stainless steel shells..

i was just thinking back to when we changed the cutlass bearings on the big boat...   the prop shafts were 30 feet long.. 3 inch silicon bronze..  at least the shafts were in 2 pieces... oh.. they were heavy...  then we smeared them with some weird grease..  talk about slippery  ...  we had just gotten them back from the marine machine shop.. had them straightened..   got rid of the bow in them..  and yes.. the 4 of us dropped one..  and it had to go back to get straightened again..  sure was smooth after ..