Not starting, any ideas?

[Matthew Keij]

I changed the carb yesterday, went for a test-drive and it was a lot better than before.
Needed some final adjustments so I adjusted it this morning and went for a drive. It wasn't very good so I retuned home after a very short drive. When I was almost home the car stalled. I parked it and looked but nothing weird.
I pushed the car home and parked it right in front of the house. After a few minutes it started and I drove it into the garage.
After a while checking everything out it still won't start.

The engine is turning, there is gas in the carb, enough air as the air cleaner is not on there.
I put a spark plug on the cable from the coil and hold it close to the exhaust manifold, nothing there.
There is 12 volt to the coil when you start. Luckily I had a brand new coil and I changed it, not starting.

It's the 361 with the petronix in it.

Any ideas on it?
What to check?

I am out of ideas

[Dick Koch]

Matthew - I had the same problem with my Desota and Petronix. It has to do with the Petronix has to see 12 volts all the time or it crashes, I put the points back in the Desoto and it started right up and no problems since.

The picture you requeste is attached.
Dick.

[Matthew Keij]

No spark at all?

Any pics of the point setup? I'm new to the points and I have no idea how it looked like before the petronix

[Denver 59 Fin Convert]

Is the engine grounded? Or the engine ground wire came off? Voltage Regulator Kaput or pitted contacts?

Normally we would ask you these questions and for a solution...


John Q.

[rogerh]

Oh damn. I installed Pertronix so that I didnt have to deal with points. I thought it might run better.
Your dad's hardtop has points-style ignition doesnt it?
It sounds like somehow the Pertronix got fried. I will research them online, but you may need to prepare yourself to go back to the points set-up.
Pertronix, Inc phone number 909 547 9058, in Southern California
The website has a link where you can contact a Technician.

[Matthew Keij]

Is the engine grounded? Or the engine ground wire came off? Voltage Regulator Kaput or pitted contacts?

Normally we would ask you these questions and for a solution...

The ground is still on the engine, we checked that last night.
Regulator should be ok as it wants to start but not firing. It's in the ignition somewhere as we have fuel and air, just missing the spark.

Oh damn. I installed Pertronix so that I didnt have to deal with points. I thought it might run better.
Your dad's hardtop has points-style ignition doesnt it?
It sounds like somehow the Pertronix got fried. I will research them online, but you may need to prepare yourself to go back to the points set-up.
Pertronix, Inc phone number 909 547 9058, in Southern California
The website has a link where you can contact a Technician.

No points is great, until this happens I am completely new to these things so I need to learn more.
My dad indeed has points but someone else changed them last time.
I'm hoping it's something easy that we just don't see, I'd like to stick with the petronix. I already tried to locate most of the point parts and I've got some of them ready next to the car if we find out the petronix is done.

Car has got new spark plugs since today. Figured i could change them while we were busy with that system.
New is always better and the old ones were pretty black.

[Matthew Keij]

Ok, got 12v to the coil, from the coil to the petronix box. Also got 12v at the connector for the part in the distributor on both pins (2 pin connector).
Most likely the sensor in the distributor is gone I guess

[big m]

I am not familiar with the Pertronix ignition, but it seems it is just a reluctor that 'tells' the microchip when to break the primary circuit to cause the coil to fire.

Ignition points do the same task, but mechanically. I personally have never had a problem with breaker point ignition, if the voltage to the coil is proper, the distributor shaft is not loose, and the lobes are lightly greased, the points will last sometimes over 10,000 miles before needing adjustment. I still run points in all my old cars, I find them way easier to diagnose when something does go wrong.

---John

[indian301]

Matthew,

The ignition system you have looks to be stock Mopar. I have been using Petronix systems for over 10 years and have never had a failure. Your ECU box that is in the picture located near your exhaust manifold is stock Mopar. The Petronix unit replaces the points and breaker plate with a new plate and magnetic pick up. Only a red and black wire come out of the distributor and go to the ignition coil. There is no external ECU.

Dave

[Matthew Keij]

Yes, it is a Mopar electronic ignition used from 72 to 80.
I replaced the ecu and it's starting again