I forgot the basics, need help w/ ignition power

[prayers1 153]

I finally went to start the new motor today and no spark.

What a BUMMER...............

 

I forgot how to check for it.

 

Here's what I have-

I replaced the pink 6v ignition wire with 12v

Mallory Blaster coil

Mallory Unilite Distributor

 

As noted above, everything ran as is then I pulled the motor out.

 

The motor does crank. Only thing different is the torque mini starter.

 

I have a test light, How do I check to see if I'm getting power to the coil.

[LoneWolf2U 136]

Test light to + coil side. turn on ign, does light come on, yes there is power when key is in run position. No follow lead to swich.

Test light to coil +, trun key to crank position, does light come on, yes there is power to coil in crank mode. no trace coil+ lead back to sol I post.

[LoneWolf2U 136]

I finally went to start the new motor today and no spark.

What a BUMMER...............

 

 

 

I replaced the pink 6v ignition wire with 12v

quote]

 

 

My guess that this is your problem, you bypassed the splice point for the Sol's I post wire when you replaced the ign res wire to coil.

[prayers1 153]

Mach1Rider, I had you in mind. You helped me change from 6-12v and similar issue, but couldn't pick it up where we left off. It was a long time ago.

 

So, To start, take the test light, place one end on the pos side of the coil and the other side on the neg batt post, then the key on?

 

"trace coil+ lead back to sol I post". And do what? Is it the brown wire?

 

Good timing, THANKS!

[prayers1 153]

Answer to post#3

 

I replaced that wire over a year ago and the car ran fine. Then I pulled the motor and trans this March. Today I just finished putting the new motor and trans in.

 

You would think that it should just start up because I did nothing to the the ignition system besides replacing the old starter w/ a mini starter.

[LoneWolf2U 136]

Re check all connections then, R/b to S post, Brown to I post on sol.

Voltage check the coil in key on and key start positions.

 

 

Is mini starter's switching wire on the old starter"s cable side of the sol?

You may be having problems getting power to I post from lack of connection from sol internally.

Test I post for volatge while cranking eng with key.

Edited June 9, 2014 by Mach1Rider

[prayers1 153]

This is what I did thus far,

I placed the test light to the Po. side of the coil and the other side of the test light to the neg side of the battery. Turned the key on, it lite cranked and it stays lit.

 

The same thing happened on the Neg. side of the coil.

 

In regards to the starter, yes I took the right post that had the starter wire and placed it on the battery side. then ran it down to the starter.

I then took a small red wire and placed it on the right large post and ran it to the starter. This is per the instructions.

 

How do you test the I post? test light on neg and other side on I post???

 

[prayers1 153]

I assume if the test light lit up on the above test then I have power to the coil?????

 

I placed the test light on the end of coil wire before the dist cap and other end to ground and no light.

[THE EVIL TW1N 12]

How do you know you're not getting spark? Does a timing light light up when cranking? If so, you're getting power. Also, the Unilite is meant to run at low voltage (6v-9v) with the ballast resistor in place. It'll run with the full 12v for a while, but it will burn up crap out in time. It could be that the Unilite took a dump on you. There are video's online (youtube) from Mallory showing how to check if the ignition module on the Unilite is functioning or not.

[THE EVIL TW1N 12]

I assume if the test light lit up on the above test then I have power to the coil?????

 

I placed the test light on the end of coil wire before the dist cap and other end to ground and no light.

Don't test voltage from the coil wire from coil to distributor. Check the "+" from the coil to negative on battery with the key in the ON position. If you're getting 12v your ignition is getting power (As my other reply had said, it really should be 6v-9v for a Unilite tho). Or hook up a timing light to a cylinder and see if it flashes when cranking. If it does, you're getting spark. It could be that your timing is just that far off.

[prayers1 153]

I did test at the pos side of the coil with the key and it lit. The Mallory coil I'm using has a built in resister.

How do you test to see if the coil wire is sending spark to the dist cap?

[THE EVIL TW1N 12]

I did test at the pos side of the coil with the key and it lit. The Mallory coil I'm using has a built in resister.

How do you test to see if the coil wire is sending spark to the dist cap?

Oh ok cool. You can connect a timing light onto the coil wire. The timing light will pretty much stay lit constantly (flash really fast) as you turn over the engine. Just making sure, you do have the red to the + and the green on -, with the brown grounded somewhere, yes?

[prayers1 153]

I assume your talking about the Mallory wires. Brown is grounded to block. I too thought about that ground and will have to see how it reacts with it grounded to the battery. I say this because the block has fresh paint and maybe it's not creating a good ground.

 

If I can find it, I have to look at the Mallory photo cell trouble shooting. On the other motor I burnt one out from using a jump start. Hard lesson learned, they go for $110 each.

[prayers1 153]

Here's some info on my Module and Dist hook up.

Maybe some can see something I don't.

 

[THE EVIL TW1N 12]

Here's some info on my Module and Dist hook up.

Maybe some can see something I don't.

 

There's not much to it. I had the same distributor, seems like you have a grasp on how to wire it. Are you running an after market ignition system?

 

Anyways, did you hook up a timing light to the coil wire to see if spark is running through it during start up/cranking?

[prayers1 153]

Well here's what I did tonight.

 

Hooked the timing light to the coil wire and cranked the engine, light flashed

Hooked the timing light to #1 spark plug, cranked the motor-NO FLASH.

 

I did the module test, volt meter to Pos. side of Coil and to Neg. side of Battery, I had 11.5 volts.

Now your suppose to place a card in between the module optic lens and the volt should drop. This will show that the module is OK, but It didn't it stayed 11.5 volts.

 

I had a new module, so I replaced it and did the same and got the same results. One interesting thing is that every time I placed a card in front of the lens I got a pop noise, with the old and new module. I'll give Mallory a call tomorrow.

 

Another interesting point. I had a hard time getting the rotor off, but when I did it looked like someone jammed it down and looked it wasn't lined up on the corresponding mark on the shaft. I placed it on correctly and checked TDC and found it way off.

 

I don't think, but could that cause my not starting problem or was it something else I found wrong.

 

Do I have to reset the distributor or could I just change the distributor cap wires so they start on #1 where the rotor is pointing on TDC.

[THE EVIL TW1N 12]

Well here's what I did tonight.

 

Hooked the timing light to the coil wire and cranked the engine, light flashed

Hooked the timing light to #1 spark plug, cranked the motor-NO FLASH.

 

I did the module test, volt meter to Pos. side of Coil and to Neg. side of Battery, I had 11.5 volts.

Now your suppose to place a card in between the module optic lens and the volt should drop. This will show that the module is OK, but It didn't it stayed 11.5 volts.

 

I had a new module, so I replaced it and did the same and got the same results. One interesting thing is that every time I placed a card in front of the lens I got a pop noise, with the old and new module. I'll give Mallory a call tomorrow.

 

Another interesting point. I had a hard time getting the rotor off, but when I did it looked like someone jammed it down and looked it wasn't lined up on the corresponding mark on the shaft. I placed it on correctly and checked TDC and found it way off.

 

I don't think, but could that cause my not starting problem or was it something else I found wrong.

 

Do I have to reset the distributor or could I just change the distributor cap wires so they start on #1 where the rotor is pointing on TDC.

You can reset the wires to get to #1, but you're gonna have to reset the timing anyways now. I would get to TDC and reinsert the distributor. Also, since you were getting power to the coil, your cylinder #1 should have been lighting up. I would reset the distributor and retest.

[prayers1 153]

What do you think about not getting #1 to light up. Out of time or the module?

[THE EVIL TW1N 12]

What do you think about not getting #1 to light up. Out of time or the module?

Maybe the module. Or maybe the rotor wasnt sitting right and was unable to deliver spark to the cylinders. Also, you'll notice the rotor has some notches on the bottom base. Could be the rotor wasnt sitting low enough to block the optic on the ignition module. Those notches serve as windows for the optic.

 

I'm not sure, thats why I said retest to troubleshoot a little farther.

[prayers1 153]

Good News, it runs!!!!

 

I was on the internet all night reading everyone's Mallory problems, plus I spoke to Mallory this morning.

 

Mallory just confirmed what I already knew and done. The most important point I picked up last night was that a lot of trouble comes from improper grounds. Even though I thought I did a good job with the grounds, I ran a separate wire from the neg side of the Batt to the brown Mallory wire where I had it grounded to the block.

 

I reset the distributor and I located another Dist Cap I had from another Mallory. I put it all together gave her a twist and a few cranks it fired up.

 

All in all, I think the biggest culprit might of been the ground issue.

 

I broke it in today, now off to other concerns.

 

 

Thank you everyone for your input and help!

[THE EVIL TW1N 12]

Good News, it runs!!!!

 

I was on the internet all night reading everyone's Mallory problems, plus I spoke to Mallory this morning.

 

Mallory just confirmed what I already knew and done. The most important point I picked up last night was that a lot of trouble comes from improper grounds. Even though I thought I did a good job with the grounds, I ran a separate wire from the neg side of the Batt to the brown Mallory wire where I had it grounded to the block.

 

I reset the distributor and I located another Dist Cap I had from another Mallory. I put it all together gave her a twist and a few cranks it fired up.

 

All in all, I think the biggest culprit might of been the ground issue.

 

I broke it in today, now off to other concerns.

 

 

Thank you everyone for your input and help!

Cool! And nice that you atleast came back and finished off the thread. I hate doing research on a subject where people throw out ideas and the OP makes a plan to do something, but never comes back with the results or what ultimately was the fix.

 

Good luck with the future issues that may pop up.

[prayers1 153]

Yeah I know what you mean. I try to end with a conclusion in case someone else has the same problem.

 

BTY: I really dig your car. It came out great! Are you in Cali?

[THE EVIL TW1N 12]

Yeah I know what you mean. I try to end with a conclusion in case someone else has the same problem.

 

BTY: I really dig your car. It came out great! Are you in Cali?

Thanks! I'm sure my car isn't as clean as yours in person, but I'm happy with it. :yes: