I looked thru old msgs and couldn't find a problem like mine or couldn't tell if it was like mine.

My 1975 Dart was last started and driven in June, 2010. I went to start it last week and would not fire. Battery fine, starter motor fine, pumped it for gas (could not smell much gas fumes), tried starter fluid a few time, and nothing no fire whatsoever.

Next took a out a plug, reconnected to plug wire and held screw part of plug to ground to look for spark. Nothing. Checked distributor cap and rotor, rotor tip had some carbon, distributor points had some too but i have seen much much worse on cars that would start. Bought new cap and rotor anyway and will try later today.

Bought a volt meter to check coil etc. Found 12 or 11 volts going from coil to distributor with key on. didn't check coil resistance - don't know what points on the coil to check.

Is it possible with voltmeter to see high voltage from distributor to plug connector? Is it dangerous to even attempt it.

How can I know if coil is in fact delivering high voltage pulse to distributor when starter is turned?

This distributor has vacuum on one side. Is the hei module in the bottom of the distributor and how would i know if this has failed?

Can you hold coil to distributor connector "near' ground to look for spark when engine is turned with starter?

So bottom line, I can't tell if coil is delivering pulse to distributor and if it is, if distributor is sending pulse to plugs.

Lastly, when we pulled the wires from the cap, we failed to note the order to have them properly clocked. How can I get them back in the correct order?

Thanks anybody

Mick

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mick

Mike: Correct placement of plug wires first before doing anything else.

Scroll down this page a little way, on the right there is a diagram showing numbered plug wires to distributor.

You need to purchase a copy of the Factory Service Manual. It covers all this, and 600 more pages on every aspect of your car. It is a necessary resource when owning an old car.
Bill

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67' Dart GT Convertible; the old Chrysler Corp.
82' LeBaron Convertible; the new Chrysler Corp
07' 300 C AWD; Now by Fiat, the old new Chrysler LLC

From all of this, it sounds as if you aren't getting spark.

See This popular mechanics article

(ignore the picture where it shows putting an 6 cylinder distributor cap on a distributor with an 8 cylinder reluctor)

And peruse the following scans from the 1974 Chilton's shop manual.







Of course, you are working on a six cylinder distributor, but everything else is the same.

Spark plug firing order is 1-5-3-6-2-4. Cylinders are numbered from the front of the engine (near the radiator) to the rear (near the passenger area). Plug wire #1 usually is put in the distributor cap tower on the bottom right of the cap, in between the right hand cap clip and the vacuum advance pod. The rest of the plug wires are inserted clockwise in the firing order.

thx for the suggestions

It turned out to be a bad electronic control module. i replaced that and a new ballast and it starts fine.

one thing: i never read the approx 1000 ohm resistance across the coil secondary, primary was a couple ohms. not sure why of whether the bad ecm caused that issue.

also i could not easily see how to remove the coil. looks tough. do you have to remove the alternator?

i am very glad the coil is ok but would like to know how one could remove it just for the future.

thanks all

mick

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mick