[quote]I am almost 90% sure the issue is in the splice, but I have no idea where to look for that. While I found the white (right?) harness connections for the ignition switch wiring, I haven't been able to see where the splice might be.[/quote]

All connections at bulkhead connector are generally high on list for voltage drop problems. Main power feed splices can be identified as a “Yâ€￾ connection wrapped with friction tape found behind dash near steering column, and or around gage pod, and or to right of steering column, and will be made up of 10 gage red and or black wires. One branch feeds fuse block, other feeds Ignition and wiper switches that act as power distribution points in harness. Trace the leads attached to amp gage you will find them.

It not common for a splice to fail, but it does happen. Remove tape from splice, inspect soldered / crimped connection, and test for voltage drop. Be sure to use a high grade electrical tape such as 3M’s #33 and or new friction tape, the cheap vinyl tape does not tolerate excessive hot or cold temperatures found in a car will unravel with time causing a short.

Also check for voltage drop over ignition switch contacts in each of its various positions. If you find voltage drop across switch contacts, apply electrical contact cleaner, operate switch through several cycles of “ACCâ€￾ to “Startâ€￾, and retest for voltage drop; this may or may not repair corroded or worn switch.

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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

deleted

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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

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1970 Plymouth Duster, 198 Slant Six, Super Six setup w/ EI conversion

http://www.semisynthetic.net/kill-9/gal ... p?album=34

See yeh soon over on Electrical.

_________________
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

Well, wired it up so the ignition system gets a full voltage, tested and it is getting proper voltage. Fired it up and got squat. Checked spark and it's still just orange. Replaced the ECU since I don't really know how to test it, with a mopar orange box, same thing. If I load it up with gas it will sort of fire and stumble and choke and diesel and die. That's about it. The carb is definitely getting gas, and it ran great before all of this and nothing changed about the carb that I know of since the whole electrical fiasco.

I haven't touched the VR, but I don't see how that would have any affect on it sparking if it's getting voltage. I also haven't done anything with the dizzy except attempt minor advance/retard adjustment and I took it out to verify that the gear was still ok. The rotor turns about as much as it should when turning it over.

I did get a super six dizzy from ebay, so I have something to put it to test with, but I can't vouch for its capabilities either.

Anything anyone can think of for me to test? I really hate throwing parts at it.

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1970 Plymouth Duster, 198 Slant Six, Super Six setup w/ EI conversion

http://www.semisynthetic.net/kill-9/gal ... p?album=34

So let's just theorize for a moment that what I consider to be the worst case scenario for me has occurred, and the timing chain has slipped time. I know how to check for TDC and to verify whether my distributor is setup properly and is therefore currently pointing at the #1 plug when at TDC, but is there any way for me to take this further and know whether or not the chain has slipped time? I don't think I'm going to be able to take it apart enough to be able to open up the timing cover and actually look without all kinds of hassle, considering I have no garage and it's really getting pretty cold out. I have verified that the rotor turns with the crank, and that there isn't any slop in the rotor movement. I know I could probably check this with an oscilloscope and some crazy configuration of testing apparati, but is there any other way?

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1970 Plymouth Duster, 198 Slant Six, Super Six setup w/ EI conversion

http://www.semisynthetic.net/kill-9/gal ... p?album=34

Slipping a tooth, you'd hear all kinds of noises from the chain under the timing cover. Highly doubtful unless you have well north of 150k miles on it.
The only way that might have happened with any fewer miles is incorrect installation.

The timing chain can get loose, but the amount of retard that the cam would experience wouldn't be a full tooth worth. If it was that loose, you'd hear all kinds of ruckus under there.

To see if the cam is out of time, degree the cam. By that, I mean, find out when one of the valve events occurs. The easy way is to put a dial indicator on the intake valve retainer, plugs out, turn the engine to top dead center where the intake valve is open, then rotate the engine in the correct direction of rotation. Find the point where the intake valve closes. (Set the valve lash to zero when doing this.)
You can print a degree wheel from the internet. find TDC, put some sort of indicator like a piece of wire solidly mounted to something, then rotate the engine until the intake valve is open 0.050", just before closing, or match the valve opening on your cam card.

Your going to need to have the cam card for your cam, or know exactly which cam you have in there. Compare the reading with the cam card, or check here with results.

CJ

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Part of Tyrde-Browne Racing

Thanks ceej, that sounds like useful information. I hope I don't have to do all of that but if I do it sounds like it might be something I can at least do with just the valve cover off. I did some work tonight, but it's cold out there.

A couple of things I noticed. Mostly I just tried the ebay super six dizzy I got to see if it magically made things work. Of course it did not. I did check the gap on it before I swapped it in and it was about between .010 or .012. The shaft didn't budge side to side. When I was trying to start it, I noticed that the vacuum in the manifold was bouncing up and down on the gauge, from none to maybe 5, and the carb choke vacuum pod was pulling itself in and back out slowly as I cranked. I also really think this thing is cranking waaay to slow. Sometimes it will 'catch' something and turn over faster, but not long enough to actually do anything. Most of the time it is sloow. I've charged the battery to where it's at about 12.3 volts before I start testing. The sound is sort of like a long-long-short-short-short crank noise, with two drawn out cranks and three or so shorter ones. I'm starting to wonder if my battery is the culprit. It's new, but so what, everything is unreliable junk nowadays. I put the volt meter on the positive of the coil, and the negative end on the ground I have the coil grounded to through the case, and while cranking, before I called it a night, it was reading about 10-11 volts while cranking. The battery read 12. That doesn't seem right. It also doesn't seem right that my battery would be that dead just from maybe 6 or 7 tries to start it. It also shouldn't be turning over this slowly to begin with if the battery and everything else were working as they should. Either the battery is crap or something is really dragging it down while it's cranking. It's a new cam and ground crank and I assume a new chain. The block is old and everything else is unknown age. I know the pistons aren't new. They basically put a 198 in it and tried to add what they thought would give it more pep. And then let it sit for 3 years then sold it to me. They would have to be complete idiots to change the cam and grind the crank and not put a new chain in it.

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1970 Plymouth Duster, 198 Slant Six, Super Six setup w/ EI conversion

http://www.semisynthetic.net/kill-9/gal ... p?album=34

and then this might explain something...







I believe that's #3 and #4 intake rods.

What in god's name would cause such a thing? Would it cause it to not start? Am I screwed or am I just in it for some new rods and maybe some rockers?

Both rods were out of their seats.

What's my next logical step? I've really never gone this far.

BTW, the thumbnails are upside down in this post, but clicking on them is normal. No idea why that's happening.

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1970 Plymouth Duster, 198 Slant Six, Super Six setup w/ EI conversion

http://www.semisynthetic.net/kill-9/gal ... p?album=34

I found this thread http://www.slantsix.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=48482 and read through it. I checked the valves on both 3 and 4 and they are definitely sticking. None of the others are. Sounds like I need to clean those out, and replace the rods.

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1970 Plymouth Duster, 198 Slant Six, Super Six setup w/ EI conversion

http://www.semisynthetic.net/kill-9/gal ... p?album=34

Those are pushrods it looks like you are missing spacers on the rocker shaft. The rockers are normally not allowed to move too far on the rocker shaft.

Richard

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Part of Tyrde-Browne Racing

Where are you seeing the missing spacers. I do see a gap next to the shaft bolt and the one rocker, and then another gap next to another rocker further down, but those gaps seem too small compared to the rest of the spacers, and all of the spacers everywhere else seem to be there.

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1970 Plymouth Duster, 198 Slant Six, Super Six setup w/ EI conversion

http://www.semisynthetic.net/kill-9/gal ... p?album=34

The rocker shaft retainers (curved washer under hold-down bolts) are of differing size. The one long retainer has to be landed on center bolt, the remaining retainers are of same size.

It looks as if that longer retainer is at bolt between cylinders #2 & #3; needs to be between #3 & #4.

_________________
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

Getting away from mechanical issues and back to your electrical problems.... (orange spark)

Is that with a new plug?
Are the spark plug wires new?
got a spare coil to try?

If you jumper a full 12 volts to the coil do you still see and orange spark at the plug?
If you do, your battery sounds like there is not much life left and the plates are shorting out......voltage must be really low......after a few cranks. You can try dumping out the acid and flushing out the muck then refilling it with acid. We used to do this on boats and maybe get another year or so out of the battery. Just don't get any acid on you or your clothes. Where rubber boots and gloves and an old shop apron. Sounds like it may be time to get a new battery.

I have had SL6 engines run with as little as 3 to 4 volts after the brushes on the alternator disintegrated and I was just charging through the springs. That was one long trip home one night....

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Aggressive Ted

http://cid-32f1e50ddb40a03c.photos.live ... %20Swinger


74 Swinger, 9.5 comp 254/.435 lift cam, 904, ram air, electric fans, 2.5" HP2 & FM70 ex, 1920 Holley#56jet, 2.76 8 3/4 Sure-Grip, 26" tires, 25+MPG

After checking from the actual plug wire, it's blue/white. I think most of my issue was testing from the coil wire and not a plug wire. Or things improved after cleaning up some grounds and wiring.

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1970 Plymouth Duster, 198 Slant Six, Super Six setup w/ EI conversion

http://www.semisynthetic.net/kill-9/gal ... p?album=34