Duraspark conversion Help!!!

[benhojo]

OK, Have a 83 ranger with 2.8, just did duraspark conversion and installed holley 2 barrel. Can't get the truck to fire up. thought it was a flooding issue, but cleared all cylinders with blow gun and still won't fire. Cranks over just fine, was getting a spark when took plug out. Any suggestions? Also on the duraspark page it says connect the coil to the red/w green line wire or the brown/pink line wire, my truck being 30 yrs. old you can imagine the wires are pretty faded and i just hooked coil up to one of wires with 12 volts when in on position. Can any one confirm what position in the connector it should be spliced.

 

[kimcrwbr1]

The 83 is real simple there is a two wire connector you just plug right in with the white and red wires the wires are backwards on the harness but they are correct. The three wires to the dizzy are simple also all you need is the black wire (ground) correct, the other two can be reversed they are for the trigger coil. the green goes to coil neg and your key on hot goes to coil pos. I just got a harness out of a 2.0l 1984 ranger for the dizzy. spliced the green to coil neg plugged in the two connectors to the module and spliced key on hot to the coil. Are you using the stock coil if not do yourself a favor and use it if you still have it it runs on battery voltage and will give you a better spark. I run the autolite single platinum plugs with zero problems. Get a spark gap tester you should be able to jump a gap of at least 5/8 inch brite blue snap. How old are your plug wires now would be the time to put new wires in to eliminate that variable. To test for spark first put a plug in the coil wire and set it on a good ground turn the key on and with a jumper wire touch the coil neg to ground quick touches the plug should fire every time you touch ground. No fire it is the coil or power to it if it fires crank on the starter while watching the plug if it fires it is in the cap rotor or wires if no fire the module or the pickup coil are faulty.

 

[kimcrwbr1]

http://www.therangerstation.com/tech_library/2_8Duraspark.html
If you wired it like the first color schematic you should be correct

 

[benhojo]

The 83 is real simple there is a two wire connector you just plug right in with the white and red wires the wires are backwards on the harness but they are correct. The three wires to the dizzy are simple also all you need is the black wire (ground) correct, the other two can be reversed they are for the trigger coil. the green goes to coil neg and your key on hot goes to coil pos. I just got a harness out of a 2.0l 1984 ranger for the dizzy. spliced the green to coil neg plugged in the two connectors to the module and spliced key on hot to the coil. Are you using the stock coil if not do yourself a favor and use it if you still have it it runs on battery voltage and will give you a better spark. I run the autolite single platinum plugs with zero problems. Get a spark gap tester you should be able to jump a gap of at least 5/8 inch brite blue snap. How old are your plug wires now would be the time to put new wires in to eliminate that variable. To test for spark first put a plug in the coil wire and set it on a good ground turn the key on and with a jumper wire touch the coil neg to ground quick touches the plug should fire every time you touch ground. No fire it is the coil or power to it if it fires crank on the starter while watching the plug if it fires it is in the cap rotor or wires if no fire the module or the pickup coil are faulty.

ok think it might be a timing issue. Getting a good spark on all plugs tested them like you just suggested, tested coil with ohm meter pretty sure thats not problem and triple checked all wiring, and just had it backfire. its wired up exactly like in the schematic, wired it all with waterproof quick connectors used "no" other wiring harness. Unless I missed something could you explain the t.d.c. #1 cylinder firing alignment.

 

[kimcrwbr1]

There are two ways the easy way is to hook the timing light up to different plug wires until you can see the timing mark while cranking. Use that tower for #1 plug and set the firing order from there 1-4-2-5-3-6 clockwise on the cap and set it at 10 dbtdc with the advance disconnected. The hard way is find TDC on the compression stroke #1 cyl put your finger in #1 plug hole and turn the crank clockwise with a socket until you feel compression. Line TDC on the damper with the pointer then you want the rotor to point at around 11 oclock pointing at the #1 tower on the cap. It can be tricky getting it there you may need to try a few times because of the oil pump needs to line up for the dizzy to drop all the way down you can estimate how far it will turn back and turn the crank until the dizzy drops all the way down and then find TDC #1 cyl again to check it. If you do it the easy way you will need to remember that whenever you chang the cap if you do it the correct way you just need to use #1 on the cap to set the firing order. PM me if you have your hands into it it makes it easier over the phone.

 

[benhojo]

Ok i'm going to pull the dist. off in the morning and redo this.. your way sounds much easier. I think i'm at least 10 degrees off right now beacuse i lined dist. up at tdc. So do you think the 10 degrees would prevent it from starting? How do I line it up with advance disconnected? Just remove vacuum line right?

 

[kimcrwbr1]

Yes just disconnect the vacuum advance from the dizzy and plug I have not used the holly carb but for the autolite carb you preset the idle air needles out 3 turn from lightly seated I took a yellow crayon and marked 10 degrees on the damper pully one mark back from 12 degrees. Use the pointer on the engine not the round thing after you double check the timing after you tighten the bolt then plug the advance in.

 

[benhojo]

OK, literally tried everything, from completely reversing the timing to every position in between. Can't get it to do nothing but backfire. Any other sugestions? If not it might be time for a 351...............

 

[kimcrwbr1]

Put your timing light on each spark plug wire until you see your mark for 10dbtdc. trace that wire back to the cap and use that tower for #1 cylinder and set the firing order from there 1-4-2-5-3-6 clockwise on the cap. If it just backfires rotate the wires 180 degrees it should run. You cannot do it without a timing light these engines run like ass unless you get the base timing right at 10 degrees btdc period. If you dont have a timing light stop!! and get a light.

 

[benhojo]

Well got really really busy at work, but just found the time to finally get out and fix the truck. Timing was about 20 degrees late. Running great now. Idk if its just the holley or what but the little motor has lots more power now. So thank you for your help!