Hard to start after DuraSpark

[dangerranger83]

My dad, nor me had to do any of that. All we did was hook up the the connectors from the Durabox to the plug comming out of the firewall and to the Dizzy plus hooked the green wire from the coil to it too. We left the tan/blue wire that goes to the coil (power wire for it) alone. But on another note, we used the stock coil. The color diagram in the tech library confused us, so we just went off the one that is black/white in there instead.

Basiclly after ripping out all the computer stuff, we still had working lights, radio and the starter still turned over the engine.

 

[kimcrwbr1]

Does the coil you bought need the resistor or does it run off battery voltage. If your using a lower voltage coil you need to wire it according to the black and white diagram with the resistor in that case you need to wire the start circuit into the coil also with a diode so the power dont feed back to the white wire when you let off the starter. So what you want is power to the coil thru a resistor in the run position. When you go to start it you want the battery voltage going to the coil to start it from the start wire on the module and put a diode in that wire so once it starts your not feeding power back to the start wire on the module (white wire). Believe me just running the stock TFI coil will give you a strong spark and there is no guessing on the heat range of the plugs. But to make it work as it is get a diode I believe there is one in the computer harness, put it in line from pos of the coil to white on the module with power only going to the coil not back to the module. A test light will show you the direction of the diode I believe the arrow pointing to the coil.

 

[SR185]

I bought the coil listed in the Duraspark conversion article in the library. It came from NAPA: http://www.napaonline.com/Search/Detail.aspx?R=ECHIC21_0215172743

It did not come with any specs.

When I first wired the DS ignition, it fired up easily, and did so a few more times after that. I have not changed anything with the wiring.

Based on the picture I posted, does it look like I'm connected to the correct wire off of the 8-wire plug? Which wire powers the ECM?

 

[kimcrwbr1]

Power to the coil should have battery voltage in both the start and run position. Did you put the resistor on the power wire to the coil if not you may have fried the coil. Check the coil by putting a plug in the coil wire set it on ground, turn the key on and touch a jumper wire from the neg coil wire to ground quickly the plug should fire brite blu every time you touch it to ground dont hold it there.

 

[SR185]

OK, today it mysteriously started staring just fine without me changing anything, but I have another issue.

A few days ago when I was driving it around the neighborhood, it started running rough like it was missing. I opened the hood, and the spark plug wire was not connected to the middle plug on the driver's side. I refastened the plug wire boot to the plug.

Today, The same plug wire came loose from the spark plug twice. I tightened the plug to make sure it wasn't loose, and reconnected the plug wire each time - and it is making a firm connection.

I backed the car down the drive, and as soon as I started going forwards, I felt the engine missing again. This time, the same plug wire came loose from the distributor cap, except this time, the wire came out of the boot, leaving the boot and clip connected to the pin on the distributor.

What is causing this?

 

[kimcrwbr1]

Is the steering shaft somehow greabbing the wire and pulling it out or maybe the throttle something has to be pulling at it.

 

[dangerranger83]

My dad had this happen to him but it busted one of the towers off the dizzy cap, plug wire got caught in his steering shaft.

 

[SR185]

Is the steering shaft somehow greabbing the wire and pulling it out or maybe the throttle something has to be pulling at it.

I'll check that tomorrow, thanks. I'm pretty sure it's not the steering, but perhaps it's the throttle linkage.

 

[kimcrwbr1]

other than that did you get it running OK.

 

[SR185]

Yes, it seems to be running fine.

I need to adjust the electric choke, but other than that, I think I'm done.

I appreciate all of your help.

 

[kimcrwbr1]

Yea that makes it nice to start and go before the duraspark I always had to let it warm up a few minutes before i could put it in gear without stalling.

 

[dangerranger83]

Does the electric choke only open when the engine is running? I put my wire from my electric choke on the positive terminal of my battery and after awhile it didn't open up. And if I have read right, the white/black wire comming off the alternator should be a good power source for the electric choke to hook to?

 

[kimcrwbr1]

If your choke thermostat opens too fast from power to the coil you can try using the field wire on the alternator. It is the one that only has power when the engine is running and only puts out around 8 volts. If you wire it to the battery it will never close use any switched pos in the run position.

 

[dangerranger83]

I'm just saying after two minutes of it being attached to my battery, it doesn't want to open, but just wondering if the engine being one effects it. The high idle on a cold start up works.

Got it running and driving today, drove it to work (that's where I'm at right now) and I'm loving how it is. Now I need to get and air cleaner for it.

 

[kimcrwbr1]

It could be a bad thermostat. When the engine cold turn the thermostat to where it fully closes the choke when you push on the throttle 1/2 way down. With the wire to the choke going to the power for the coil. start the engine the pulloff should open the choke between a 1/8 to 1/4 inch. Run the engine and see if the choke opens up by itself fully open after about 5 minutes.