monakey

Hey all I'm new to the board but long time lurker. I've been restoring this 83 GLX for a while. I bought it from another owner who bought it from a father/son team who took the convertible v6 and swapped in a v8. I don't know if it's a 302 or something special.

It was running fine for a while. I had the starter switch problem that's common. I have been just touching the wire from the starter to the post on the switch on the sidewall and it's been starting fine. I have been disconnecting the positive terminal as well just as an additional precaution. I was afraid of something draining the battery.

Today I was driving and I hit a dip and the positive cable came off the battery. Of course the engine died but now it won't start again. I smacked the switch and it now functions like it should. SO i can crank via the key in ignition. I took a trouble light and tested all wires from the ignition module. The coil has voltage to both terminals + and -. There are 4 larger wires coming from the duraspark looking box on the driver side sidewall. They all have voltage too when car key switch is on. Cranking the coil does produce spark when i tested via neg batt cable to coil using the trouble light.

I traced out all wires that come from the harness to their respective homes. They all have voltage for sensors, and other homes.

I have to ask. The distributor has a connection at the base. This is for timing purposes only right? This should not prevent starting/running the motor?
no alarm btw

It looks like an electric choke on the carb. What tests are good for those. It's always been hard to start in the mornings or after its sat for a bit. I have to pump the gas pedal.

Any clues? any help or points to check? I'll have this weekend to check too and take pictures. ASK ME ANYTHING IT DOES NOT HURT FOR ME TO CHECK THAT!!!!

I have a chiltons but when it broke down of course i didn't have that in the car.

I'm desperate and really broke. I'm a father of 3, my youngest is sick at the moment so I have off work Friday.

Yes, that's right i'm playing that card. My brain hurts from this. I live in Northern Austin TX. Off Wells Branch. I can at least cook you a meal if you'd like to come up and help me out at all!!!!

monakey

Edit: in paragraph 3 i mention an ignition module. this is the square box on driver sidewall. I think it says duraspark or something. I cant remember.

dawson1112

Do you have any spark to the plugs? Pull a plug and either put a spark tester on it or prop it up against the block someplace and crank it. You should get a nice bright white/blue spark . If it orange you have a weak coil or the plugs wires cap and roter needs replaced. If you have spark spray some starting fluid in the carb and crank it to see if it will start. Check these things out and get back with the results.

monakey

I poured some gas in the carb directly. It sucked it down but no start. Does the duras park boxes have 1 or 2 or 3 them?

dawson1112

That duraspark box is the ignition control module. There is only one box on it.
Im still wondering if you have spark at the plugs?? and if so what color it is.
Scince you put some gas in the carb and it didnt do anything Im guessing you either dont have any spark at the plugs or it is to weak to fire.

dawson1112

Here if this helps you to identifiy the wires and where they go incase you have a loose wire or connection ..
[IMG][/IMG]

monakey

Also is the coil supposed to get crazy hot after a few cranks?

dawson1112

Lol no its not supposed to get hot . It will get a little warm just from engine heat soak but not crazy hot just from cranking a few times..... Id say you found your problem
.....

dawson1112

Now that I think about it check to see if the ballast resistor is good and not broken or burned up. It is the white porcalain block with a spring looking thing inside it. It needs to be there and functioning in order to keep from burning up the coil. You should only have about 9 0r 10 volts at the coil with the key on if the resistor is good . If you dump a full 12 volts to the coil it will get hot and burn up.

monakey

actually there was/is no ballast resistor. I remember those from my old tractor days. It went back and forth to the ignition box.

Also it's a blaster2 msd coil.

What is a good recommended replacement? I saw several online but I don't know if they need the ballast resistor or not. :S

Thanks for all the awesome help so far!