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914World.com _ 914World Garage _ No spark!

Posted by: cuddyk Apr 23 2016, 02:03 PM

Hi Guys,

The car is finally back in one piece and the engine cranks....but doesn't start.

Seems it's an electrical issue. Here's the setup and my testing.

I have a Mallory Unlite 4554101 dizzy with the ballast module. New Bosch coil. Positive side of the coil has the red wire from the Mallory and the positive cable from the engine harness attached. Negative side of the coil has the green Mallory wire and the negative (tach?) cable from the harness. Brown mallory wire is grounded.

When I turn on the car I get 12V on my multimeter coming out of the center of the coil. Also get 12V when attached to the red and brown outputs of the Mallory resistor.

Cranking the motor gets no spark to the plug cables (tested by attaching a plug and grounding it to the crankcase.

I'm hoping the issue isn't the ignition module in the dizzy, but signs are pointing to that. Nothing has really happened to it since I parked the car last fall, so I'm not sure what's up. Any other ideas?

Thanks SO much for your help. I'd really like to get out there and enjoy this weather...

Posted by: ejm Apr 23 2016, 02:15 PM

The Unilite module is prone to failure on engine shut down when using the wrong type ignition wires. Mallory recommends spiral wound wires. If you have copper or steel core wires you may have killed the module last fall.

Posted by: JimN73 Apr 23 2016, 02:32 PM

Here's the Mallory test procedure for the ignition module.

https://search.yahoo.com/ search;_ylc=X3oDMTFiaHBhMnJmBF9TAzIwMjM1MzgwNzUEaXRjAzEEc2VjA3NyY2hfcWEEc2xrA3Ny
Y2hhc3Q-?p=how+to+test+mallory+ignition+module&fr=yfp-t-201-s&fp=1&toggle=1&cop=mss&ei=UTF-8

Posted by: cuddyk Apr 23 2016, 02:47 PM

Thanks so much for the speedy responses. Wires are the correct type.

Jim...your link didn't work, but inspired me to search for videos on the procedure, posted below in case anyone in the future has this issue...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PSiw4thM21k

Will check and post.

Posted by: McMark Apr 23 2016, 02:58 PM

Disconnect the "positive cable from the engine harness" from the positive side of the coil. Test for power on that wire, alone, with the key on.

It's easy to get the power/tach wire switched. I always confirm by testing which is which before hooking them up.

Posted by: cuddyk Apr 23 2016, 03:19 PM

Thanks Mark. Forgot to mention that I checked that first .

Tested the unit and is looks as if the module is bad. Another few days to wait...