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Ignitor confusion

  • Thread starter Thread starter 65intex
  • Start date Start date Dec 9, 2007
6

65intex

New Member
Sep 16, 2006
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Ft. Worth, Texas
Dec 9, 2007
#1
  • Dec 9, 2007
  • #1
Guys, after searching the threads and do some reading I am still unable to get the car to start. I installed the ignitor but am confused as to what to do with the wires coming from the firewall and the ignitor wires. There are two wires routed on the passenger side one went to the negative terminal on the coil and the other to the distributor and three wires on the drivers side, two of the wires connect to the block, the remaining one connects to the positive terminal on the coil. I attached the a picture of the positive wire(s). Thanks for the help and any one with pictures please attach them because i am more of a visual person.
 

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D.Hearne

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south louisiana
Dec 9, 2007
#2
  • Dec 9, 2007
  • #2
The red wire from the ignitor goes to the positive terminal on the coil. Black goes to the negative terminal on the coil. Along with the red on the coil, the hot wire coming from the ignition goes there also.
 

zookeeper

Founding Member
Aug 25, 2001
3,415
63
109
Rogue River, Oregon
Dec 9, 2007
#3
  • Dec 9, 2007
  • #3
None of the wires that were attached to your old coil should be attached to the new one. Check these pics and you'll see that I have two wires coming from the distributer. Red goes to the + side of the coil, black goes to the - side of the coil. The black wire that's on the + side is the 12v switched lead from the backside of the ignition switch. As far as what to do with the old wires, tape them up and out of the way and you'll be fine.






Sorry about the fuzzy pics, but hopefully you get the idea!
 

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D.Hearne

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#4
  • Dec 9, 2007
  • #4
There were no other wires going to the coil with points ignition. The black wire from the distributor went to the negative side of the coil, the hot from the ignition went to the positive side. The only other wires to the engine were one to the temp sensor, one to the oil pressure sensor and possibly one to the choke. And if A/C equipped, one to the A/C clutch.
 

zookeeper

Founding Member
Aug 25, 2001
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109
Rogue River, Oregon
Dec 9, 2007
#5
  • Dec 9, 2007
  • #5
Also, if someone added an aftermarket tach it'll have another wire to the coil, but all bets are off when it comes to the color of past-owner installed wiring!
 
6

65intex

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Dec 9, 2007
#6
  • Dec 9, 2007
  • #6
D.Hearne said:
The red wire from the ignitor goes to the positive terminal on the coil. Black goes to the negative terminal on the coil. Along with the red on the coil, the hot wire coming from the ignition goes there also.
Click to expand...

Had tried this previsouly with no luck, gave it another shot just to make sure and still nothing. Any more ideas? Attached pics so the wires in question can be seen.
 

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zookeeper

Founding Member
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Rogue River, Oregon
Dec 9, 2007
#7
  • Dec 9, 2007
  • #7
Where did you get the 12v wire to power everything? If you just reused the original wire, that's your problem. That wire is attached to a pink resistor wire back in the loom and will cause you no end of trouble. Go directly to the back of your ignition switch and get it from the source if you haven't already.
 
6

65intex

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Dec 9, 2007
#8
  • Dec 9, 2007
  • #8
zookeeper said:
Where did you get the 12v wire to power everything? If you just reused the original wire, that's your problem. That wire is attached to a pink resistor wire back in the loom and will cause you no end of trouble. Go directly to the back of your ignition switch and get it from the source if you haven't already.
Click to expand...


So I need to run a new 12v wire from the ignition switch to bypassa resistor? Did I miss this in the instructions? Whats the easiest way to access the back of the ignition?
 

69gmachine

Member
Dec 2, 2004
576
2
19
Southern Maryland
Dec 9, 2007
#9
  • Dec 9, 2007
  • #9
65intex said:
So I need to run a new 12v wire from the ignition switch to bypassa resistor? Did I miss this in the instructions? Whats the easiest way to access the back of the ignition?
Click to expand...

Cut the brown wire that originates from the starter solenoid under the dash somewhere and tie the side that goes out to the firewall into the ignition wire (red w/green stripe) ahead of the pink resistor. Then you will have 12 volts all the time. Tape and stow the other end of the brown wire. Verify you have 12 volts at the coil. You should be ready to go.
 
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65intex

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#10
  • Dec 9, 2007
  • #10
Thanks 69gmachine, sounds pretty simple. I will give it a shot soon and see what happens.
 
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65intex

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Dec 11, 2007
#11
  • Dec 11, 2007
  • #11
Found the two wires connected to the neg side of the coil were from a kill switch under the dash. So now I am left with the engine gauge feed that includes oil sender, temp sender and the pink wire to the positive side of coil. Connected the pink wire and the positive wire from ignitor to positive side and the ignitor negative wire to the neg side of coil, still nothing. Is the pink wire a resistor wire that needs to be bypassed?
 

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D.Hearne

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#12
  • Dec 11, 2007
  • #12
Yea, it needs to be a full 12V , according to everyone else here, I personally can't recall what I did on mine. I know the Ignitor II unit I had in my Ranger was routed thru an aftermarket resistor, but I can't tell you what resistor it is. You don't have the instructions that came with it?
 
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65intex

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Dec 11, 2007
#13
  • Dec 11, 2007
  • #13
D.Hearne said:
Yea, it needs to be a full 12V , according to everyone else here, I personally can't recall what I did on mine. I know the Ignitor II unit I had in my Ranger was routed thru an aftermarket resistor, but I can't tell you what resistor it is. You don't have the instructions that came with it?
Click to expand...

Yeah I have instructions but they are somewhat vague. Got under the dash and saw a pink wire on the back of the ignition. Is that the wire im going to run 12v off of?
 
D

D.Hearne

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#14
  • Dec 11, 2007
  • #14
Find the wire where it comes out of the firewall, it'll be the only hot wire when the ignition is switched on (when the A/C, if you have that, is off) The resistor portion of the wire is somewhere between the firewall and coil. (I think, I've never had the need to find it and remove it) I know I didn't when I put the Ignitor I in my 68 Merc, and it worked fine.
 

BarnStang

Founding Member
Mar 2, 2001
1,260
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39
Hagerstown, MD
Dec 11, 2007
#15
  • Dec 11, 2007
  • #15
I think on a 65 the pink resister wire starts near the ign switch and loops down the harness behind the inst clust and back, then runs out to the center firewall connector where it switches to red w/ green stripe ign wire. THe diagram shows red w/grn at the ign sw, then pigtailed to the pink, then back to red w/grn at the firewall connector. You can pick up the 12v source at the switch.
The Pertronix 12v spply has been debated here. The instructions say you need a +12v source, prior to the ballest resister. THere are those who have hooked up the Pertronix up with the ballest resister wire as the source and report no issues. Others have had problems. Personnaly, I would run the new wire. THat's how it is suppposed to be hooked up.
Good job finding the kill switch. THat should take a lot of the confusion out of it.

http://www.pertronix.com/support/manuals/pdf/ignitor12vneg.pdf
Look at the inst again. THey show 12v source to the red wire, and the stock ballest wire to the + on the coil (the red w/ green wire). So, splice a new hot wire to the red w/green wie on the back of the ign sw to the red wire on the Pertronix. Leave the wire red w/green wire/pink resister wire intact. Connect the original stock red w/green wire from the firewall to the + side of the coil. That should work. Make sure you check the air gap on the igniter module. SOmetimes the rub and need clearenced.
 
6

65intex

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Ft. Worth, Texas
Dec 18, 2007
#16
  • Dec 18, 2007
  • #16
Finally got time to try and trouble shoot my problem. Pulled the instrument cluster, found the red/green wire on the back of the ignition, spliced into the red/green wire with some new 18ga wire and ran that wire to the positive side of the coil to bypass the resistor wire and the car wouldnt even turn over after this. Used this link, was pretty simple to follow.

http://www.hammar.dyndns.org/~djhamma/wiring/1965/1965c.jpg

Wire 16 on the schematic was the red/green wire i spliced into, this is the wire with the resistor.
 
6

65intex

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Sep 16, 2006
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Ft. Worth, Texas
Dec 18, 2007
#17
  • Dec 18, 2007
  • #17
Went and got an early Christmas Present at the auto store, bought a multi-meter. Continued trouble shooting with all wires back to stock setup and am getting 12 volts at the coil with ignition on, did not have anyone turn car over while checking volts. I am begining to think I fried the ignitor. Anyone have additional areas to check for problems and how can i tell for sure the ignitor is fried?
 

BarnStang

Founding Member
Mar 2, 2001
1,260
3
39
Hagerstown, MD
Dec 18, 2007
#18
  • Dec 18, 2007
  • #18
I put a link to the Pertronix instructions and wrote it out. THe new wire goes to the red wire on the distributer (Pertronix Ign). Put the ORIGINAL coil wire on the positive term of the coil. THe new wire supplies 12v to the electronic ign. module.

It's possible the module has failed. If it's hooked up properly, either you get spark or not. You can take a test light (not your meter) and probe the neg term of the coil. THe light should pulse on and off as the ign triggers the coil.
 
6

65intex

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Sep 16, 2006
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Ft. Worth, Texas
Dec 19, 2007
#19
  • Dec 19, 2007
  • #19
Suprised anyone didnt say WHERES THE ROTOR DUMMY!!!!! Note to self: do not drink more than three beers while working on car. Everything works fine now.
 
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