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MPH

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Thanks Jonette, figured by checking the coil wire I was past the distributor including the pick-up module, ya know, the 240 dollar thing a ma jig that replaced the 4.95 points. But I do like the electroic ign as long as it works. Other thing that troubles me is I can't feel any miss running down the road and it's running strong.MPH
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MPH this model had problems with head gasket, burn valves, ignition coil,and need very good spark plug wires, sometime plug get hit in box ckeck gap, always plug timing light on number 1 cylinder. good luck Don.P (Montréal)
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Don, been told I'm lucky with mopars, with 286000 on it, I've had since 171000 I've never had valve covers off. Clean oill and filters and keep the cob webs run out????I was checking to see if my missing spark happened on 6 when I moved the timing lite to wires other than #1. Pat, I'll have to recheck the price of that pick-up module, maybe she was looking at the main computer module, thanks for input. Steve, my bat votage is 14.045, + side coil is 13.35, - side is 11.84 at idle and drops to 9 something at about 2000rpm. + side stays the same. Took off coil to do resistance test according to the book and I only .002ohms across the primary, book shows 1.34 and I can't get anything on the secondary no matter what I try, even put in the coil wire to make sure I was makin contact. Can't find a ballast resistor in the book or under the hood, yet the coil says external resistor on it. Turning the engine over by hand I get zero on either side of the coil til I here the computer click on the left firewall, then the # flashes by quicker than my eye balls react, but I did catch at least 11 on the + side and after several tries gave up on the neg side..Thanks for your tips MPH
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Marty, Seems to me the coil ain't what she used to be. possibly you could try the coil from your truck for a comparision or just swap it outright and see if it's the culprit. I have an old voyager in my graveyard here. If the weather gets better I'll pop the hood on it and give it a look. Steve
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Now you got scared Steve, you mean Voyager do wind up in graveyards??Thing I'll put off my trip to Fairbanks a day and go to NAPA and see what thier new one reads out..might just be time..Thanks for replies..MPH
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Marty, I had a problem a few weeks ago and have since read up on coils and such. I'll try to use some of that while it's fresh... When you noticed the missing flash the engine was idling. That could point to a lower voltage to the positive side of the coil. When you're on the road the RPM is higher and the alternator is putting out more. check the voltage on the coil it should be within a few tenths of your battery voltage. Also check the condenser it could be flakey. I think Chrysler still uses a ballast resistor. It's either in the coil or somewhere in the positive coil wiring. Most coils will act up after they get warm. I've alway prefered a coil mounted on a firewall than mounted directly to the engine because of vibration. On the negative side of the coil is where your expensive thingamabob is connected. Your meter should read zero volts when the timing pointer is off the stationary mark (points closed). The meter should show close to battery voltage ( minus coil losses) when the timing mark aligns with the stationary mark (points open). make sure you connect your meter with the black wire to a good ground and the red wire to the negative side of the coil. Also for this test you need to turn the engine over slowly by handif possible. Let me know if any of this helps. Steve
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MPH, With a quarter million miles on it check the distributor shaft fit. If it is worn in the bushing it can wobble around and give intermittent spark at the cap/rotor connection and may even be confusing the magnetic pickup in the base of the distributor. Ron
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Ron, I did check the shaft for looseness when I put the new roter on and was happy to find it still tight. Steve, I will go check out your thoughts, forgot about that ballast resistor, seems my ole pick-up had about 300000 on it when I had to replace the one on it. Thanks...MPH
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MPH, I recently purchased the new pickup module for my 1988 Caravan 3.0. Also got one for my 1990 Dodge 2.5, both from my local Chrysler dealer. Price - $45 each. Are they $240 in Alaska? Pat
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Since tractors have coils and need spark to run maybe this has been solved on here. I put new plugs,cap, rotter and wires on my Voyager yesterday. When I put my timing lite on it I found every now and then, no patteren, I had no flash, tried it on all six wires, same deal, the lack of flash coinsides with a "miss beat" in engine sound. Hooked to the coil wire and got a steady lite beam, with a skip now and then. Could this be a coil??never have had a coil act like this, local greese monkey tells me 'with 286000 on it just drive it til it quits then throw a match at it, I informed him I don't drive a ford, not saying I wouldn't but he wasn't much help.Thanks for any clues from anyone who might have one..MPH
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Marty, It could be the coil, but most likely it's some problem ahead of the coil. Try swapping coils (that's easy enough) and see if it makes a difference. If not, get out the multi-meter and start checking. Mileage doesn't make a damn bit of difference in the function of the ignition system.
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Herb, on my ole pick-up I might find my way from the coil to the battery, but if you took all the wires outta this 88 ply it would lose 500lbs. New coil is 32 bucks so I thought I'd see if anyone has heard of such a thing first..your up pretty late in Jersey arn't ya??MPH
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Hi Marty, I had the same problem with my 86 ford. I found the small igniton pack on the distributor was bad. I do not know if you have the same style of ignition on the chrysler product, but I will check with my buddy Gordy who is a guru when it comes to cars. He was an auto mech for years, an still does it on the side. He has a scanner and all the tools, but does it only to fund his kids go carts and such. He is from Menomonie, WI. His phone number is (715) 235-1841 Please give me a couple of days to confer with him on this issue. I will let him know you are calling. I can't wait to get him on this sight! Please do not call him before I do! You may get shut down!
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MPH: Have you tried the "wiggle test?" When I worked at the Ford dlrship, as a svce. advisor, I used to try to "pick up" all the tips I could, and the foreman showed me this and told me it is "used more than you think." Simply put, wiggle every part of the wiring harness you can get to and still observe the telltale behavior (the intermittent missing spark here) and see if you can get it to occur. W/ 286,000 miles, on perhaps not the best roads (?) worn insulation is a definite possibility. I'm thinking if the primary voltage was shorting out, interrupting flow to the secondary circuit of the coil, this could cause your problem? However, while my interest in electrical theory is high, my understanding is somewhere between early hominids' discovery of fire and highschool autoshop. Get wigglin'--it's worked for me. Peter
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Peter, could be something like that as at times its hard to see the forest for the signs the state puts up, like bump area, broken road surface, dip, bump, loose gravel, brake for moose, keep waiting for one to say 'lines on road' come spring time when they reapear. MPH
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MPH: I hear ya. And I forgot to mention my other "favorite," a spray bottle w/ water, at night. Soak the ignition system, w/ engine already warm (facilitates drying upon shutdown) and look for "light leaks." While it's dangerous to combine this w/ the wiggle test (missing fingers in the fans/belt drives) you might see that wiggling actually causes more light leaks, i.e., arcing sparks. I have found more leaks upon "blipping" the throttle, even though there were almost none upon idle. If there are more than a few, dim leaks, I feel it's time for new wires. Just another tip from a cheapskate. Peter
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