Cj5 No Start Condition.

A while back maybe a month or more ago my longest drive of about 300 yards left me stranded. I just thought old fuel old fuel filters etc amounted to no fuel getting to the carb. Parked it started body and paint work. Today I got mostly done and put back together. No start again.

Thinking is was a fuel issue I pulled the air cleaner and looked down the carburetor while manually operating the throttle by hand. Looks like a good shot of fuel to me. Before looking down the carb I actually sprayed a little starting fluid into it as well. Moving along couldn't find my simple test light so I used my multi meter. Key turned on I am not getting power to the positive side of coil. I would assume it should have 12 volts + or - depending on battery condition.

My jeep ignition switch was wired by a previous owner to a CAT switch takes an actual CAT key for equipment. I'm wondering if the switch was originally intended to be used with a relay as it doesn't have one.

Any thoughts on this? I guess I could jump a hot a wire from the battery to the coil to test? I probably won't have a day or two to get back to this thing so any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

yup you can jump it to troubleshoot. a cat key isnt very theft proof.

 

Good to know I can jump for trouble shooting. I know I have at least 4 CAT keys as does just about everyone I know. I guess I never have to worry about losing the keys.

 

12V (or battery voltage) if the points are open; ~ 6V with the points closed.

 

I guess 0 volts is a problem then. I ran into some lighting issues where terminals and crimped ring terminals had failed. Hopefully something similar going on here.

 

I started thinking about this for a second. I was measuring from the positive side of the terminal on the coil. I would think that would be battery voltage?

 

Yes, but when the points are shut they ground the coil output, reducing the voltage reading.

 

Ok. See that's why I ask questions. One would think one thing and others will prove your way of thinking wrong. If I followed my logic who knows where I could end up.

 

Another question. Ballast resistor terminal that the wire connects to that runs to the + side of the coil doesn't get power with the key on but the other side does get like 3 volts. Battery is showing about 11 volts. I'm thinking the Ballast resistor is at least one part of the equation?

Yes I know 11 volts it's been sitting but it does crank over.

EDIT AGAIN: just ordered a new coil that doesn't require a ballast resistor. Strait wire from switch to coil should eliminate some unnecessary crappy wiring and I will run a new wire to that doesn't have any kinks or shaved insulation. In my opinion it sounds like a really good idea until someone on here tells me otherwise LOL.

 

I’ve been running a coil with an internal resistor for a few years now with no issue.

just don’t forget to bypass that ballast resister like I did when I first replaced it

 

Inwas thinking this would be the perfect opportunity to run a nice clean wire from.the ignition switch directly to the coil and eliminate all junk in between and down and back from the starter solenoid.

My 68 with Dauntless V6 has a ballast resistor on the fire wall. I would assume it's factory as well as the coil needing the resistor. Either way I feel it would be a slight upgrade and maybe slightly more reliable to remove the old resistor as well as some old crusty wiring for a direct one new wire from switch to coil. Or I hope that is the case.

 

Easy to be confused as I don't think I ever specified and from what I have seen in person is that the V6 isn't quite as common as every thing else factory or transplant.

 

Just to confuse things, My 74 with the 304 came from the factory with a regular (I think it is anyway) 12 volt coil and no external ballast resistor. It has a length of resistor wire between the ignition switch and the plus side of the coil. Not sure just how it works but there is about 8-9 volts at the positive side of the coil and full 12.7 volts at the back of the ignition switch. Maybe this resistor wire must be an exact length to reduce the voltage down to the correct amount??? I do know that the wire from the ignition switch to the thru firewall connector plug is just regular 14 or so gauge wire. At the other side of the firewall connector plug the wire changes to the resistor wire (pink color) on down to the coil. Probably about 18 to 24 inches of it. Howard what you think about this setup? I am any where near correct in my speculation.

 

Another thought, I am planning on building a new wiring harness for my jeep. I was looking around for supplies for this. I was unable to find any of this resistor wire anywhere. My wire looks ok enough externally to reuse it in my new harness but wondering if there is any break down or loss of efficiency of these resistor wires inside over time, after all mine is 50 years old this month. Maybe just get myself a ballast resistor and use regular automotive wire the full length. What you think would be best?
Thanks Jim

 

You could get a coil with the resistor built in. Example...https://www.amazon.com/Ignition-Internal-Resistor-Universal-Voltage/dp/B00WMOB1ZU

 

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Ah, I had not thought of that, good possibility. Any corrosion at all could change the resistance value.

Sounds like the best plan, or even a resistor coil as vtxtasy recommended.
Thanks for the discussion guys. great help.