Can't get it to start for the life of me!

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

Upstart

Junior Member
Joined
Mar 2, 2019
Posts
3
Reaction score
0
Location
TN
Ram Year
1981
Engine
318
Hey guys, newbie to the forum here. I'm not a super experienced mopar mechanic but typically I can work my way through. But not this time it seems, ive got an 81 w150 with the 318, about 6 months ago she fell flat on her face coming home one night, voltage was dropping so I figured it was the alt. Got it home, changed the alt and she wouldn't start at first but when she did the starter didn't disengage. Pulled the relay wire and figured the alt had burnt the relay or ignition switch. Replaced both to be on the safe side, tried to start and now no spark. Checked the ballast resistor and then the coil. Nothing, so I swapped them. Then I did the same with the ignition box still no luck. So as a last resort I got a new distributor ( mine has dual pickups) and finally got a spark but only when the key was released from start to run. The old starter was pulling kinda hard on the battery so swapped it with the high torque off my 440 thinking maybe the voltage drop was too much. Now I get one initial spark from the coil when I hit the key then nothing. I have bypassed the ballast resistor and ran a straight wire from the coil to the batt but I'm all outta ideas. Anyone ever had this happen? Ive looked through all kinds of forums but everything ive found i have tried, unless I missed something. Any help is appreciated.
 

WilliamS

Senior Member
Joined
May 3, 2016
Posts
2,638
Reaction score
1,191
Location
Tampa FL
Ram Year
2014
Engine
Hemi 5.7
When key is in run not start check oil for input power. Might something as stupid as your ignition switch has gone bad. You say it only has spark when starting not started, and starter relay seemed stuck. Those both have something in common.

Does the main relay box have a bad ground?
 
OP
OP
Upstart

Upstart

Junior Member
Joined
Mar 2, 2019
Posts
3
Reaction score
0
Location
TN
Ram Year
1981
Engine
318
Relay grounds seem ok, when I checked the coil i had 12v to both terminals and the plug. Ive changed the relay and the ignition switch. Voltage on coil does change when starting but is still around 9v. Might be that the new parts are bad, ive had that happen with other cars and trucks ive worked on.
 

crazzywolfie

Senior Member
Joined
Apr 6, 2013
Posts
16,422
Reaction score
3,183
Location
under the truck
Ram Year
81 93
Engine
5.2
which ignition system do you have? i could be wrong but i am pretty sure there is no reason you should have dual pickups distributor on a truck with ballast resister. you should have a single pickup distributor with a 4 pin ignition system unless the truck use to have lean burn which might make more sense why it had a dual pickup distributor. sounds like you might need to go through the wiring and figure out what is not working.
 
OP
OP
Upstart

Upstart

Junior Member
Joined
Mar 2, 2019
Posts
3
Reaction score
0
Location
TN
Ram Year
1981
Engine
318
I'm assuming it's non leanburn, I pulled out the Haynes manual and found the diagram last night. (Pic attached) Fairly certain it's somthing with the start pick up system, when it quits raining I'll go out and start digging through the rats nest of wires and see if I can find anything I missed the first time.15516251822881764336311.jpg
 

crazzywolfie

Senior Member
Joined
Apr 6, 2013
Posts
16,422
Reaction score
3,183
Location
under the truck
Ram Year
81 93
Engine
5.2
i would be rewiring it for single pickup. i would assume since all power goes through the amp meter that that wiring diagram is for a 70's truck which would probably be another haynes mess up.
T7z9mNWYfIhcOGgF1awFHuhEbqiY4_VB0wgit=w360-h324-no.jpg
 
Top