Car Fails To Start - No Spark ....

PS... I am also not getting voltage to my coil??... There is a hot wire coming off my tach adapter that is keyed hot, should I jump it over to my + side of coil and try it? I just ran new MSD wires to my coil... Will it hurt the 6A box??... some thing happend here and I think I missed it. I think I replaced a perfectly good MSD box. If you do the MSD test under my circumstance the MSD box will fail even though it's good. Should I jump the keyed hot from the tach adapter over to the coil and see if it sparks??...

OK, further fooling indicates no spark in the start phase. I can get a spark plug to arc off the coil when I turn the key BACK to run from start position..??..

I just did the MSD test and the 6A box tested good... I was able to produce an arc from the coil wire as described by MSD. I'm starting to suspect my distributor...

What kind of distributor are you running?

Well, now that my assistant is here... we checked and jumped everything, I talked to MSD and I am convinced my ONE YEAR old MSD 8350 billet distributor is the problem.... MSD had no bench test for it so... I guess I will send back as suggested by MSD tech. Thanks for jumping in Garth and thanks to all for any help or advice

I would suspect the ignition switch.

-G

OK, a few problem here... This car was rewired so we will have to go by position not color, I suffer from limited mental facility, and I am schematically challenged....
From the Right..
First red wire is always hot,
Second red wire is hot during second click of key switch (run).
Third and fifth brownish wires are acc. hot first click of key switch.
Fourth purple wire is hot during engine cranking...
Is this correct??...

Acquire a nice long piece of 12 gauge multi-strand wire and attach alligator clips on both ends.

Hook one end of the wire to the power feed to your module & coil. Hook the other end to the battery positive terminal. Try starting the car.

Remember: if the motor starts, you'll have to disconnct the wire from the battery to shut the motor off.

The contacts inside the switch get so dirty & carboned up that the voltage drop through the switch doesn't leave enough voltage to operate the ignition module. It is possible to disassemble the switch and clean the contacts.

I prefer to bypass the switch altogether and supply the ignition through a separate relay.

That switch was designed for low current devices such as the wimpy oem radiator fans, the oem incandescent headlamps and the oem breaker point ignition. All the modern upgrades we make to our Panteras such as high air flow radiator fans, halogen headlamps and high current breakerless ignitions draw too much current for the switch, that's why we have to resort to building separate circuits for these things and supply them via high current rated relays.

-G

I jumped a keyed 12v over to the hot(+) side of the coil, which also has the MSD orange attached to it. Is this the "module & coil" reference??... still no spark. I wish I had an HEI to stick in there for testing...

Assuming your Pantera is equipped with a MSD 6AL, leave the orange wire connected to the coil, hook your jumper from the battery straight to the module's red wire.

-G

Here's another diagram you can reference. The MSD installation diagram below is for an MSD ignition using an 8350 RTR distributor with an MSD 6A(L) box. The only thing that isn't shown is the tach adapter that is connected to the red and white wire of the 6A(L).

I guess it's time for that LS swap??

An msd module or a couple of relays are significantly less expensive than a Chevy crate motor.

Or has Chevy reduced the price of their crate motors? Perhaps they're having a hard time selling them ... it wouldn't surprise me.

FIRST THING... Thank you all for "holding my hand" during this process ...

I was able to get a spark with the direct 12v jump as suggested. Further, There was an audible arc sound from the ingition switch as I turned the switch back to off...

I now suspect the switch as suggested.

Do you guys recomend a quick cleaning of the contacts?
Should I put a modern switch in it?
Since I never, never take the key out of it, I guess a toggle and push button would work, and look cool.
Please lend MORE advice as I search the forum....
Thanks, Paul...

quote:

I guess it's time for that LS swap??

That did cross my mind This ol' ford has been pretty good to me though. I will run it for while yet...

Well, my ign. switch fell apart as soon as I touched it. I have an expert on the scene furnishing me with some options... Stay tuned...

Paul,

Have you considered the Ignition Switch Controller from Pantera Electronics? It is available with a push button start.

John

http://www.pantera-electronics.com/isc.htm

quote:

Have you considered the Ignition Switch Controller from Pantera Electronics? It is available with a push button start.

Jon Haas is on the scene (figuratively not literally) and he is helping me out on this. I really appreciate everyone helping me. I have been a week w/out my car and it's killing me...

quote:

has Chevy reduced the price of their crate motors? Perhaps they're having a hard time selling them ... it wouldn't surprise me.

PLT-1

When you bypassed the ignition switch by providing direct power to the red wire of the msd circuit, did you try starting the motor? if it is the ignition switch power that's causing your problem, you should now be able to crank and start the motor. If you still cannot start it, then it could still be your distributor or box. To verify the distributor is good, you can bypass the msd box, since the 8350 is a ready to run. If it runs, then it's the box. If it doesn't then it's the distributor.

I just rolled the motor over and got a big ol' spark from an exposed plug laying on the intake. I guess I should go ahead and run/time the car...

Just remember, as it was mentioned before, if the motor starts you'll have to disconnect the wire from the battery to shut the motor off.

OK, just a quick update... I failed to approach this issue in a orderly and thorough way even though I was taught to do so some 35 years ago. As suggested by CFH my issue was indeed the ignition switch. However, the faulty ignition switch did produce/mimic the "dead MSD" indication as described by MSD. I did replace my analog MSD w/a digital unit and moved it's location out of the engine compartment.
Bill Taylor was able to save my original ignition switch and I am grateful for that.
In the mean time I have replaced my original ignition switch with a common drag racing switch panel (rough mock up photo) which was only sixty bucks and it works very well. As I have never taken the key out of this car since I have owned it, I will probably just keep the drag panel as I enjoy hitting all the switches for start up. The key and column locking mechanism still works as a theft deterrent should I decide to turn the key back and pull it out.
I want to thank you guys for helping me w/this issue, the weather is great and I am back on the road again!

I just unpacked my ignition switch as repaired by SOB@aol.com and it looks fantastic! I sent him a pile of broken junk. Bill Taylor is a real life saver for this stuff.