76 Clipper (Dodge 440) will not start

[syd108]

Hi:

I could not figure out what was wrong with it. I tried cleaning all the fusible links for power they all seemed fine. So i towed it back home.

Just out of curiosity when i got home i started it and it started up just fine. As soon as i turned on the headlights the engine died on me and the same old symptoms returned.

So are u guys aware of any specific reason why it would do this?

syd

[Plante]

You may want to replace the ballast resister($2 or $3) which changes the voltage in the system once the engine starts.  It is attached to the wiper motor(on my '78 anyway).  It is a porcelin or ceramic unit with connectors on each end.

[LarryAlida]

Look around for the ballast resister.It's not the one on the wiper motor. The one you want has 2 dbl.connectors going to it. On my 78 440 it is hidden behind the brake master cylinder and mounted above it on the firewall.When you compare it to the one on the wiper motor.It has 4 contacts.The one on the wiper motor has only 2.

[sfox356]

I just thought I'd let you know your not alone.  my 78 started yesterday and today it won't.  I traced all the wires and have checked all my connections.  I even replaced the coil and balast resistor with no luck.  I'm leaning toward the ECU control unit.  I'm determined to get this fixed in the next two days before the weekend.  I'll defintetly let you know what fixes it. I do have a book on the engine wiring if it will help you. ( not that it has me yet)

[sfox356]

Ok.  With the ignition off I attached a jumper wire to a good engine ground.  Take off the coil wire at the cap and hold it within a 1/4 inch of a good ground.  Then turn the ignition to ON, not run, and touch the jumper wire to the neg side of the coil and see if you get a spark at your coil wire end (the neg side should be a black and yellow wire the pos side is pink).  Try touching the jumper to the neg side a couple of times just to make sure it is or isn't getting a spark.  It won't be much of a spark and you may have to almost touch the coil wire to the ground. If you get a spark then its not your ECU. If there is no spark then disconnect the plug from the back of your ECU.  The ECU is the electronic ignition control unit.  It should be attached to the firewall just behind and above your battery. It will have a plug on the back with four or five wires, I think you have five, and it has a screw in the middle of it. Take it off and do the same proceedure I mentioned ealier with the coil wire and jumper.  If you get a spark this time then it's your ECU.  It only costs about $30 at most parts stores.  Let me know if you have any luck.  If not I have more tech info. that might be helpful.

[Richard Peterson]

If your starter will not crank the engine, you should check to see if it is getting enough power.  The first connection is where the positive battery cable connects to the one continuing on to the starter.  This connection is made at a box under the brake booster, on the firewall.  If that connection is good, go onto the terminal at the starter.  Does the starter sound as if it wants to turn, similar to a weak battery?  If so, it either is not getting enough power,which could be the selenoid or it could be the starter itself. Once you have the starter turning properly, go after the ignition system which is a different set of checks entirely.  All your problems sound like primary voltage ones and may be simple once you find where you are losing the voltage.  A voltmeter is necessary to help trace all these places.    

[handyman]

Syd when all this started did you by chance have your emergency switch on ? if you do make sure it is off or disconect it. if you leave it on anything on in the house will drain both batterys and if your alt is not charging at full power 14 to 14.6 you could be running off the battery instead of the alt so when you turn on the lights it kills what power you had left in the batterys and killed the motor.remember if the battery goes so does power to ignestion system  So take the emergency swich out of the picture and see what happens one other thing check your refridgerator if it is a three way make sure the switch is off and it pops out this happend to me and killed both my battterys in a hour  

[Paul4001]

Hello Syd, I read your post and had to add my 2cents. Get a 12volts test light and ground one end and go to your starter. the big cable at the starter is the one that comes from the battery. touch the probe of the test light to the big stud holding the cable to the starter. the light should come on. If it does, then you voltage. (If not then you have an open circuit at that cable from your battery)
Now next to the big lug is a smaller lug. this should be your starter solenoid actuator lug. Get a jumper,one end to pos. terminal or any 12v source like the big  cable we just verified was hot. AND BE CAREFUL BECAUSE WERE GOING TO VERIFY YOUR STARTER CIRCUIT AND WHEN YOU DO THIS THE ENGINE WILL CRANK OVER. If it cranks its not your battery or cable. So the relay that  controls that circuit is open, the additional load of the headlamps is causing it to go open. (bad connection) There are some relays underhood. Turn on headlights even if they dont turn on leave them on. Now find anything that looks like a relay touch it checking for excessive heat and tapp the relays with something to get contacts to hopefully close. If headlights come on you`ve found it. If there on to begin with, then tap and try to start unit up after tapping each individual relay. If unit starts up they there is a good chance that you`ve found your culprit It`ll help if you have a manual. Sorry for my poor english writing skills . Any further questions E-mail me

[Donald Davidson]

Syd,
Pay close attention to HPotters post of Febuary 8th.  I had the same problem last year when I stoped for gas in Ventura CA.  I used a 12 volt test light to check the wiring going through the firewall connector HPotter talked about.  This is a very inportant piece of wireing.  My trouble cleared up when I reseated the plugs.
Donald Davidson

[handyman]

Whats going on we havent heard from you in a while did you find the problem ? let us all know so others can binafit from the fix  

[junebob]

Sid If you have no power anywhere then you have a bad Electronic control unit.On the firwall under the hood.. BobChaney

[syd108]

Hi:

Thank you all for your help.

We finally figured out the problem. It was a simple short: One of the wires in the dash(the ones going to the voltmeter) was loose and was touching other wires. Once we opened up the dash and screwed it in there has been no problems since.

I still do not understand some of the symptoms that we had before we fixed it like

1) the engine starting up after a long rest
2) the battery draining etc.

But It runs well now and thats all I can ask for  

Thank you all again for your help.

Best Regards
Syd

[AndyIlles]

Hi all.  This post may be 8 months untimely, but I just got my Clip 2 months ago, and just found this fantastic website.   I've had exactly the same problem.  I finally found that one of the 2 fusible-linked wires going into the firewall connector wasn't seated (though not obvious).  It was the larger one that goes into the bottom socket of the right-most white connector.  Drove me NUTS till I found it - without that connection, nothing works!!  It must have gotten jiggled lose over the years, and the fix was simply pushing it back in to reseat it... no problems since.  

[prophetdaniel2]

Same exact problem on my 21ft 77 w/440. Replacing the fuse-able link solved it!! What a great help this site has been!!
-Daniel

[LARRY RAY]

I had that same problem also. Sometimes it was hard to start, would check under the hood, wiggle a few wires or maybe not, close the hood and then it would start. The last time it happened, we had just pulled out of the storage unit and were loading to leave for the lake amd it would not start. Already had changed pick-up coil in dist I knew something else had to be the culprit. Follow the larger (mine was black) wire. When I opened mine up all most to center of wiring bundle I found corrosion in two of the coonections that are splices to other feeds. The main corrosion problem I traced right back to ignition module. Re-soldered all connections, retaped and no more problems. Hope this helps a little. Rest assured though It will be a wiring problem.