IML: Early 70s mechanical ignitions
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IML: Early 70s mechanical ignitions



I wondered about that. My '70 fuselage 300 sedan had points. I specifically remember how difficult it was for me, a shadetree mechanic with limited abilities, to keep it tuned. I had the car in college (mid '80s) and cussed that mechanical ignition system regularly. I worked on it more than once in a dormitory parking lot at Tulane University in New Orleans, sweating and bitching. I seem to recall it had a weighted rotor that could be adjusted, and I would forever get the adjustment wrong. I had no money, didn't know what an FSM was and just kind of winged it. That being said, with help from the sympathetic owner of the nearby auto parts store, I could always get the 440 to run and run big! That's more than I can say for some of my other ventures in non-Mopar engine work. I bought a '79 Oldsmobile Delta 88 to replace the 300 in about 1986 and couldn't keep that car running to save my life. I ended up junking the Olds and driving the 300 for a few more years.

Of course, knowing what I know today, I'd have purchased and stuck to an Imperial all the way. A kid in my dorm had a black '74 Imperial coup and he and I would work together to keep both Mopars on the road. His was stolen when we were sophmores, and I'll bet he's still annoyed about it.

Patrick
'58 Southampton Project
Covington, Louisiana

----- Original Message ----- From: "John L. Chesnutt" <chesnutt@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Sunday, September 30, 2007 8:53 AM
Subject: RE: IML: Left key in "Run" position overnight


Hi Kenyon Wills,

Your comment regarding 1970 cars do not have points. You are wrong, My 1970
Imperial LeBaron and 1971 Chrysler New York both have points, that is the
way they came from the factory.
John Chesnutt, Portland, Oregon

-----Original Message-----
From: mailing-list-owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:mailing-list-owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Kenyon Wills
Sent: Saturday, September 29, 2007 11:04 PM
To: mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: RE: IML: Left key in "Run" position overnight

1970's cars do not have points.
They have electronic ignition.

-K


--- Ken Lang <imperialken@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

Ouch!  Leaving the ignition on was not a good thing.
 I can't recall if the
76 motors had moved away from points yet, but if it
has points and they were
closed that means there was continuous voltage to
the coil.   If it were the
breaker-less ignition system it could have still put
continuous voltage to
the coil.  Either way you need to break out the
butter because the coil is
toast.  But it doesn't mean that the ignition module
didn't suffer permanent
damage either.  With a continuous coil load the
module may have died first.
The ballast resistors are usually pretty hearty but
it would hurt to unplug
it and measure it with an ohm meter.  It should have
a few ohms of
resistance.  If it's open, it's bad.



If it were me, I'd replace the coil, the resistor
and the distributor
components.  They're all relatively inexpensive.  If
you replace one item
and the engine starts, it doesn't mean you're out of
the woods.  One of the
other components may have suffered serious damage as
well.  It's just
waiting until you're 20 miles from home before it
fails.



Ken

67 Crown 4 Dr Ht

68 LeBaron 4 Dr Ht



From: mailing-list-owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:mailing-list-owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] On
Behalf Of Acuda4me@xxxxxxx
Sent: Saturday, September 29, 2007 4:08 PM
To: mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: IML: Left key in "Run" position overnight



I know it's not quite on topic, but it has a 440
like many Imperials
(obligitory Imperial content) did.



Okay, I'm a bonehead, I left the key in the run
position while doing some
wrenching and forgot about it overnight and the
battery died or course. But
now I have recharged the battery and my Ramcharger
still won't start. It's a
1976 Ramcharger with 440/727/4x4. Could I have fried
the ECU or ballast
resistor? Cables & coil were both replaced in the
last month. I hitting the
carb with starting fluid anfd there's no hint of
fire, so I'm guessing it's
electrical.





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