No spark. What can it be?

BEEN WAITIN' ON YOU FELLER!

STILL GOT 2 OR 3 MORE FACTORS THAT MIGHT PLAY IN

1ST THING I WANT YOU TO DO IS MEASURE THE VOLTAGE TO THE POSITIVE SIDE OF THE COIL WITH THE "KEY ON", WITH A DIGITAL VOLTMETER

IF YOU AIN'T GOT ONE, YOU CAN GET SOMETHING "DECENT" FROM THE AUTO PARTS STORE FOR LESS THAN $20

YOU ARE GONNA NEED IT LATER ANYWAY---IF YOU STICK WITH ME, WE WILL GET YOUR RIG IN TIP-TOP CONDITION. NOT JUST RUNNING!

I'M GONNA SEND YOU A HOMEMADE PIC ON WHAT TO DO

THEN I'M GONNA END THIS ANSWER AND START ANOTHER BELOW THIS ONE, ANSWER IN BETWEEN IF YOU WANT TO. CJs ARE MY THING!

"MR. JEEP" IS THE SAME YEAR AS YOURS HAS A 258 6 CYL. W/ 4 BBL HOLLEY CARB AND MANY USER FRIENDLY MODIFICATIONS."WILLY" IS MUCH OLDER, 1946, L-134 FLATHEAD 4 CYL. HES GOT USER FRIENDLY MODS TOO

I WANT TO KNOW THE FOLLOWING SO THAT I MIGHT ANSWER YOU BETTER

1) DO YOU REALLY, FULLY, NO HOLDS BARRED, LOVE YOUR JEEP?

2) WHAT ENGINE DO YOU HAVE?

3) HAS MANY CHANGES HAPPENED UNDER THE HOOD, SINCE IT WAS NEW?

4) CAN YOU SEND PICS OF YOUR JEEP TO INCLUDE, LEFT, RIGHT, FRONT OF YOUR ENGINE. WHERE THE VIEW OF THE ENGINE FILLS THE WHOLE PIC FROM SIDE TO SIDE (LAY YOUR HOOD BACK ON YOUR WINDSHIELD) AND TAKE YOUR PICS MORE FROM AN ABOVE ANGLE SO I CAN SEE MOST OF IT.

5) LIST ANY OTHER PROBLEMS OR ISSUES YOU HAVE OR DO NOT UNDERSTAND OR WANT TO REPAIR OR BETTER ON YOUR JEEP. (NOT JACKING IT UP HIGH, OR PUTTING A JET ENGINE IN IT!)

WE CAN DO IT ALL ON THIS ONE THREAD

YES, I'M EXCITED! CJs ARE BUILT SO WELL, I DON'T SEE THEM OFTEN ON HERE. THEY ARE THE SOLE REASON, I STARTED ANSWERING HERE!

YOUR TURN--I'M WRITING ANOTHER NOW

THE MEDIC

GREAT!

I'M AT GRID.S.C. GREENWOOD---HOW FAR IS YOUR RIG FROM ME?

I'M PRESENTLY STILL WRITING THE OTHER ANSWER ON ANOTHER TAB. THIS MIGHT GO EZ!

IS HE FOLLOWING THIS POST? OR ARE YOU DOING SOME SORT OF COMMO RELAY?

I WILL SEND YOU A PRIVATE MESSAGE HERE AT THIS SITE, ANY PERSONAL INFO IS OPSEC (OPERATIONAL SECURITY) SUCH AS EMAIL ADDRESS/ HIS OR YOUR NUMBERS. WHAT EVER!

SORRY TO HEAR ABOUT THE JARHEAD THING!---I'M AN AIRBORNE RANGER WAS STATIONED IN SAVANNAH, GA FOR FOUR YEARS ('83-'87) I HAVE SHOT THE "KD COURSE" NINE TIMES, AT YOUR FAVORITE PLACE 40 MILES NORTH OF THAT LOCATION.247 WAS MY WORST SCORE

PIC IS OF MY "MAN CAVE" AT CIVILIAN HQ NOWME IN '82 W/ 1ST '77 JEEP W/304ME AND 2ND JEEP '79 WW/ 258. THE 1ST TWO OF THE TOTAL OF SEVEN. ALL HAVE BEEN MY PRIMARY TRANSPORTATION SINCE I STARTED DRIVING IN '81

GO TO TOP OF THIS PAGE, CLICK ON YOUR NAME, LOOK FOR MESSAGES. ONE WILL COME SOON

THE MEDIC

ROGER

MAY BE ABLE TO HOOK UP WITH HIM DIRECT--IF THAT'S COOL WITH "HIGHER" MAY AVOID CONFUSION!

WILL COMMO WITH EITHER, AS THE ASSAULT CONTINUES ALONG

I KNOW YOU ARE IN CALIFORNIA (FOR NOW. FOREVER?), A LAND OF MANY STRANGE PRACTICES. AND INTERESTING PEOPLE

FIND OUT IF YOUR RIG MUST MEET CA EMISSIONS, OR IS IT "WAIVERED IN" VIA YOUR HOME OF RECORD (OR IS CA YOUR HOME OF RECORD)?

YOU HAVE LAP BELTS---IS THAT AN ISSUE?

THEY ARE STRICT

YOUR RIG IS AS OLD AS MINE---DURING SOME READING, I ONCE SAW THAT THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER WAS NOT INSTALLED ON CJs TILL '79 (NOT SET IN STONE)

WILL THEY REQUIRE ONE?

WILL THEY REQUIRE EVERYTHING BE BACK TO SHOWROOM, UNDER THE HOOD (49 STATE)?

OR WILL THEY REQUIRE UP-GRADE TO SPECS OF 1977 CALIFORNIA MODEL?

OR DANGED WORSE?

YOUR BABY IS 35 YEARS OLD. IN S.C.. WHERE WE FIX THINGS THE WAY THEY OUGHTTA BE. NOT ALWAYS BY THE BOOK

'CASE YOU DIDN'T KNOW, THEY DON'T TEST US HERE (SO FAR) SO STUFF MAY HAVE HAPPENED OVER THE YEARS!

THOUGHT MAYBE YOU MIGHT PONDER ON THIS, BEFORE YOU GET IT OUT THERE AND THEY WANT YOU SPEND $3000 TO GET IT "ROADWORTHY" FOR THEIR ROADS

WHATEVER YOUR RESULTS ARE---I CAN HELP THERE TOO---THANK GOODNESS IT'S NOT A 1980 OR NEWER, MEGA EMISSIONS ON THEM FROM THE FACTORY

I HAVE MANY MANUALS AND DIAGRAMS, A NEW CAMERA, AND A SCANNER! I'M NOT SCARED TO USE 'EM!

THE MEDIC

1ST THINGS 1ST

HERE'S THINGS TO LOOK AT

EVEN THOUGH YOU MAY HAVE NOT HAD SPARK BEFORE YOU CHANGED THE COILDID THE PARTS STORE FELLER INSURE YOU GAVE YOU THE RIGHT COIL,"PRESTOLITE IGNITIONS ('76-'78) USE A DIFFERENT COIL THAN A MOTORCRAFT IGNITION ('79-'86) IF NOT, CALL THEM BACK AND GIVE THE PART NUMBER TO THEM AND VERIFY--OR MAYBE WE COULD LOOK IT UP ON THEIR SITE (PART NUMBER, FROM WHERE?)......THIS IS THE REASON: IF YOU HAVE THE WRONG ONE, IT WILL COMPLICATE THIS PROCESS EVEN MORE! THE ONE BELOW IS FOR A '77 W/ PRESTOLITE

http://www.autozone.com/autozone/parts/Duralast-Ignition-Coil/1977-Jeep-CJ5/_/N-in9a2Z9n80r?counter=0&filterByKeyWord=coil&fromString=search&itemIdentifier=111849_0_6007_

NOW BACK TO THE ACTUAL BEGINNING PROBLEM----NO SPARK!

THERE'S USUALLY 3 COMMON POSSIBILITIES (THE ARE OTHER UNCOMMON ONES TOO)----IF YOU HAVE PRESTOLITE IGNITION, "COMMON-VERY COMMON"

1) BAD MODULE (PRESTOLITE OR MOTORCRAFT)---LET ME EXPLAIN TO YOU HOW TO "HANDLE" GETTING A NEW ONE---MINE WENT BAD AT LEAST 5 TIMES!

SEE MY ANSWER FEB 17 (#4 TOWARDS BOTTOM) AT THIS POST

https://www.2carpros.com/questions/1984-jeep-cherokee-cj7

THIS WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE

http://www.autozone.com/autozone/parts/1977-Jeep-CJ5/Ignition-Control-Module/_/N-in9a2Z9n80t?filterByKeyWord=ignition+module&fromString=search

2) IF YOU HAVE A PRESTOLITE DISTRIBUTOR (NORMALLY ON '76 -'78) IT IS NOT DESIGNED WELL, AND WAS REPLACED W/ A MOTORCRAFT SYSTEM LATER IN 1979

THINGS THAT GO WRONG

REMEMBER FROM ABOVE--THE MODULE IS ALREADY A PROBLEM IN THE SYSTEM

A) THE WIRES INTO IT ARE SOLID COPPER WIRES AND A SMALL GAUGE. IF THEY ARE ALLOWED TO MOVE/ BOUNCE AROUND THEY WILL EZily BREAK.

B) THE "PICKUP" INSIDE THE DISTRIBUTOR CAN GO BAD ALSO

THERE'S ONLY 2 WIRES, A CONTINUITY TEST WILL VERIFY WHETHER A & B ARE STILL INTACT AND GOOD TO GO......SEE 1ST 3 PICS AT THE BOTTOM (PRESTOLITE DISTRIBUTOR ONLY HAS 2 WIRES, MOTORCRAFT HAS 3, ONE IS A GROUND)

+++++++FROM HERE DOWN ARE PROBLEMS, BUT THE JEEP WILL HAVE SPARK AND WILL RUN

C) THE VACUUM ADVANCE "AIR BLADDER" (FOR LACK OF CORRECT NAME) THAT IS UNDER TH PLASTIC FRONT WHERE THE VACUUM LINE CONNECTS ON WILL DEVELOP CRACKS AND HOLES (INTERNAL) THIS RESULTS IN...A VACUUM LEAK, AND NO ADVANCE VIA VACUUM (STILL RUNS, NO ECONOMY)

D) THE VACUUM ADVANCE PICKUP ASSEMBLY GETS WORN AND WILL NOT SLIDE WHEN IT IS SUPPOSED TO BE ACTUATED

E) INSIDE THE BODY, IS THE "MECHANICAL ADVANCE" I HAVE HAD THE SPRINGS BREAK MULTIPLE TIMES ON THE WEIGHTS AND THEY STAY "THROWN OUT". THIS WILL ADVANCE THE TIMING, IT WILL STILL RUN AND SOUND GOOD AT IDLE. IF YOU HOOK UP YOUR TIMING GUN, YOU WILL BE FOOLED INTO THINKING YOUR TIMING IS OFF FROM WHAT YOU SET IT AT BEFORE---THE 1ST THING YOU WILL DO IS RESET THE TIMING......NOW IT IS RIGHT ON THE TIMING MARKS (LOOKS RIGHT!) BUT AS YOU GIVE IT GAS, IN EITHER SITUATION---IT WILL NOT ADVANCE (OR RETARD)......WHETHER YOU DON'T FIND THIS OR MIS-CORRECT IT BY RESETTING THE TIMING.......IT STILL RUNS, YOUR POWER AND "GET UP AND GO", AS WELL AS MPG SUFFER....YOU WILL NOTICE YOUR JEEP SUDDENLY HAD A CHANGE..........I CAN EXPLAIN HOW TO FIND A PROBLEM WITH EITHER ADVANCE USING THE TIMING LIGHT AS A TEST TOOL.

EVERY TIME I HAD ONE OF THESE PROBLEMS WITH THE PRESTOLITE SYSTEM, NOT ONLY WAS I PIZZED OFF, BUT THEY ALWAYS SEEMED TO HAPPEN AT THE WORST OF TIMES, AND I HAD TO LEARN ALL OF THIS BY TRIAL AND ERROR, AS I WENT, DOWN TIME WAS NOT GOOD, THIS JEEP IS MY PRIMARY RIDE.....I HOPE MY EXPERIENCES HELP YOU!

I FINALLY GOT SMART, I SWAPPED THE PRESTOLITE FOR A MOTORCRAFT SYSTEM.....MOTORCRAFT HAS STRANDED WIRES, THE MODULE IS MORE RELIABLE (EZ TO FIND THE SAME ONE AT AN AUTO SALVAGE YARD ON '80s FORD CARS...THE BLUE ONE, WHERE THE WIRES COME OUT), I HAVE NOT HAD A SPRING PROBLEM (YET), VACUUM ADVANCE IS RELIABLE

LUCKILY I HAVE A GOOD STANDING AT THE PARTS STORES. THE PREVIOUS PRESTO DISTs WERE THE SAME PRICE AS THE MOTORCRAFT, AND HAD A LIFETIME WARRANTY, I BOUGHT IT THERE....THEY SWAPPED ME EVEN

SAME WENT FOR THE MODULE

THIS IS THE COST OF A REMAN (PERFECTLY AS GOOD AS A NEW ONE) AND LOOK AT THE WARRANTY!

http://www.autozone.com/autozone/parts/Cardone-Reman-Distributor/1979-Jeep-CJ5/_/N-imcn1Z93xku?counter=0&filterByKeyWord=DISTRIBUTOR&fromString=search&itemIdentifier=768895_76774_0_

THIS IS THE MODULE THAT GOES WITH IT--LOOK AT THAT WARRANTY!

http://www.autozone.com/autozone/parts/Duralast-Ignition-Control-Module/1979-Jeep-CJ5/_/N-imcn1Z9n80t?counter=0&filterByKeyWord=ignition+module&fromString=search&itemIdentifier=118422_300759_5526_

I KEEP A SPARE FUEL PUMP, COIL, AND MODULE IN MY JEEP....SINCE DOING SO I HAVE HAD NO NEED FOR THEM.....2 OTHER CJs ON THE ROADSIDE GOT GOING WITH THE FUEL PUMP AND MODULE, WHICH THEY PAID ME FOR, AND I REPLACED THEM

THE ONLY THINGS STILL NEEDED TO SWITCH OVER, IS A FEW WIRES W/ CONNECTORS OUT OF A '80s FORD, THE COIL CONNECTOR FROM AN 80s CAR OR TRUCK OUT OF THE AUTO SALVAGE YARD, SOME WIRE BUTT SPLICES, 1/2 WRENCH, TAPE MEASURE, LONG FLAT SCREWDRIVER.....DWELL/ TACH METER, AND A TIMING LIGHT!....LAST ITEMS, A "BALLAST RESISTOR",

http://www.autozone.com/autozone/accessories/Accel-1-82-Ohm-resistance-value-ignition-ballast-resistor/_/N-25rh?itemIdentifier=253187&_requestid=295326

AND A COIL FOR A '79 CJ

http://www.autozone.com/autozone/parts/Duralast-Ignition-Coil/1979-Jeep-CJ5/_/N-imcn1Z9n80r?counter=0&filterByKeyWord=coil&fromString=search&itemIdentifier=111930_0_5526_

IF YOU DON'T WANNA SWAP OVER...........AND DETERMINE THAT THE DISTRIBUTOR IS BAD....IF YOU KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING, DISREGARD THIS, IF YOU WANT TO MAKE THIS GO SMOOTH....LEAVE THE DISTRIBUTOR IN, DO NOT LOOSEN OR MOVE IT.

GO AHEAD AND GET THE REPLACEMENT PRESTOLITE DISTRIBUTOR, DO NOT WORRY ABOUT THE "CORE CHARGE" YET (ALWAYS KEEP ANY CORE, UNTIL YOU ARE SATISFIED THE SYSTEM IS FIXED)

THEN LET ME KNOW YOU ARE READY, I CAN HELP YOU GET IT INSTALLED THE QUICK EZ WAY......INSTEAD OF HAVING TO GO THRU THE "TOP DEAD CENTER" ON "COMPRESSION" STROKE WAY (THE HARD WAY)

KEEP ME POSTED, THESE ARE THE MOST LIKELY POSSIBILITIES, IF TESTING PROVES ALL IS GOOD, SO FAR, WE WILL DIG DEEPER

NEED TO KNOW VOLTAGE AT POSITIVE SIDE OF THE COIL, BEFORE YOU DO THE STUFF IN THIS STUFF, IN THIS ANSWER.......IF THESE IS NO VOLTAGE, WE MUST CHECK SOME OTHER STUFF.....REMEMBER GOOD BATTERY, WITH THE KEY "ON"

YOUR ANSWERS/ TEST RESULTS/ QUESTIONS----INPUT?

THE MEDIC

OK--THIS MORNING YOU SENT ME A MESSAGE, TO KEEP THINGS UNDERSTANDABLE AT THIS POST. THIS WAS THE "JEEP" PART OF IT:

I was thinking this morning about the Jeep. At first my brother was having problems with spark. He replaced the coil, cap, rotor and plug wires and said he had spark. Then he claimed it still wouldn't run, just turn over. I told him to spray starting fluid into the carb to see if it would fire. He said "No, it didn't". Now wouldnt that mean that there is still no spark? Because at that point you are eliminating the fuel system right?

I'M 4 HOURS FROM YOUR RIG--STILL MUCH CLOSER THAN YOU!

I DO NOT KNOW THE ABILITIES OF YOUR BROTHER ON THE OTHER END!

I SORTA NEED SOME INPUT FROM THE 1ST TESTS, "THE DOCTOR" ORDERED, AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS VISIT

IN PARTICULAR ******HOW IS HE TESTING FOR SPARK?***** EXACTLY WHAT HE IS DOING TO TEST FOR IT.

."HAVING SPARK" AND. WHAT IS THE EXACT DC VOLTAGE AT POSITIVE SIDE OF THE COIL ARE TWO DIFFERENT THINGS!

I NEED ACCURATE ANSWERS TO BOTH OF THE ABOVE. THIS IS HOLDING ME UP!

IF WE DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHAT EXACTLY TO DO, I WILL SLOW DOWN AND TEACH YOU FELLERS! OR TALK YOU THRU VIA PHONE COMMO

I AM SORTA OBLIGATED AND COMMITTED NOW: SOUTH CAROLINIAN, BROKE JEEP CJ 5, MILITARY. SORTA "ME" IN 1981

WITHOUT ANSWERS--I MIGHT HAVE TO WRITE A FULL CJ SERVICE MANUAL, TO ACCIDENTALLY STUMBLE ONTO YOUR PROBLEM. WITH ANSWERS, I MAY PINPOINT IT QUICK--OR AT LEAST CONCENTRATE ON THAT AREA MORE

THE "STARTER FLUID THING" OR A LITTLE FUEL----IS THE EZIST "QUICK" TEST TO DETERMINE WHETHER IT IS A SPARK OR FUEL PROBLEM. YOU REALLY ONLY HAVE TO TAKE THE BREATHER TOP OFF

GENERALLY SPEAKING---DOING THAT FUEL TEST IF IT CONTINUES TO "DRY TURN OVER" THERE IS "PROBABLY" NO SPARK----IF IT COUGHS, SPITS AND SPUTTERS, HIT A FEW TIMES, OR BACKFIRES. AT MINIMUM SOME SPARK IS PRESENT AND "I" TEND TO RULE OUT A FUEL PROBLEM

THE ABOVE IS NOT "SET IN STONE", BUT WORKS MOST OF THE TIME

THE OTHER IMPORTANT THINGS I NEED TO KNOW

1) IT RAN FINE---WAS PARKED---NOW TURNS OVER WELL (WILL NOT BUST OFF)---AND DOES NOTHING? DID "SOMETHING", BEFORE IT WAS FOOLED WITH?

2) IF YOU CAN---TELL ME EVERYTHING THAT HAS BEEN FOOLED WITH? WAS THE DISTRIBUTOR ITSELF REMOVED? ADJUSTMENTS, CARB, ALL THE SPARK PLUG WIRES REMOVED. ANYTHING, ALL THE WAY DOWN TO KNEELING AT THE FRONT BUMPER AND PRAYING. ASKING "THE GREAT AIRBORNE RANGER IN THE SKY" TO SEND COMPETENT ASSISTANCE, I.E. "THE BATTALION STALLION"

PLEASE LIST EVERYTHING AND ANSWER MY QUESTIONS.I NEED THE ENTIRE SITUATION, IN ORDER TO FORM A BATTLEPLAN

THE MEDIC

IF YOUR DISTRIBUTOR LOOKS EXACTLY LIKE THIS---NOTE THE PLASTIC FRONT AND IT ONLY HAS 2 WIRES GOING INTO IT......THIS IS A "PRESTOLITE SYSTEM".......(NOT THE NEWER MOTORCRAFT SYSTEM)

http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product__5630649-P_218_R%7CGRPTUNEAMS____?zoneAssigned=1

THIS IS THE CORRECT COIL---INSURE THE PART NUMBER IS CORRECT (DON'T GO BY "LOOKS") THIS IS FROM ADVANCE AUTO

http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_Ignition-Coil-BWD-Select_3050874-P_190_R%7CGRPTUNEAMS_____

THIS IS THE EXACT SAME COIL FROM AUTO ZONE FOR A '77 CJ PRESTOLITE IGNITION

http://www.autozone.com/autozone/parts/Duralast-Ignition-Coil/1977-Jeep-CJ5/_/N-in9a2Z9n80r?counter=0&filterByKeyWord=IGNITION+COIL&fromString=search&itemIdentifier=111849_0_6007_

BELOW ARE OTHER POSTS YOU MIGHT WANT TO LOOK THRU---SOME MAY BE 304s BUT THE THEORY IS MOSTLY THE SAME, I DO USE MY 258 AS AN EXAMPLE IN SOME OF THEM

THIS FELLER HAS CREATED 2 POSTS

https://www.2carpros.com/questions/1980-jeep-cj7-v8-wont-start

https://www.2carpros.com/questions/1980-jeep-cj7-timingtuning-problem-with-a

HERE ARE SOME OTHERS

https://www.2carpros.com/questions/1982-jeep-cj7-ignition-problem-spark-distributor-cap

https://www.2carpros.com/questions/1978-jeep-cj7-need-help-getting-started-start-on-troubleshooting

IF YOU LOOK AT THE CJ 7 FORUM PRESENTLY---THERE ARE ONLY 422 QUESTIONS----10 YEARS OF CJ 7 (1976-1986) COMPARE THAT TO "CHEROKEE" OR ANY OTHER MAKE OR MODEL OF CARS AND TRUCKS!----GOING SORTA BY "PROBLEMS" THE CJ 7 HAS A BETTER TRACK RECORD ON THIS SITE

https://www.2carpros.com/makes/jeep/cj7

NOW LOOK AT CJ 5s.....BEEN AROUND FOREVER (1955-1983)---THERE ARE ONLY 109 QUESTIONS......"JEEP WROTE THE BOOK ON FOUR WHEEL DRIVE".....IT PAYS TO STICK WITH THE VERY BEST!

https://www.2carpros.com/makes/jeep/cj5

I'VE ANSWERED MOST OF THE QUESTIONS OF BOTH FORUMS OVER THE LAST 2+ YEARS. SOME HANG WITH ME A WHILE (SEE RESPONSES)

I LIKE HELPING THE CJs, IT'S REWARDING WHEN YOU HEAR POSITIVE FEEDBACK AND KNOW YOU HAVE SAVED SOMEONE A BUNDLE....AND MAKE A NEW BUDDY FROM TIME TO TIME!

I'LL ATTEMPT A FEW MORE PICS FOR TESTING LATER LATER TODAY (MUST DO MY CHORES NOW)

THE MEDIC

WHEN YOU GET BACK TO SC, YOU CAN TREAT ME TO A SACKFUL OF KRYSTAL BURGERS. NO MUSTARD. NO PICKLE. CHEESE. ONION. MAYO!

THE CLOSEST ONE TO ME IS ABOUT 50 MILES, THE NEXT 70 MILES

SPEAKING OF MAYO---I KNOW YOUR BROTHER IS SENDING YOU A JAR OF "DUKES", AT MINIMUM, A JAR A MONTH?

GLAD IT IS RUNNING. AS IT SHOULD ALWAYS DO!

HAVE YOU CHECKED OUT THE OTHER MODIFICATION ALBUMS?

GET BACK WITH ME, I'LL SEND YOU THE WIRE DIAGRAMS THAT I IMPROVED BY COLORING THE WIRES. I'M GONNA ALSO TRY TO MAKE A DIAGRAM OR TWO ON SWAPPING OVER THE PRESTOLITE SYSTEM TO THE "MUCH BETTER" AND FEW HEADACHES MOTORCRAFT DISTRIBUTOR AND MODULE. I WANT THE DIAGRAM FOOL PROOF AND INCLUDE REAL PICS OF THE WHAT IS NEEDED FROM THE SALVAGE YARD. EVEN A SPARE MOTORCRAFT MODULE MIGHT STILL BE FOUND AT ONE FOR FREE OR A BUCK OR TWO. THEN ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS SWAP YOURS FOR A TEMPORARY "REAL WORLD TEST" (THAT IS ONCE YOU DO UPGRADE)MOST UNFORTUNATLY, MOST OF THE AMC CARS ARE GONE, OR HAVE BEEN CRUSHED, SO A CHEAP PRESTOLITE SPARE IS HARD TO COME BY!

EVEN IF YOU DO NOT SWAP--DO LIKE I DID--HAVE A SPARE DISTRIBUTOR COMPLETE (ROTOR BUTTON AND CAP), MODULE, AND FUEL PUMP IN THE JEEP AT ALL TIMES! WHEN I UPGRADED, I SWAPPED MODULES, AND TOOK OUT THE "SUBSTANDARD PRESTOLITE DIST"---I CAN TRUST THE MOTORCRAFT DIST A LOT BETTER.

ONCE YOU HAVE THE EZ REMOVAL AND INSTALL METHOD, YOU CAN CHANGE THE DIST 5 MINUTES TOPS AND MAKE IT GO, ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, WITH ONLY A 1/2 WRENCH, UNTIL YOU CAN TWEAK THE TIMING IN PERFECT, ONCE YOU GET HOME TO YOUR TIMING LIGHT. THERE'S ONLY ABOUT 3 THINGS YOU MUST REMEMBER. BEFORE YOU SNATCH IT OUT! THIS KEEPS YOU FROM FINDING "TDC"

I APPRECIATE THE COMPLIMENTS. EVEN IF THEY'RE FROM A MARINE! LOL!

KEEP IN TOUCH

THE MEDIC

I SORTA GOT A LITTLE CARRIED AWAY WITH THE PRESTOLITE SYSTEM VS: THE MOTORCRAFT IGNITION SYSTEM

'76-'78 USED PRESTOLITE---AND EVEN CJ5s EARLIER THAN THAT

'79 THEY CHANGED TO MOTORCRAFT

THE PRESTOLITE SYSTEMS DID NOT USE A "RESISTANCE WIRE" IN THE "RUN" WIRE. SO THE COIL HAD AN INTERNAL RESISTOR

MOTORCRAFT DID USE A "RESISTANCE WIRE". SO THE COIL USED WAS "FOR EXTERNAL RESISTOR ONLY"

WHEN CONVERTING OVER TO THE MOTORCRAFT, I INSTALLED A "BALLAST RESISTOR" ON MINE. TAKING THE PLACE OF THE "MISSING/ NON-EXISTENT" "RESISTOR WIRE" ON '79 ON UP

I MIGHT COULDA STUCK WITH THE OLD COIL, AND LEFT OUT THE BALLAST RESISTOR, BUT I FIGURED IF I UPDATED THE SYSTEM TO '79. UP DATE IT ALL. BESIDES, IF THE BALLAST RESISTOR DOES BURN OUT, I CAN TEMPORARILY JUMPER WIRE ACROSS THE CONNECTORS (PROVIDING FULL VOLTAGE) TO LIMP MR. JEEP IN.

BELOW IS WHAT A BALLAST RESISTOR LOOKS LIKE, IT JUST LOWERS 12V TO ABOUT 7.5 VOLTS FOR LONGEVITY.

"I" TERMINAL ON THE SOLENOID PROVIDES "FULL BATTERY VOLTAGE" WHILE THE KEY IS IN THE START POSITION, TEMPORARILY NOTHING GETS HURT IF IT IS SUPPLIED WITH FULL BATTERY VOLTAGE, JUST TO LIMP YOU IN USING A JUMPER

1ST PIC IS ACTUALLY ON MY WILLYS JEEP (EXACTLY, AS ON MY 1977 CJ 5)

2ND PIC IS A "PIGGYBACK" FOR BYPASSING THE BALLAST RESISTOR--A JUMPER WIRE WILL DO THE SAME THING

3RD PIC IS THE INPUT WIRE MOVED, IT NOW PIGGYBACKS THE OUTPUT TERMINAL (OR YOU CAN JUST SAY THAT I HAVE CONNECTED THE WIRES)

ON THE BACKSIDE OF THE BALLAST RESISTOR IS A COIL OF RESISTANCE WIRE BETWEEN THE TWO MALE CONNECTORS. SOMETIMES (VERY SELDOM) THEY BURN UP OR JUST SHAKE AND BREAK. THE "PIGGYBACK THING" WILL GET YOU IN, TILL YOU CAN REPLACE IT.

THE RESISTANCE (BALLAST OR RESISTANCE WIRE) IS IN THERE TO KEEP FROM BURNING OUT THE MODULE/ COIL WITH PROLONGED FULL BATTERY VOLTAGE

THE MEDIC

Prestolite

Bah-Humbug!

I have a '77 CJ-5 too and a "46 Willys!

I try to answer all of the CJ questions on here, some get by me!

Had to upgrade to Motorcraft (started with the 1979's). I got tired of Prestocrap stuff breaking on me. Distributor wires/ Ignition Module/ Distributor advance/ Etc

Going to send you a picture of my Motorcraft distributor connector (just as an example)

Do a continuity test through your two wires thru the distributor. The are like solid telephone wires that shake and break EZily, Hence my upgrade having stranded wires on a Motorcraft System.

This is your distributor

http://www.autozone.com/external-engine/distributor/cardone-reman-distributor/jeep/cj5/1977/6-cylinders-a-4-2l-1bl/700930_154908_11714/?checkfit=true

What'd you come up with?

Send picture of your rig!

The Medic

At work, Will respond more when I get home.

Should not need a ballast resistor with prestocrap, Insure you have the correct coil.

Is the Ignition Module grounded good? If there is a connector on that ground (the module ground wire, may have a bullet connector) pull it apart and insure that it is not corroded.

Yep, Even a new module can be bad, have it tested 4 or more times at the auto parts store. If it's bad, test the new one before you leave! Advance Auto Parts has a tester for these.

Results of continuity test thru the distributor wires?

The majority of my pics are at home, I'll post some when I get there.

The Medic