No start

100,000 MILES • 4.2L
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CAMPOS14
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Vehicle only starts and runs good with a test light hooked to negative side of ignition coil.
Feb 21, 2020 at 3:23 AM
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ASEMASTER6371
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Good afternoon.

I would say you have a bad ground. I would try running a wire from the battery to the motor and see if it runs. The test light is providing a ground for the coil.

Roy
Feb 21, 2020 at 3:55 AM
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CAMPOS14
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I have grounded the car from the battery to the body as well as from the battery to the engine block and the frame. This is an old jeep that someone was putting together. I read somewhere that you have to have a matching ignition coil and resistor.
Feb 21, 2020 at 4:51 AM
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ASEMASTER6371
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No, that is not true.

Do you still have point in the distributor?

Roy
Feb 21, 2020 at 4:54 AM
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CAMPOS14
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no points.this is a Prestolite distributor and an Omix ignition module and a 1.4 ohm ceramic resistor. I have 2 different test lights one brighter than the other and it runs different with one test light as opposed to the other.
Feb 21, 2020 at 5:00 AM
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CJ MEDEVAC
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External resistor is not needed.

Here's info from a 1977 with the same system.

I also made you some screenshots from Advance Auto Parts of the correct coil.

I had so many problems with Prestolite and it's distributor, I broke down and upgraded to "Motorcraft", problems now are non-existent!

The Medic

Feb 21, 2020 at 10:12 AM
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CAMPOS14
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Thanks for taking the time to help... Motorcraft distributor and ignition module or just Motorcraft distributor?
Feb 21, 2020 at 10:49 AM
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CJ MEDEVAC
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Are you inquiring on changing up to the Motorcraft system?

The Medic
Feb 22, 2020 at 12:17 PM
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CAMPOS14
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Thank you for helping me. And yes if that's what it going to take to make this Jeep run reliably.
Feb 22, 2020 at 10:40 PM
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CJ MEDEVAC
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Here's one post on converting (I'm looking for a few more, my explaining isn't the best so combining other one into the mix might make more sense!).

As far as changing distributors out, I have posts that will explain how to do it and it not become a nightmare! Let me know when you get to that point!

https://www.2carpros.com/questions/prestolite-to-motorcraft-conversion-1976-cj7#last

Here's a real good one, I hope all of the links are still current and working.

https://www.2carpros.com/questions/ignition-problem-75208814

Keep in touch with progress or if you need more information.

The Medic
Feb 23, 2020 at 1:22 AM
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CJ MEDEVAC
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How are we doing?

The Medic
Mar 20, 2020 at 8:57 AM
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CAMPOS14
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I'm doing great, thanks for asking. How are you guys? I fixed the Jeep I was working on. I put a HEI distributor and and plug wires. It was so easy only one wire to hook up should have done this from.day one. And it only cost me $100.00 for all the complete set.
Mar 20, 2020 at 10:01 AM
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