63 Cruiser getting 78 Dist. and Ignitor help.

dmaddox · 07-07-09, 07:48 PM

63 Cruiser receiving updated electronics.

Done thus far:

Installed distributor, phased the correct wires to firing order due to changes in dizzy's over the years. The old 63 dist. is phased 90 degrees differently, so I had to fix the wires to adapt the firing order correctly.

Now, bear with me, but here is what we have.

1. VERY SIMPLE from the truck is a B/W wire that went to the + of the old coil.
2. Wire went from - of the old coil to old distributor.

I installed a 78 distributor and have a 78 coil/ignitor.

On the new ignitor we have:

1. Two eyelets going up to the coil, they were disconnected but are:
a) Yellow
b) Two black

2. We then have a long plug that has two wires red and white that plugs into the distributor (easy enough).

3. Then we have two Green female plugs.
In plug A) Single black wire.
In plug B) Tan (faded brown maybe) and Yellow (the yellow in 1/a I spoke of).

I am not getting any spark.

Combination I tried based on Haynes:

Two black in 1/b to NEG. on the coil.
Yellow in 1/a to POS. on the coil.
Old wire coming from truck to POS. on the coil.
Ran a new wire from starter POS to POS on the coil.

no dice.

Any thoughts on this?

Thanks - Dallas

spotcruiser · 07-07-09, 08:32 PM

Did you reinstall the rotor?

Here's the OEM '78 W/D.

dmaddox · 07-07-09, 08:37 PM

Yes, of course.

I checked and there is no spark some from the coil. (yes, good coil).

dmaddox · 07-07-09, 09:05 PM

(going to dist.)

Texican · 07-07-09, 09:10 PM

Order a Petronix from Mark and install it in your old dizzy......or sell it to me and I'll use it.
Is a 78 fully electronic or does it still have points?
Butch

Texican · 07-07-09, 09:11 PM

Sounds like a bad Ignitor......they never give any warning ...... just quit ya

dmaddox · 07-07-09, 09:24 PM

78 is full electronic. Good ignitor (worked on previous vehicle - but will test it). I have another good spare I can verify with as well.

Personally I think it's something with wrong wiring connections......

Thanks for the comments - Dallas

spotcruiser · 07-07-09, 09:31 PM

You checked the coil for spark independently of the distributor?

The coil is charged by energizing the primary winding. When the primary circuit is opened, the secondary winding of the coil builds voltage until the spark can jump the air gap. If your ignitor is not opening the primary circuit (either because it's faulty or mis-wired), you will get no spark from the coil secondary. Check your wiring against the OEM diagram I posted.

Poser · 07-07-09, 09:35 PM

Is the ignitor grounded?

If not, it will not function properly...

dmaddox · 07-07-09, 09:57 PM

by the looks of it - the ignitor is ground through it's mounting bracketry. I can always run a spare ground wire.......looking into this.....

Pin_Head · 07-07-09, 10:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dmaddox

On the new ignitor we have:

1. Two eyelets going up to the coil, they were disconnected but are:
a) Yellow
b) Two black

2. We then have a long plug that has two wires red and white that plugs into the distributor (easy enough).

3. Then we have two Green female plugs.
In plug A) Single black wire.
In plug B) Tan (faded brown maybe) and Yellow (the yellow in 1/a I spoke of).

Any thoughts on this?

Thanks - Dallas

Your color codes for the wires don't jive with the Toyota schematic. Some have an insulation sleeve over them, so pull it back and take a peek at the color code.

This picture from an earlier thread on a '78 ignitor may help, but it is wired incorrectly and the correct connections are indicated in writing. The hot wire for the ignitor (black/yellow stripe) also connects to the big black/yellow ignition wire at the ballast resistor, but you can't see it in the picture.

dmaddox · 07-07-09, 10:16 PM

hmmm, my ignitor does not have a ballast resistor......neither of my ignitor's do.

Hmmmmm

Pin_Head · 07-07-09, 10:48 PM

Maybe someone changed the coil to a non-ballast type? In that case, just move the black/yellow stripe wires to the + side of the coil. It is not a good idea to run a coil that requires a ballast resistor without one. It may overheat and fail. If the color codes on the ignitor wires don't match the schematic, maybe you don't have a Toyota ignitor.

dmaddox · 07-07-09, 10:51 PM

it's toyota - I'll post pics in the morning. Says 78 on it even, but looks like the ones off the early FJ60's.

Pictures soon. - maybe even tonight.

dmaddox · 07-08-09, 08:15 AM

Ok fellas, here is the mess under the hood:

Trollhole · 07-08-09, 08:39 AM

This was my 78 I bought and installed on my 76. It's been a couple of year but I don't remeber having to attach anything to the coil. I just connected the only remaining green plug (both sides) to the ignition wire that came off the old coil. That was it.

It was really easy. From the looks of yours the wires have been messed with. I don't think you need the wire coming from the solenoid. From what I can see you need to hook the ignition wire and the tan wire together and it should run.

Now before you do this let someone esle of experience chime in. Cause I've only done it once and that was a while back.

Pin_Head · 07-08-09, 08:48 AM

Like I said, the braided wire cover is not the color code. Pull it back and find the real wire code. Only one ignitor wire connects to the - side of the coil. The two wires going to the - side now are probably the power wires and would go to the + side of the coil. The W/B wire from the starter seems to be connected to the battery cable and this would be incorrect. You don't need this wire if you don't have a ballast resistor. Don't connect your idle fuel solenoid to the coil. Use the fused engine circuit at the voltage regulator. The ignition doesn't need an other potential sources for a short circuit.

dmaddox · 07-08-09, 09:02 AM

TrollHole.....

I owe you big time buddy. Seriously. Thank you.

I disconnected the ignition wire from the (+) and simply hooked it up to the tan wire in that green plug.

SPARK!!!!!!!!!!

It runs like crap due to the distributor needing to be set correctly....but I have SPARK!!!!!!

(picture Tom Hanks in Cast Away when he made that fire).

My wife brought me out toast to see my dancing in the garage a few min ago shouting SPARK BABY!!!!

dmaddox · 07-08-09, 09:03 AM

Thanks Pin_Head - making the changes as well. I just needed to get spark and then clean up the connections, etc.... Now if I can just get it running smoothly....

dmaddox · 07-08-09, 09:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pin_Head

Like I said, the braided wire cover is not the color code. Pull it back and find the real wire code.

The braided wire cover - I understand what you mean, and I am giving the colors of the wire - under the braid. They are both still black.