[Breakfaststout]

89 ramcharger with a carb magnum swap. The yellow ignition wire is supplying 6v in run, 12v in start, and 6v again back in run. This is causing the bendix gear on the starter to stay engaged to the flywheel after the motor is running. I am completely out of ideas here. Why in the heck is the ignition wire not dropping to zero in the run position? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[712edf]

By ignition wire you are talking about one from the switch to the starter correct?

I would begin with the ignition switch itself.

Bucky

 

[Breakfaststout]

Yes the wire from the ignition switch. Before the swap it worked fine which leads me to believe i have something hooked up wrong but i don’t think i do. It’s pretty straightforward. I spliced into the ignition wire to run a wire to the starter solenoid. Couldn’t figure out why the starter bendix gear wasn’t disengaging in the run position until i hooked a multimeter to that ignition wire and saw it was dropping to 6v instead of zero which apparently is enough power to keep the solenoid contacts engaged and the bendix gear of the starter engaged to the flywheel while the motor is running. I guess I didn’t know if the 6v drop was a normal function of the original electrical wiring of the ramcharger.

 

[ToxicDoc]

Are you running a ballast resistor or no?

 

[Breakfaststout]

Yes. With the mopar electronic ignition from proform.

 

[ToxicDoc]

voltage to the coil with the ballast is supposed to be 6-9 volts. If you're somehow supply power to the starter bendix in the run position you have miswired something.

 

[Breakfaststout]

That’s a good point but, i spliced into the wire right out of the ignition switch for the starter solenoid. The ballast resistor is further down the line. I’m taking my voltage readings directly from the ignition switch.

 

[ToxicDoc]

That's a good point but, i spliced into the wire right out of the ignition switch for the starter solenoid. The ballast resistor is further down the line. I'm taking my voltage readings directly from the ignition switch.

I've re-read your initial post. The ignition wire should never be 0 in the run position, only in the off position. The ignition wire supplies power to the coil and the ignition components. You tapped into the wrong wire. You need the starter trigger wire.

 

[Breakfaststout]

I unhooked the ballast resistor and it worked! Good call. The resistor is back feeding 6v to the starter solenoid. So the question is then how do they get wired properly. They both need a 12v start wire, and isn’t there only one? To clarify, i have two wires spliced into the ignition wire directly out of the ignition switch. One is going to the ballast resistor, the other to the starter solenoid. I don’t have the solenoid hooked up to the other side os the ballast or anything. How else could it be done? I thought the resistor just sent 6v to the other post, not back up the initial power wire?!?

 

[ToxicDoc]

I unhooked the ballast resistor and it worked! Good call. The resistor is back feeding 6v to the starter solenoid. So the question is then how do they get wired properly. They both need a 12v start wire, and isn't there only one? To clarify, i have two wires spliced into the ignition wire directly out of the ignition switch. One is going to the ballast resistor, the other to the starter solenoid. I don't have the solenoid hooked up to the other side os the ballast or anything. How else could it be done? I thought the resistor just sent 6v to the other post, not back up the initial power wire?!?

Your thinking is correct. Something is wrong in your execution. Are you using a 2-post or 4-post ballast?

 

[Breakfaststout]

2 post.

 

[ToxicDoc]

I'm sleep deprived this morning - have been on night shifts. I can't remember how Chrysler has manages the start circuit. There are diagrams all over the internet showing the same circuit, but the only way I can think this works is with 2 separate wires that get powered only in start position. I don't have that issue since I'm using HEI which is 12 volt only.

 

[Breakfaststout]

Yeah, that’s what i get for cheaping out on the ignition setup. At least now i know what’s causing the problem. Thanks for all your help dude!

 

[ToxicDoc]

A solution would be to use a relay. In the factory set up, does the starter relay provide the power to the coil? that would cut the feedback when the back is backed off from start.

 

[Breakfaststout]

So what is happening here is the two ballast resistor posts are connected. I don’t understand why because one side is suppose to receive run 12v and the other start 12v. Since the posts are connected (inside the resistor), the run side will always be sending power to the start side, which to me defeats the purpose of having a “start” side. Anyway when the ignition switch is on run it is sending 6v to the other post (the start side) and that is why i have the 6v on my ignition wire. Problem solved. Now, how the heck do i stop it? I don’t see how it could be done. Seems to me like the ballast resistor posts should NOT be connected together. I did throw a relay in between the solenoid and ignition wire but the 6v kept it engaged and same problem. Are you suggesting doing away with the ballast completely and replacing it with a relay? That is how it was from the factory. But will it work with this distributor/coil/ignition setup? Replacing the ballast with a relay will then send 12v instead of the required 6v to the coil right? I think i might call proform tomorrow and see what they suggest.

 

[Breakfaststout]

Wonder if i can use an internally resisted coil and ditch the ballast resistor altogether.

 

[ToxicDoc]

I suspect that the 12 volts from the switch ,in the factory setup, goes to the starter relay first, then goes to the far side of the ballast. So when the start circuit is de-powered, the relay cuts out and no current can feed back. At least that's my suspicion. I'd have to study the circuit diagrams, or wait for someone who knows to chime in   I just got home after an unexpected very long day, but you can look at the wiring diagrams too and trace the start circuit from the relay