Plug wires screwed up?

[Mikez73]

This seems stupid but I have to ask to make sure I'm not tripping.

First off, I went out to swap the 280zx dizzy for the the 240 dizzy. I'm looking at everything to get my bearings and I can't find the ballast resistor. I know what it looks like and where it's supposed to be but it ain't there. It's supposed to be on the drivers side just down from the coil right?

Second thing...I'm checking the plug wires and something doesn't look right but I'm still new to the L24 so I thought I better ask about it.

My wires are run like the pic below which looks like #3 and #6 are crossed. Am I right?

[Mikez73]

Pics I uploaded to my host...

Pic I stole:

And sorry, I know it's not really an emergency if an admin wants to move it to a better category.

[d240zx2]

Firing order might help. Here's a little ditty that may help you remember....

A 15 year old girl is too young. A 36 year old girl is too old. A 24 year old girl is just right.

1-5-3-6-2-4. Number one on the distributor is closest to the radiator.

[sblake01]

My wires are run like the pic below which looks like #3 and #6 are crossed. Am I right?

Right. Switch the numbers in the circles marked '3' and '6' and that diagram would be pretty much spot on.

[Mikez73]

Firing order might help. Here's a little ditty that may help you remember....

A 15 year old girl is too young. A 36 year old girl is too old. A 24 year old girl is just right.

1-5-3-6-2-4. Number one on the distributor is closest to the radiator.

A 36 year old girl is too old? I almost had the best time of my life with an older woman. When I was 15 there was a 30 something year old woman I was giving guitar lessons to one afternoon when my mom walked in but that's another story.

Right. Switch the numbers in the circles marked '3' and '6' and that diagram would be pretty much spot on.

Alright guys I got it...the wires are correct but my diagram is wrong. I have a pic of a dizzy with the firing order printed right on it and when I copied it to my notebook I guess I got dyslexic.

I need to get a printer :stupid:

Thanks.

Anybody got any ideas on that ballast? It is supposed to be where it's at in that pic I borrowed isn't it? On my car there is nothing below the coil. I followed the wire from coil + all the way around the front of the car and through the firewall. No ballast anywhere. I'm confused.

[oldhemi]

You CAN run the points w/o the ballast. It will get the full 12 volts and wear out the points quicker. The ballast RESISTOR will cut the voltage back a bit. Yours is missing!

[Mikez73]

You CAN run the points w/o the ballast. It will get the full 12 volts and wear out the points quicker. The ballast RESISTOR will cut the voltage back a bit. Yours is missing!

All the more reason to hurry up and install that 280zx dizzy. This just makes the job easier right? Or wrong? Without the ballast resistor there it makes installing the HEI module more confusing. I modified a diagram by JohnH240 using info from his 240 to 280zx conversion and a writeup on converting a 280zx to GM HEI module. If you or any electrically inclined people want to check it out and point out any mistakes I'd appreciate it.

[Mikez73]

Anybody have any input on that? Do I just leave the wire that is currently on the coil + terminal and add a wire from the Ignition module B terminal to the coil + terminal?

I've got everything installed and wired except for that.

I hit another snag though...I bought a 280zx mount for the 280zx distributor but I didn't buy the plate that attaches to the distributor to set timing. The 240 plate is too small.

[Mikez73]

Ok now I need help. I tried to start it up today but it wouldn't start. There is ~11 volts to the + side of the coil. Maybe I should try a ground wire on the C terminal of the module?

[Mikez73]

Still getting no spark. I installed a new pickup in the distributor and wired the e1280 module back in. The ballast resistor had been removed by a previous owner. I found three wires cut & taped off in the harness.

A green wire I'm guessing was the noise suppression capacitor.

A green/white wire I'm guessing was for the ballast resistor.

A black/yellow wire w/ 12v I'm guessing was also for the ballast resistor.

There is also a black/white wire w/ female spade connector that has no voltage.

From what I've read the green/white and black/yellow wires should be jumped at the ballast resistor or should be connected if the ballast resistor is removed... for the car to run. On my car they aren't connected. And FWIW the tach hasn't worked since I got the car.

The pickup is good. Both modules are good. I've got more than 1000 ohms at the pickup.

12 volts between coil positive and ground.

12 volts between coil negative and ground.

No spark. What am I doing wrong?

In the original diagram John Hull writes to remove the black wire to the distributor and attach it to terminal C on the e1280. It was connected to the condenser on my old distributor but maybe I'll try that.

Edited March 11, 2010 by Mikez73

[Mikez73]

Just thought I'd update this. Two distributors, 2 HEI modules, 2 e120 modules, and 5 pickup coils later I have spark

The refurbed distributor I had was defective. I'm not sure what the problem was. I tried 4 pickup coils counting the one that came in the dizzy. I disassembled it down to the centrifugal weights...couldn't find the problem. I bought another dizzy. Now I have spark. Still haven't got it to start but it's almost there.

Much appreciation to Adrian, who I think posts as alhbln here. We've got almost 6 pages of posts at HZ trying to figure this out.

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