Fires once or twice, doesn’t start
Thread Starter
Cruising
Joined: Apr 2025
Posts: 10
Likes: 0
From: Canada
Yes, in my case it's black plastic, 2 pieces, with 8 slots. You are sure it's Mallory?
Also 73 never had HEI, points from the factory, you have 12v cranking but have a resistor wire for run. If you never touched the positive terminal of the coil it would be unusual for something to have suddenly changed.
Also 73 never had HEI, points from the factory, you have 12v cranking but have a resistor wire for run. If you never touched the positive terminal of the coil it would be unusual for something to have suddenly changed.
Thread Starter
Cruising
Joined: Apr 2025
Posts: 10
Likes: 0
From: Canada
Quick update, I have one of those accel super coil packs and I just tested for voltage with key set to on. I used a multimeter on the positive and negative terminal on the top of the coil pack, it only read 1.9 volts, is it supposed to be 12v on my multimeter between those points or no? I also kept the meter on those points and had someone crank the motor and it still didn’t go over 2 volts, is my problem in there?
Race Director
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 18,729
Likes: 2,579
Can you verify that you have power to your distributor when the key is in the 'run' position? This car should be 'new' enough to have had an HEI distributor, which did away with the resistance wire, but if an old-school guy got in there, who knows how it's wired.
Sounds like you're getting the full 12v from the (purple?) wire coming up from the starter to the (coil/distributor) but then goes away when you release the key from the 'start' position. So it will kick off when the starter is engaged, but then die when released.
So, just make sure you're getting full 12v power to your coil/distributor with the key in 'run' and in 'start'
Good luck!
Sounds like you're getting the full 12v from the (purple?) wire coming up from the starter to the (coil/distributor) but then goes away when you release the key from the 'start' position. So it will kick off when the starter is engaged, but then die when released.
So, just make sure you're getting full 12v power to your coil/distributor with the key in 'run' and in 'start'
Good luck!
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2017
Posts: 8,336
Likes: 2,810
From: Cool Northern Michigan
Someone,
Get that PCV Valve hose off of the PB Brake booster line! The booster MUST HAVE a dedicated vacuum line from a good vacuum source to the booster,
WITHOUT any other accessories plumbed into it, solo.
You may lose your braking one day.
Get that PCV Valve hose off of the PB Brake booster line! The booster MUST HAVE a dedicated vacuum line from a good vacuum source to the booster,
WITHOUT any other accessories plumbed into it, solo.
You may lose your braking one day.
Race Director
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 13,225
Likes: 7,823
From: Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia
2025 C3 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2024 C3 of the Year Finalist- Modified
2022 C3 of the Year Finalist - Modified
Cruise-In VIII Veteran
keep looking! See the plastic fuel filter bouncing on the front of the engine and the rubber fuel lines? And yes that vacuum line set-up is some kind of wonderful. So, yes, just how is the wiring for the ign. System?
