Electronic ignition • The Dodge Challenger Message Board

by **Rod Merten (Ragtop71)** » 07 Jul 2002 15:55

My Challenger has an electronic conversion, similar to the one sold by Year One. On the block on the inside fender, there are several wires that attach. One of them is green with a red tracer, and I can't see where it was supposed to go. Can any one help?

by **Dave-R (Roppa440)** » 07 Jul 2002 17:23

Without knowing what you have there I need to know the following to help you. Unless someone out there has a similar system and knows what you are talking about??

This a points type distributor with an electronic conversion? Or a replacement electronic distributor?

What block on the inner fender? What does it do?

Where do the other wires go?

Do you not have a wiring diagram for it?

by **Rod Merten (Ragtop71)** » 07 Jul 2002 20:50

My guess is that this is an electronic distributor that was part of a kit. There are two numbers on the control unit on the fender well 4120505 and 3470 as well as a Penstar emblem. Five wires come from the unit. Two go to the distributor, one goes to the ignition ballast, one goes to the coil, and then there is the mysterious green wire with a red tracer. The car has been partially disassembled and I have no wiring diagrams other than those in the manuals.
There is a picture of almost the exact thing in an older (2000) Year One catalog part #FD1246. It is listed as an electronic conversion kit. Hope this helps.

by **Dave-R (Roppa440)** » 07 Jul 2002 21:57

That is just a standard Chrysler electronic ignition man!

In this same section of this message board there is a thread called "Electronic Ignitions". Go find it and look at the diagrams. The wire you have is possibly the earth wire. The diagrams show you what is connected where.

by **Rod Merten (Ragtop71)** » 08 Jul 2002 3:52

Thanks for the help. How can I find out if this original equiptment or a conversion?

by **Dave-R (Roppa440)** » 08 Jul 2002 7:36

On a 71 Challenger? Not original equipment. Too early. It is common to find that a later electronic ignition has been fitted to your Mopar because the points system is so bad.

by **Joe (Rigdonj)** » 08 Jul 2002 21:29

Q: Is this a Chrysler system?

A: Probably. Does it have the dual ballast resister with four terminals and does it use the standard Chrysler ignition module? If both answers are yes then it's almost certainly a Chrysler system.

Q: One of them is green with a red tracer, and I can't see where it was supposed to go.

A:If this is a Chrysler unit (and it sounds like it is) then the Green/Red wire runs from the top most terminal on the control module* to the #2 (top right) terminal on the dual ballast resister.

*Looking at it with the plug on the RH side and the heat sink on the LH side.

Let me know if you need more help. I installed a number of the conversion systems and I've been running one of them in my Challenger for almost 25 years! I also have the original kit instructions as well as the (Mopar) Direct Connection Racing Manuals including the one on electronic ignition systems.

Comment: Dave said: It is common to find that a later electronic ignition has been fitted to your Mopar because the points system is so bad.

The points system in the Mopars wasn't bad by any means. In fact, it was one of the better OEM systems. However the electronic systems still beat it hands down. No more points pitting, no more worn distributor bushings due to side loads caused by the points, no more timing variations due to worn rubbing blocks on the points, etc etc. The original system wasn't bad but the electronic system is GREAT IMO.

by **Dave-R (Roppa440)** » 09 Jul 2002 17:59

Thanks for that Joe.

I have a pet hate of points systems in general. I hate them all. I did not mean that the Chrysler system was worse than others. Quite the opposite as you say.

I had forgotten that the wire was used in the stock system with a dual ballast resistor. This is what comes of replying to questions when I am at work without any reference material!

I just want to make clear that what you say above only holds true if this is a stock system taken from another car and fitted (with ballast resistor) to this car.

If it has a single ballast resistor like the upgrade kits then the green wire is not used as I said.

by **Joe (Rigdonj)** » 09 Jul 2002 18:10

You're welcome.

"If it has a single ballast resistor like the upgrade kits then the green wire is not used as I said."

All of the electronic ignition conversion kits came with a dual resistor to replace the stock single resistor IIRC but I haven't worked on one in a LONG time.

"I have a pet hate of points systems in general. I hate them all. I did not mean that the Chrysler system was worse than others. Quite the opposite as you say."

The thing that I always hated about them was trying to set the points gap and opening the points and getting hit by that inductive kick (yes, even in the primary side). It hurt!

by **Dave-R (Roppa440)** » 09 Jul 2002 18:15

As far as i know the Mopar Performance Kits (and Direct Connection before that) have come with a single ballast resistor since at least the late 1980s. I don't know about before that!

by **Joe (Rigdonj)** » 09 Jul 2002 18:34

"As far as i know the Mopar Performance Kits (and Direct Connection before that) have come with a single ballast resistor since at least the late 1980s."

Ah! No wonder I wasn't aware of it. I've done very little work with any of that stuff since the early 80s. All the docs and manuals that I have date from about 1970 to about 1980 so the later systems aren't even shown in my books. FWIW I haven't worked with any of the Chryslers except the A, B, C and E bodies (except for the 1950 Plymouth that I used own).