The Dodge Challenger Message Board

I experienced a problem with my challenger yesterday. It was a nice sunny day so I went out for a cruise around the lake, about a 10 mile trip. All seemed to be fine then the engine just lost all power and died. I coasted into a parking lot and almost made it into a parking stall as the car rolled to a stop. Then the engine would only start for a few seconds after lots of cranking and die immediately before I could even pop it into gear. I got out and pulled off the air cleaner lid to see if there was any fuel squirting from the accelerator nozzles, O.K. there. Temperature was normal.

I was just about to open up the trunk to get the tools etc. when my wife called on the cell and said, "dinners almost ready, where are you?" I was only about mile away, so she picked me up. After a quick dinner, (it's really a test of patience to listen to small talk and eat when your car is down the street "Dead".

Back to the challenger I went. It had been sitting for almost an hour. The car started and ran smoothly all the way home.

Could it be one of my ignition components going bad? I once had a chev years ago that did something like this. I replaced the coil and it was fine.
Got any past experiances that may help me out?

Steve,


I have a electronic distributer conversion kit, new in the box if you are interested. My crate motor came with 2!

Todd

Buy a coil, and you are done!

If you already have the conversion kit, I have experienced the same problem and it ended being the MP orange control box not once but twice in three years.

A simple bad connection can cause the same thing. Check the bulkhead connectors, ballast resistor connections etc.

moparmaniac wrote:If you already have the conversion kit, I have experienced the same problem and it ended being the MP orange control box not once but twice in three years.

I used to have a similar kind of problem on my daily driver. I have solved it through always having an ignition module with me. I have done this precaution because I hate to stand without a working car and with no spare parts to fix it!!!! This has saved me once when I was on holiday in Denmark. Guess if I was happy that I had brought this spare part with me!!!!!!!
(The ignition module have a tendency to break if you use worn ignition cables according to a catalog.)

I wonder why the MP orange control box gets damaged so quick. Can it have something to do with bad/under-dimensioned ignition cables? Or is it due to a mis-match with high voltage ignition coils and a wrongly dimensioned resistor? Or is the simple answer that the MP coil isn´t though enough?

I always kept a spare orange box but in the 14 years since I first fitted electronic ignition to my 1970 Chally it has never failed.

So after hanging on to the spare for years and never giving it away the last time someone was asking for one (was it Roger?) I let him have it.

What's the betting the next time I am hundreds of miles away from home the damn thing will pack in?

you are a brave man, Dave. I wouldn´t have dared...

Guys,

Thanks for your quick responces.

3 years ago I also purchased the MP electronic ignition conversion kit.

I spoke to my buddy at the local Dodge Dealership, he also suspects the problem could be resistor or ECU module. Another possibility is the Pickup module in distributor.

I will be replaceing the balast resistor & pickup module before I take the car out again. I am also taking my spare ECU (orange box) along for the ride.

Wish me luck!

Don't forget to check that darn bulkhead connector.

Thanks Dave,

I will certainly be sure to check that darn bulkhead connector also.

SteveO wrote: Wish me luck!

Good luck, Steve!!!