Hey Not Guilty

[Outnumbered]

So the resistor actually drops the voltage. I see.
BTW, do modules come in 6-packs?
Thanks,
OL

[gnarley]

No 6-packs but I do carry an extra, actually 2 of them that Mallory supplied to me at no charge seeing that when I bought my ignition they had a run of defective modules & I ended up with 4 of them before Mallory figured out that a supplier had sent them diodes that were not up to spec. Needless to say there were several trips on the water that didn't end very happily. Once Mallory found the problem & sent me the updated modules there has not been a hint of an ignition problem.

[Outnumbered]

Hmmm? Maybe I got an old stock distributor with a bad module? How did you find this out and how can I confirm the module is a defective one? I was wondering why CP was back ordered on new modules. BTW, Summit carries them too, a few $ cheaper. Mallory Part #609. I ordered two and Mallory said they will warranty my toasted one, no questions asked. That is customer service.....or maybe CYA for a bad run of modules???
Thanks Gnarley
OL

[gnarley]

I don't know what you mean "Maybe I got an old stock distributor with a bad module" but the 609 sounds like the same part # & I did all my ignition purchasing from Summit, they have way better service & pricing, & actually stock parts. Both Summit & Mallory seemed to have great customer service.

[Outnumbered]

"Old stock" as in: been sitting on the shelf for a while. Maybe I had a defective module from the get go and the ballast resistor (resistor wire) wasn't the problem. I havn't had a chance to test the wire yet. But I know there is not a resistor, as least not in any obvious location.
OL

[Outnumbered]

New Mallory Magnetic distributor is starting to piss me off. Spent today putting in the new module and trouble shooting the ignition. Still no spark with new module. Changed coil--no spark. Checked voltage. About 4 to 6V at "+" side of coil when on (seems low), 9.5 to 10V while cranking. I do have a purple/red resistor wire, checked the OMC manual and verified the wire is there. So I guess that is why it is only 4-6V? I assume the alternator makes up for the voltage once the motor starts. Battery voltage is 12V dead on--a little low from cranking but plenty of power to crank the motor. I put a timing light on to check for spark--nothing. Is this a reliable way to check for spark? Ive got fuel and fuel pressure. Motor does not even try to fire. Just died on me a 4000 RPM on Lake Mead last week. Hasn't ran since.
Any ideas?
Thanks,
OL

[not guilty]

Possible problem with the diode-resistor set up ?
Try taking it out and start it wired up like original.This will not hurt anything as long as you dont trigger the shift interrupter.
If that is the problem make a new assembly .
Also a very important part that I didnt mention on the diodes there is a stripe on one end , that end needs to be on the end closest to the resistors (down line) , double check that if you take it apart. hope that helps NG

[Outnumbered]

Thanks NG. Actually, the distributor came with a diagram just like the one you drew. We got the diodes in right. I built another interupter harness just to be sure--no luck. I tried disconnecting it completely thinking maybe the interupter was stuck on or something, this didn't help.
Checked all the fuses in the harness--good.
I am concerned about the voltage. Is it possible to be too low to fire but high enough to crank normally? Maybe my battery is just not taking enough of a charge? Also, I called mallory and they faxed me a troubleshooting page. It says you should have battery voltage at the NEGATIVE side of the coil with the key on. Is this a typo? Ive only got about 1.5-2V.
I'm ready to put the points distibutor back in at this point.
This really has me stumped.
OL

[gnarley]

OL have you called Mallory's tech line? They are very helpful if you are having trouble determining where the problem is & can shed some light on how the systems works. There is nothing like getting free advice from the guys who build it. their # is 775.882.1622 ask for Dennis

[Outnumbered]

OK, its always the most simple thing that gets you when you least expect...the freekin' roll pin broke in the distributor. I didn't even check to see if the rotor was turning/pointing right. Since its new that was the last thing I would think of. I got the idea to check the pin from searching the boards. Pulled the dist and the gear had spun on the shaft. WTF? Why would this happed. Oil pump drive is not seized. Apparently Mallorys are known for this--several members have had similar problems. But still--what would cause that to happen? I will put in a harder pin and let you know.
OL