dave123
New member
I have a 75 cj-5 with the 304. It came with a prestolite ignition. I upgraded it to the team rush, which uses the following parts:
79 AMC distributer from a 304
88 ford cap, cap adapter, rotor, wires
79 GM ignition module.
See picture (copied from teamrush.com)
Originally, I used the prestolite wiring. It started and seemed to run fine. I let it run about 15 minutes. Then I got a case of "do it right" and I took out the prestolite wires (35 years old and corroded) and went with the custom wiring. Now, after about 2 minuts of driving, the engine starts sputtering and eventually dies. The module heat sink gets SUPER hot. I have replaced the module and tested the coil, no luck. I have double checked the wiring for problems, it all looks good. I'm stumped. Other facts:
1. the only wires I have are the 5 from the module (1 fender ground, 2 to coil, 2 to dist.) I see a ground on MSD part #8862. I assumed it went nowhere and was not needed. Am I wrong?
2. I assumed dist. was self grounding, do I need a ground there?
3. I ran all the wires (except the ground) next to each other, do I have to separate them?
4. I used 14 gauge wire throughout, ok?
5. I notice a (very) little jumping in my factory voltmeter that I do not remember seeing before, could this be related?
6. Does it matter exactly where I splice my hot to the coil into the hot from the ignition and the voltage regulator? I just have them all hooked together.
Something happened between when it ran fine with the prestolite and when I decided to "do it better" and gut the existing wires and go custom, but for the life of me, I can't figure out what it was
Could there have been something that was in the original wires that I removed without realizing?
If anyone can solve this, you will be on my Christmas Card list forever! I'm going crazy.
thanx
79 AMC distributer from a 304
88 ford cap, cap adapter, rotor, wires
79 GM ignition module.
See picture (copied from teamrush.com)
Originally, I used the prestolite wiring. It started and seemed to run fine. I let it run about 15 minutes. Then I got a case of "do it right" and I took out the prestolite wires (35 years old and corroded) and went with the custom wiring. Now, after about 2 minuts of driving, the engine starts sputtering and eventually dies. The module heat sink gets SUPER hot. I have replaced the module and tested the coil, no luck. I have double checked the wiring for problems, it all looks good. I'm stumped. Other facts:
1. the only wires I have are the 5 from the module (1 fender ground, 2 to coil, 2 to dist.) I see a ground on MSD part #8862. I assumed it went nowhere and was not needed. Am I wrong?
2. I assumed dist. was self grounding, do I need a ground there?
3. I ran all the wires (except the ground) next to each other, do I have to separate them?
4. I used 14 gauge wire throughout, ok?
5. I notice a (very) little jumping in my factory voltmeter that I do not remember seeing before, could this be related?
6. Does it matter exactly where I splice my hot to the coil into the hot from the ignition and the voltage regulator? I just have them all hooked together.
Something happened between when it ran fine with the prestolite and when I decided to "do it better" and gut the existing wires and go custom, but for the life of me, I can't figure out what it was
Could there have been something that was in the original wires that I removed without realizing?
If anyone can solve this, you will be on my Christmas Card list forever! I'm going crazy.
thanx
