[ftwopointeight]

This week I purchased a "non-running" 1984 Dodge D150 with the 3.7 Slant 6 / 4-speed from a family friend, was told that it was running fine then stop firing. It has the module in the air cleaner, 12-wire and 10 wire connectors.
Coil is not firing, single pickup w/o vacuum distributor looks fine, power to coil, no pulse single (it appears)

What I would like: I'd like to take the system out and put in a regular fender-mounted control module, ballast resistor, vacuum advance distributor like I have on my 360-powered 1972 Dodge Dart.... Even an HEI, I dont care as long as it fires. I see "HEI kits" but all are for V8 models.
What I'm asking: I know its been done, I searched this and other forums, but I dont know how to do it and YouTube is full of V8's with the same problem and cure.
What I have: Time and no real electrical experience. I can change a light bulb and use a multi-meter.

What I'm asking, II: Can someone give me part numbers, part descriptions, links to parts, links to videos, links to other forums, links to someone who can help?

I appreciate any help.

What I've done thus far:

1. I have put new battery terminals on.
2. I have put a new battery in.
3. I have checked all fuses.
4. I have pulled the coil wire and turned engine over (no spark from coil)
   
5. I have checked the coil (1.9 ohms post to post, 9.9k ohms from center to post (coil appears good))
6. I went and borrowed two of the air cleaner mounted modules (on loan, didnt buy them, for test purposes only) from a local garage that use to be a Dodge dealership, though they are slightly different in shape than mine (maybe V8, I dont know) there was still no fire from coil.
7. I observed that the single pickup is kind of dirty, the reluctor is not terrible, the rotor button was a little arced (fixed) plug wires were good, plugs were good (cleaned anyways)
8. Because the single pickup with dirty, I took another distributor and plugged it into the two-wire lead and spun it by hand. Key was on, and then key was on with motor spinning. No fire from the coil.
   
   Be safe. Thanks in advance.

 

[Adventurer55]

Check the ballast resistor first.

 

[valiant67]

There probably is no ballast resistor in the stock system. You need either a complete electronic ignition kit plus a carb or the individual pieces ( wiring harness, module, distributor, ballast) from a junkyard or for something like a 1973 slant 6 (same for the carb). It will all wire in just like the V8 instructions.

 

[prowler]

You know when it comes to lean burn there wasn't what you'd call interchangeability. You have to replace the ecm with an exact, "for the year and model". If you have no spark from the coil it would make sense that the control module is bad. I would assume that you pulled the coil wire and had someone crank the engine while your holding it close to something it could spark off of. Make sure both + and - coil wires aren't fraid or broke at the crimped ends. I had that happen on my car and didn't notice it. There was only a few strands of the copper wire(don't remember which one) that once I cut and re-spliced made all the difference in the world.

 

[dana44]

Agree, the carb has to be replaced, too, since the existing carb is computer controlled, no ability to adjust it. Verify you have power to the coil itself, swap coil if you have one available. Wiring does become an issue with the age of these engines and harnesses, breaks and oil contaminating connections is a biggie. I believe you can run a wire from the positive of the battery to the positive of the coil to bypass the rest of the wiring to check the coil is good and verify it is wiring, not coil, that is faulty.