[Nebraskaorville]

Well here are some pics of the bulkhead connector. This cant be the culprit, though i will clean it up. I've got a bad component somewhere i'm missing. A friend suggested the ignition switch? Please universe don't let it be the ignition switch!

 

[Nebraskaorville]

Well guys it must have been the bulkhead connector- i cleaned everything with elec parts cleaner and loaded them with dielectric grease.

She runs like a dream...and now i have a great stash of spare ignition parts!

 

[68RT]

Glad to hear. Sometimes looks mean nothing. Especially battery terminals. Think of how long those contacts have been sitting in one position and that area does not vibrate much.

 

[dana44]

Good to hear.

 

[Scrounge]

Please define "power lead"?

The power lead is the wire that goes through the distributor housing. On older vehicles, one end would connect to the points; not sure what it connects to in electronic ignitions. I think the other end goes to the coil. Apparently, that wasn't the problem. Good to read your Valiant is running again.

 

[Nebraskaorville]

Glad to hear. Sometimes looks mean nothing. Especially battery terminals. Think of how long those contacts have been sitting in one position and that area does not vibrate much.

Well thats the thing - ive had them off several times - just never cleaned them!

 

[68RT]

Well thats the thing - ive had them off several times - just never cleaned them!

Battery terminals can get a oxide coating that looks good but will create resistance. About 1958, GM introduced the spring loaded end .Easy to install and remove (until the tangs broke or corroded) but were notorious for leaving owners stranded. Just pulling, cleaning the post and inside of the end clamp would allow them to get back underway. Usually without even a jump.

 

[Nebraskaorville]

Hey Guys,
Is this a sway bar or what is its actual name so I can order bushings? Runs from lower control arm to subframe.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Bob Lincoln]

I would call it a control arm link. It's not a sway bar. You want to order control arm bushings.

 

[valiant67]

Strut rod is what the bar is commonly called.
Sway bars were somewhat uncommon on the A body cars.
For example (no idea on the vendor, just picked this one from a Google search), no idea if you want rubber or poly though I've read rubber might be better here:
1963-74 Mopar A-body, B-body or E-body, FRONT STRUT ROD BUSHINGS KIT (POLY) (at https://www.performanceonline.com/1963-74-Mopar-A-body-B-body-or-E-body-FRONT-STRUT-ROD-BUSHINGS-KIT-POLY/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIwtSX0-GQ3gIVksBkCh0QnQyKEAQYASABEgKwZvD_BwE )

 

[Nebraskaorville]

Haynes says strut rod! Ordering parts tonight. Thanks guys!

Hey check this out: 1971 TV movie by Steven Speilberg featuring a red "Valiant De Luxe" - basically my car!!

Spoiler alert - it gets wrecked, but so much Valiant camera time!

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i2tlK2cWWGs

 

[Bob Lincoln]

Duel - great movie, seen it several times. Dennis Weaver was a great actor.

 

[Nebraskaorville]

Hey guys- have a Q.
Dropped another ballast resistor recently and in troubleshooting and trying to understand really why it is there, i came along the linked article.

Ballast Resistor Guide - Ballast Blast-Off - Mopar Muscle Magazine (at https://www.hotrod.com/articles/mopp-1110-ballast-resistor-guide-ballast-blast-off/ )

It seems to imply that the resistor is bypassed during starting to provide a hotter spark. My questions follow.

If the resistor is bypassed during starting, why won't the car start with a bad resistor?
I had no fire from the coil during cranking until I replaced the resistor.

My car is converted to the standard over-the-counter Mopar electronic ignition kit with the two wire resistor. If the only function of the resistor is to extend coil/points life, then can I run a 6v coil or other heavy duty coil and bypass the resistor entirely? Do I risk frying anything else if I run the system at full voltage all the time?

Finally- I've also read that the ammeter in the dash can be a cause of some electrical woes- can I just bypass that thing as well? Mine works. I don't mind not knowing where I'm at between -40 and +40 amps...especially if that gauge is a weak point in the circuit.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Nebraskaorville]

...If the only function of the resistor is to extend coil/points life, then can I run a 6v coil or other heavy duty coil and bypass the resistor entirely? Do I risk frying anything else if I run the system at full voltage all the time?"

Thought I was confusing current and voltage but a resistor does both.

"if you keep the resistance constant, current through is proportional to the voltage across; if you keep the voltage across constant, current through is inversely proportional to the resistance."

So- I guess the question is to what degree does a stock ballast resistor impede current, and is the wiring harness (at least that part that the resistor affects) prepared to handle the increased amperage in its absence?

 

[68RT]

When cranking, battery voltage drops and the actual voltage at the coil remains the same by bypassing the resistor. If it will not start with a bad resistor, the bypass circuit is not working.

 

[dana44]

Not sure about the ballast resistor stuff, but would assume that if the resistor was bad, it breaks the path of electricity to travel to the distributor in order to start. The ballast resistor reduces the voltage down to 9v for the hall effect, that's all.
As far as the amp gauge goes, the weak link in them is the insulation wears out and short circuits. So, if it is giving you a problem, or, being as old as it is, with the battery disconnected, a large red wire (10 or 12 gauge) runs from the starter selonoid through the bulkhead connector (they can corrode and become weak at this point), then directly to the amp gauge with a brass nut on a stud, then the same thing on the other side to the fuse block for direct power (with and without fuses). At the gauge itself, it is metal, the studs have a phenolic (I believe) piece of insulation, which wears out over time and the red wire grounds to the gauge, thus the body, and shorts out the electrical system throughout the car. Replacement of the phenolic material with new non-metallic washers fixes the problem. If you still don't want to do that, simply take the two red wires, and use a small bolt in the two eyelet connectors together (so as not to cut the ends and solder them together), and then wrap with electrical tape (I prefer the cloth tape type, it doesn't get sticky over time) and the amp gauge will be bypassed.

 

[68RT]

There are two paths to the coil. Standard is through the ignition switch routed through the ballast resistor to the coil giving approximately 9V. The other is through the starter solenoid side direct to the coil. Because the battery drops to approximately 9V when cranking, you have the same spark level. That is why you have one wire connecting to the in side of the resistor and two wired on the coil side.

 

[Nebraskaorville]

Hey guys,
Does anyone know if there is a good over-the-counter match for my GF7/F7 Sherwood Green Metallic paint? All i need is enough to do the drivers side doors. I can get it online but its $50 for a 12oz rattle can! Bound to be a decent match out there somewhere.

Also - i tried to upload files but i keep getting errors - they're little - under 150k. Server issue?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Bob Lincoln]

$26.95 at www.paintscratch.com

 

[Scrounge]

Most parts stores stock touch-up paint. Your color code might be hard to find, but if a local store has it, it should be closer to about $10 or $15 for a very small amount. Local paint shops used to mix colors to match. Years ago, one made me a pint for the saddle bronze metallic on my '69 Satellite. Don't know if they'd do so any more, or if they still have the formula for your code. Ask for an estimate first, and the minimum amount that they'd mix.

I think that uploading pics here involves a third party site, like photobucket.