1974 Valiant Ignition Problem

I have a 1974 Valiant and it cranks over but stops straight away. I replaced the ballast resistor and it still won't work. If I connect a wire directly from the battery to the coil, the car will start fine and stay started but once I take the wire off it shuts off again. Anyone have an ideas or suggestions?

Posted by valiantman - 11-19-2004 at 01:31 AMI have a 1974 Valiant and it cranks over but stops straight away. I replaced the ballast resistor and it still won't work. If I connect a wire directly from the battery to the coil, the car will start fine and stay started but once I take the wire off it shuts off again. Anyone have an ideas or suggestions?

Let me get this straight. It sounds like, in other words your Hot wiring the car. Running a wire from the positive side of the battery directly to the positive side of the coil is in essence Hot wiring the car. It seems like you have answered your own questions.

I would chance to take a guess at either ignition wire (one your by passing) that goes to the coil being bad. Or the coil itself might be bad.

I would start there and check both. Good luck.