Help!! No juice

[Bullitt-]

Only thing that may have been missed is if you checked voltage to coil with the switch in the start position... Power runs through a differed wire Brown than in the run position Blue 

[usraptor]

I just checked the ohms reading on the ballast resistor.  It registered right at 2 ohms.  Also, cranked the engine over with the ignition on and checked the volts at both the + and - side of the coil while cranking.  It registered about 8.5 volts while cranking on both sides.  Unplugged the magnetic pickup plug and it still just registers .5 volts, even while cranking with the ignition on.  Still haven't swapped the ECM as that's takes a little longer to unbolt from the firewall, etc. Also, unplugged coil wire from center of dizzy and grounded on engine with ignition on and cranking engine and got not spark whatsoever out of the coil wire.  Bad coil or ECM?

[Bullitt-]

easy enough to test the coil
http://classicmechanic.blogspot.com/2011/05/testing-and-ignition-coil.html

[usraptor]

Thanks Bullitt.  My buddy just left.  I'll check the coil in the morning.  I do have a question though.  Is the Electronic Voltage regulator supposed to be wired into the Start/run wires coming off the ballast resistor and ECM?  I mean it's been wired this way for three years and for the most part always started and ran fine so I don't see why after three years it would suddenly make a difference.  Just thinking out loud.  My buddy and I looked at various diagrams of the ECM, ballast resistor, coil wiring and didn't see the electronic voltage regulator in any of the wiring diagrams but I must have seen it wired into the circuit three years ago when I installed it or I wouldn't have done it??? Once again, just for grins we pulled the coil wire out of the center of the dizzy, put it next to a ground and cranked the engine.  Still no spark.  I'll check the coil per Bullitt's instructions tomorrow and if it shows good I'll install the old ECM tomorrow to see if that makes a difference.   With the ignition on is both the + and - side of the coil supposed to be hot in the run position, but not cranking?   If the coils good and the spare ECM doesn't make a difference any other ideas?  Thanks again for the help and suggestions.  I hate electrical issues!!  I thought I put all this behind me when I converted to the electronic ignition. 
 

[DeathProofCuda]

According to the Ehrenberg troubleshooting article, you should have within 0.5 volts of the battery voltage when checking cranking voltage at the + side of the coil.  I have another Chrysler Master Techs Service Book that says it should be at least 9.5 volts.  Either way, you said you only had 8.5 volts during a cranking voltage test, which would indicate an issue in the wiring to the primary side of the coil.

Did you try the "meatball surgery" tip suggested by Ehrenberg?  Run a test lead between the + side of the coil to the + side of the battery.  You'll be bypassing all of the primary wiring this way and providing battery voltage directly to the + side of the coil.  If your problem is in the primary side wiring, the car should now start, but you don't want to run it very long it this configuration.  At least you'll have confirmed that the problem is not with the ECM or distributor.  If the car won't start with this test lead in place, then my money says the ECM is bad.  Swap in your spare to confirm.

[MoparLeo]

Electrical 101 especially on new cars with a lot of electrical components is to have a fully charged battery.
Don't even try to diagnose an electrical issue with a weak or discharged battery.
Charge it outside of the car and slow charge it. Maybe 2 amps for 8 hours.
Charging a battery is like cooking a steak. If you just throw it on a very hot grill, only the surface gets cooked. If you cook it at a lower temperature for a longer time, it will get completely cooked all the way through.
Low and slow...
Quick ballast check is to just use a jumper on the connections, if it is bad the car will start.
Most common problem with electrical is poor grounds. Always check all your grounds.
Never assume just because an electrical components is new that it is good. Nothing man made is without defects...
ECU''s are cheap and you should carry an extra in your car.
  Here is an excellent video on Mopar electronic ignition trouble shooting. Very easy to understand. Well explained.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tVja7UctgIw

[chargerdon]

Use multimeter on the coil positive post while cranking.   Should be around 8 or higher.  If that is good then swap out that ECU with another...it probably has gone bad. 

[Bullitt-]

Same Blue wire goes to the voltage regulator that feeds the ballast resistor so it sounds like your wired correctly. 
.
If the coil checks good the next logical step is to swap out the ECU I suppose.

You have mentioned ECU plug issues a couple of times and problems with that connection ..
Do you have the long course screw that secures the plug?

[usraptor]

I went though all the diagnostic tests that everybody suggested and watched the you tube video suggested by Mopar Leo and everything checked out okay.  So I swapped in my spare ECM (I know I should have done that first but since it was essentially brand new I just didn't think that was the problem) and the engine fired on the very first try.         So it looks like I'll be buying a spare ECM to keep in the car along with a spare ballast resistor just in case. I can't thank everybody enough for you willingness to help and give me help and suggestions without making me feel stupid.    That's why this forum is the best E-body forum in the world!    Until I need your expertise and help again; and I'll do my best to reciprocate whenever I have enough knowledge on a topic to help.
Thanks again
Brad

PS to Bullitt, still looking through my stock pile of screws to find one long enough screw to secure the plug to the ECM.  If I can't find one I'm sure the hardware store has one. Thanks again! 

[DeathProofCuda]

Glad that you got it figured out and thanks for reporting back!