HELP! No start

[usraptor]

1970 Cuda 440 512 stroker, (4-speed) converted to electronic ignition with orange ECM box.  Yesterday engine started with no problems.  Today it turns over but will not start even with stating fluid.  Checked the resistor on the firewall and had power to both sides.  Checked the coil and had power to both sides with the ignition turned on.  Disconnected the coil wire at the dist cap and grounded the coil wire while cranking the engine and no spark.  Bought new Napa coil, installed and still no spark from coil wire when grounded??!!    Car has new Taylor spark plug wires, new plugs and new resistor and now another new coil.  Less than an hour run time on whole system.  I'm stumped.  Any ideas why I'm not getting spark out of the coil wire, even with a brand new coil.  If it was a point type ignition system I would say it was definitely the coil, but I don't understand these electronic ignition systems enough to determine if  something else in the system is causing the no spark issue.
This is really frustrating as today was the day we were going to drive the Cuda up and down the driveway (long driveway) and see it move under it's own power since 1983!   

[RUNCHARGER]

Just guessing from here but your ECU is probably NG.

[Cuda Cody]

Get your feeler gauge out.  Take the cap off the distributor and see what gap your running.  The last couple distributors I've opened up right out of the box had settings of .020.  The only way I know this is I had a car do the same thing yours is.  It ran one day then nothing the next day.  That's when I found the new distributors were coming with way to wide of settings.  They need to be .008 to .010. 

It's a small screw under the cap that is used to set the gap.  You can do it all in the car with the distributor install.  Just take the cap off.  Let me know if you need a photo.

[Cuda Cody]

Just re-read it and see you are not even getting spark to the distributor.  Still might be good to check your gap setting.

Sounds like a bad coil.   

[usraptor]

Cody, I reset the gap to .008 a few months ago.  I'll check to make sure it didn't change, but I doubt it.  Like I said, yesterday it started no problem.  Turned it off and today it cranks but doesn't fire, even with starting fluid.  I have been disconnecting the battery and re-connecting each day.  Don't know if that would cause something to fail.  I didn't get any spark at the battery when I re-attached the ground wire to the battery  this am, so I don't see an issue there, but could be wrong.  Otherwise nothing has changed since yesterday.  Cody, I bought and installed a brand new coil and still no spark. I read on another post re a no start issue where the Dist pick up died.  If that happened would that cause a no spark issue from the coil?  Really at a loss here.  Borrowed my son's meter and I'm going to check the coil wire for continuity to make sure it's okay, but it's new so I doubt that is the issue.  Any other ideas guys? 

[dodj]

Orange boxes are infamous for failure, but ensure it has a good ground. It can't fire the coil if it is not grounded well.  How about the connector on the pass side valve cover. All connections good?

[usraptor]

Okay, just checked the ballast resistor on the firewall and it has no continuity from post to post.  The meter shows triple 0s.  Is that good or bad?

[dodj]

No continuity is bad.

0.00 ohms would be bad too. It would burn up your coil - but it would start though.

Zero's on the ohms scale generally means a short circuit. Touch the two leads of the meter together. What does it read?

[usraptor]

When we touch the leads together it reads briefly and then settles to .01 or .00.  Also, checked the continuity across the coil and and it also read triple 's 0s.  I checked for voltage between the negative post on the battery and the firewall and there was none so I assume I have a good ground between the engine and frame.
Per another post we disconnected the plug that goes to the dist and checked for pulsing on the wire that comes from the ECU while cranking the engine.  The meter would sweep, but not pulse.  Then we did the same on the connection that goes to the dist and it didn't pulse or sweep  but while cranking the engine it coughed.  We re-connected the plug and the engine fired right up.      Have no idea what made the difference but it now starts fine again.       Just wish it would have started before I spent $36 on a new coil.  Well at least now I have a spare.  Thanks everybody for the suggestions.  It's very much appreciated.    I'll let you know if I have any more issues. 

[usraptor]

Orange boxes are infamous for failure, but ensure it has a good ground. It can't fire the coil if it is not grounded well.  How about the connector on the pass side valve cover. All connections good?

For future reference what connection are you referring to on the valve cover.  I don't have a connection between the ECU and valve cover. 

[dodj]

There is an eight wire connector on the pass valve cover of my car connecting the alt, coil, etc to the firewall harness.

[usraptor]

I'm not aware of anything like that on mine.  If you get a chance can you take a picture and post it please. 

[dodj]

We re-connected the plug and the engine fired right up.      Have no idea what made the difference but it now starts fine again.   

Makes me think it was flooded, or ground issue....but if I was going to put money on it........grounds.

[usraptor]

I agree. Definitely wasn't flooded.  But I'd sure like to know what ground is/was loose. 

[RUNCHARGER]

I've had ECU's warn me like that before they leave me stranded, MP Orange boxes. FWIW.