Left the key on overnight...... no start now.

I left the ignition on overnight by accident. killed the battery. i charged it back up now i have now spark. replaced the coil, still nothing. This is a 1974 AMC 232. it is not a "points" system and i have no idea what to check next. Any and all advice appreciated. Thanks, Geoffrey,

 

Well, a '74 came with points from the factory. 1975 was the first year for breakerless ignition for AMC/Jeep. You'll need to gieve a better description of the type of ignition, or some pictures.

 

starter spinning? got fuel?

 

burned down the ignition coil.

 

If ignition was changed to some type of electronic , then the module may be toast. Just a guess, don't know what you have.

 

It doesn't appear to have points, i'll post a picture tomorrow, starter spins, everything is as normal except the fact that there is no spark.

 

burned down the coil...Oh I said that already.

 

I already replaced the coil today, i posted that in the description of the problem.

 

Welp then i have nothing. I should have collected all the coils i burned out from leaving the ignition switch on. I'd have a wall full..


But that's really not a accomplishment.

 

Thats about where i'm at! haha, its really a stupid mistake, i'll learn my lesson to double check i have my keys after doing it a couple more times i'm sure.

 

Is the ignition the old Stinger Electronic ignition? If so they had a tendency to burn up if they were left on.

Lets see under the cap?

 

Yes. Need pic of under the rotor. And of any module on the fender.

I'd probably put it back to points ignition for now - unless it really has the 1975 Prestolite stuff.

 

Here's what it's got.

 

Prestolite "Breakerless Inductive Discharge" (BID) system. The plastic vacuum canister gives it away.

I question whether this engine is really a '74. Recall that the '75 model year starts in mid-late summer of 1974, so a '74 production date doesn't necessarily mean it's a '74 engine.

My advice is to not spend any money on the BID stuff. Junk it and go with a points distributor, or upgrade to the 1978 and later Motorcraft Duraspark ignition. The BID stuff is both an oddball in the way it works, and terribly unreliable. The BID was trouble when it was brand new, in 1975 - and now it's old too. Replacement parts are very limited. Looks like the vacuum nipple is broken off of the advance can too - there's no way to fix that other than to buy a reman distributor.

Lots about this on the net.

 

do i just buy one of these and put it in there?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/AMC-JEEP-23...Parts_Accessories&hash=item565b185aba&vxp=mtr

Also, what would go wrong with the current distributor to cause it to fail from leaving the key on?

 

Yes . Or do as Tim said. Read post 5. Good luck.

 

I have one like that in a 258. Love it. Get the one that comes with the wires.

 

"what would go wrong with the current distributor to cause it to fail from leaving the key on?"

The Perversity Of Inanimate Objects. It's a universal law.

 

I'm not a big fan of the HEI. Some people like them and report good results. There are a lot of horror stories out there about cheap Chinese HEIs chewing up the drive gear on V8s. Maybe that's not such a big problem with the sixes.

The '78 and newer Duraspark also drops in to replace the Prestolite. That's what I have on my CJ-6. But it needs a compatible external module too.

The module (not the distributor itself) is probably toast from being powered up and not switching for so long. The sense coil in the distributor could also be open or shorted. Read section 3 of the '76 manual at http://oljeep.com/edge_76_tsm.html - go to page 3-42 and look at the diagnostic chart. Since this is a chart meant for the dealership mechanics, they expect you to have the fancy AMC factory checker for the module. You don't have that, so check everything on the chart that will cause no-start except for the module. If none of those steps fix the problem, then get another module. Note the module is $35 at RockAuto (though there are some cheaper prices listed on closeout now) and you can buy a reman '78 Duraspark or '73 Delco points distributor for about $50. I would not spend any money on a Prestolite system... but you can fix it if you want to.

<-- Prestolite ignition control module


Actually the Delco points distributor from a '73 CJ is $41 on RockAuto, with a cap and rotor. Get the points distributor and run it - that will be your cheapest way out. Get a ballast resistor too - the ballast resistor from a '70s Dodge works fine. Turn in that POJ Prestolite as your core.