Ready to pull my damn hair out. Been working on problem for over a month.

[Joseph Villalobos]

I have a 18' 74 Dodge Sportsman Brougham.. I have the following info on it

Year: 1974
Make: Dodge
Model: F30
Vin No: F34BF7V050865
T.O.N.: NZ261424
MAX GVW: 09000

In short, it is a 18' 74 Dodge Sportsman Brougham.

I can't seem to find a engine or electrical manual on it. Can anyone help?

I'm getting no power to the IGNITION SWITCH from the BATTERY, nor can I jump it from the BATTERY to the IGNITION COIL.

I have replaced the following.

*IGNITION SWITCH (twice, because the first new one was faulty)

*IGNITION COIL (Replace 3 times. 1st 2 I burned out trying to jump it. Bypassing BALLAST RESISTOR not good. lol 3rd IGNITION COIL is a high performance one. I don't try jumping it anymore.)

*ELECTRONIC IGNITION (twice because I accidently fried the first on. Prior to the fry I could hot jump it from BATTERY to the IGNITION COIL. Now nothing.)

*ELECTRONIC IGNITION HARNESS PLUG (I replaced this after frying the first EI)

*STARTER RELAY

*BALLAST RESISTOR

*VOLTAGE REGULATOR

*PICKUP ASSEMBALLY

*BATTERY CABLES & WIRES (Both from the BATTERY to the STARTER RELAY & RELAY to the STARTER)

*FUSE BOX & FUSES

*WIRES (Both HOT & GROUND WIRE where ever I found them)

Other stuff I did/replaced just prior to problem.

*ALTERNATOR
*SPARK PLUGS
*OIL & OIL FILTER
*FUEL FILTER

Bwfore you ask why I changed all this stuff, because I had different so call mechanics telling me to. Once in I saw no reason not to leave them in. Replacing all the really bad look parts couldn't hurt. lol

[Joseph Villalobos]

I should add that I can't seem to trace the hot wire from the IGNITION SWITCH back to the BATTERY or STARTER RELAY.

[Tony durfey]

We got a factory manual with wiring diagram from these folks and it has helped a lot. http://www.faxonautoliterature.com/Default.aspx  Hope this helps, Tony, Joy and Cool Paw Luke

[Rick Stafford]

Hi joseph,  I hope you get the problem found and hopefully you will get a diagram. I once ran into this with a Dodge car that a friend of mine had. being I was the guy they all came runng to with electrical problems witheir house or car he tows it to my house. Of corse they always think that ol rick can always figure things out no problem (NOT) lol. Anyway this car had the same problem. after two days and no wiring diagram I did find the problem. I had the dash instrument out as well as all the other stuff. . Turns out there was a break in the line going to the switch. Sometime they have those ":fuseable links" in the wire. which I hate. Any way I had to runn a new wire and all was well. thic car had no power to the dash. No guages or lights etc. most likely it is something very simple but sometime major to find. I don't know if i understood your post clearly but I would get the ohm meter and start from the battery wire frome the switch and follow tthat wire as far as you can then check the continunty. Or even if you show good  run a new wire as a test from the start. Check for 12volt along the way.     The reason i say get a new wire sounds crazy but sometimes things do not make sence.    Example I have a Chex Astro van and the backup lights quick. I tesed the switch and was good. I checked the wire from the switch to the lights and showed full continunity on the meter. I ran a wire from the switch to the lights and they worked. Even though the orignal showed no breaks in the line by the meter it would not work. (I gave up trying to figure that one out) I run a new wire and fixed.    Find where that wire goes from the switch .    Wish I were there I would help ya.                            Rick 

[Richard W. Cobbs]

I think Rick has a good suggestion, after burning up stuff, its hard to tell if you burned some wires also.  I wouldn't mess with proper wire routing at this point, just use extra long wire out the door or similar until you find the problem, then do it right.

RWC

[Rick Stafford]

Sounds like you have been down that road too Richard. lol

  Rick