I do not WTB 2 ohm ballast resistor

[williamggruff]

I recently bought an IE mechanical distributor. It requires at least a 2 ohm ballast resistor, since my Blaster 2 coil doesn't have a resistor in it.

Anyone?

Grice

Update: I don't need the ballast resistor. Running an MSD box. No resistor necessary.

I swear on a stack of Haynes manuals, I need to have some kids. Then somebody will always be around to tell me in a snide voice, "You're doing it wrong."

[jgerock]

Try this... not sure if the resistance value is correct, but it shows up when you search the site for "2 ohm ballast resistor"

http://www.ecklers.com/corvette-ignition-coil-ballast-resistor-1955-1964.html?crosssell=Product_Upsell

[Mark92131]

Grice:

For some of us that are electrically challenged, what would happen if you tried to run that IE Mechanical Distributor with that resistorless coil?

How does that resistor connect? On the + line between the coil and the Pertronix?

Thanks,

Mark

[williamggruff]

Grice:

For some of us that are electrically challenged, what would happen if you tried to run that IE Mechanical Distributor with that resistorless coil?

How does that resistor connect? On the + line between the coil and the Pertronix?

Thanks,

Mark

Mark,

You pose a very good question, for which I don't have a ready answer. That is to say, I have no knowledge whatsoever of electro wizardry, other than the vague V=IR concept (which I suspect has something to do with racing in southern Virginia), and the idea that resistors in series are additive, while resistors in parallel are divisive, which leads me to believe they're not very good team players.

In any event, I sent an email to Ireland Engineering a few minutes before your post, explaining that I'm running an MSD 6AL box with a Blaster 2 coil (with no internal resistance), and I'm having trouble getting spark using two, 1.0 ohm resistors wired in series. Jeff Ireland replied to my email within a few minutes with the following response:

"You do not need any resistors with the MSD box. In this case the igniter is just a voltage switch with no current flow. With a MSD box you must wire the igniter like it was points not as a magnetic pickup. I believe you use the white wire. If you don't have the MSD manual it is on their internet site."

That's great customer service, especially given that it's after 5:30 PM on the left coast.

[jimk]

Grice:

For some of us that are electrically challenged, what would happen if you tried to run that IE Mechanical Distributor with that resistorless coil?

How does that resistor connect? On the + line between the coil and the Pertronix?

Thanks,

Mark

Assume you are talking for use with breaker points. You need to go to Wikipedia and read what resistor does. On starting, the resistor is bypassed to give whats left of battery voltage to the coil primary winding to charge the coil. When running, the coil doesn't need the +12V because the coil is made to run on less than 12V so the current goes thru the ballast resistor and reduces the voltage to the coil primary winding.