Aftermarket coil

[Timmayy]

What are you using for a coil? My car 65 Belvedere wagon with 360 small block, nothing radical, electronic ignition conversion, Summit distributor. I need something a little better than stock. It seems like all the stock stuff I get lately is junk. What's a good quality coil that can handle the higher load?

 

[WileERobby]

If you want the retro look, I have an Accel super coil in one of my cars.

 

[Don67Satellite]

Depends on what your distributor and ignition box calls for. I have MSD/Pertronix mix, so I use this one.

 

[hunt2elk]

I've got the Blaster II coils and no ballast resistors on all my cars.

 

[Canadian1968]

I run the MSD street fire with my orange ECU works great !

 

[Outsider]

Factory Chrysler electronic ignition or aftermarket equivalent? So it's all about the Ohms.

If your ballast resistor has about 1 Ohm, then an aftermarket coil around 1.5 Ohms will work.
There is a huge variety of aftermarket coils with a variety of Ohm ratings from .5 up to say 10 Ohms, and if the coil has the right Ohm rating of around 1 to 1.5 Ohm in this case, it will work.

The Accel Super Stock 8140 performance coil made by Prestolite is probably one of the least expensive and most readily available, (the AutoZone and O'Reilly's Auto stock them in my area), that will work if you have about a 1 Ohm ballast resistor.

 

[Timmayy]

Factory Chrysler electronic ignition or aftermarket equivalent? So it's all about the Ohms.

If your ballast resistor has about 1 Ohm, then an aftermarket coil around 1.5 Ohms will work.
There is a huge variety of aftermarket coils with a variety of Ohm ratings from .5 up to say 10 Ohms, and if the coil has the right Ohm rating of around 1 to 1.5 Ohm in this case, it will work.

The Accel Super Stock 8140 performance coil made by Prestolite is probably one of the least expensive and most readily available, (the AutoZone and O'Reilly's Auto stock them in my area), that will work if you have about a 1 Ohm ballast resistor.

Yeah, my ballast resistor is a Moroso around 1.8 ohms. What should the coil be rated at?

 

[Outsider]

Lower, for a stock type, or orange control box. Might need, or be easier, to add lower value resistor, to insure good reliability

 

[Timmayy]

Lower, for a stock type, or orange control box. Might need, or be easier, to add lower value resistor, to insure good reliability

So a 1.5 ohm coil would work?

 

[RJRENTON]

What are you using for a coil? My car 65 Belvedere wagon with 360 small block, nothing radical, electronic ignition conversion, Summit distributor. I need something a little better than stock. It seems like all the stock stuff I get lately is junk. What's a good quality coil that can handle the higher load?

"I need something a little better than stock"......WHY?? Does what you have now not work? Use the coil that is compatible with the Electronic Control Unit (ECU), distributor and ballast resistor for YOUR system. Changing the coil to "unleash blazing horsepower" with something that is not compatible will result in ECU and or coil failure. Suggest you read up on the several hundred similar comments in identical threads OR ask Ray @HALLIFAXHOPS for his advice as gospel.......
BOB RENTON

 

[Timmayy]

"I need something a little better than stock"......WHY?? Does what you have now not work? Use the coil that is compatible with the Electronic Control Unit (ECU), distributor and ballast resistor for YOUR system. Changing the coil to "unleash blazing horsepower" with something that is not compatible will result in ECU and or coil failure. Suggest you read up on the several hundred similar comments in identical threads OR ask Ray @HALLIFAXHOPS for his advice as gospel.......
BOB RENTON

That's just it. I'm trying to find a compatible coil. The last one failed, it was a few years old. I'm just trying to match everything together correctly. Sorry if I'm not very well educated in the electronics aspect. That's why I ask questions. To understand it better.

 

[Canadian1968]

I will double check my ballast, but I do believe mine is .8 ohms,

Street Fire coil MSD Ignition 5524 MSD Street Fire Coils | Summit Racing

Mopar Orange ECU that came with my Electronic conversion about 10 years ago now.

Setup has worked flawless for the last 6 years.

 

[threewood]

I'm running a Flamethrower II coil, Pertronix Ignitor III, gutted ballast.

 

[RemCharger]

They promote coils on they're max voltage output.
Which a regular engine doesn't require. Like putting an 800hp fuel pump on a 300hp motor.
I think what Bob was saying is compatibility far outweighs "40,000v output"
Which is solid advice.

 

[Timmayy]

Just to clarify. When I say "better than stock" I mean in reliability, not performance. It seems that all the new OEM style parts lately are cheap Chinese overseas stuff and they don't last. I have been having issues with factory replacement parts only lasting a year or two. I would rather pay a little more for something that is dependable in the long run. Someone here mistook my "better than stock" comment for "unleashing blazing horsepower". My wagon is not a high horsepower car. It is a daily driver and I want it dependable and am doing what I can to make it that way. I thank you all for the help. This is why I come here as I'm sure a lot of fellow motorheads do. There is a lot of info shared to make the hobby a little bit better.

 

[WileERobby]

Just to clarify. When I say "better than stock" I mean in reliability, not performance. It seems that all the new OEM style parts lately are cheap Chinese overseas stuff and they don't last. I have been having issues with factory replacement parts only lasting a year or two. I would rather pay a little more for something that is dependable in the long run

A common situation we face these days, and not only in the auto arena. My tools are all over 50 years old, I doubt anything made today will last anywhere close to that.

 

[twecomm]

Agree with RJRentons comments in this thread. Find a coil and ballast resistor that's recommended and compatible for for your ECU and distributor.
It's that simple..

 

[Timmayy]

Agree with RJRentons comments in this thread. Find a coil and ballast resistor that's recommended and compatible for for your ECU and distributor.
It's that simple..

And that's exactly what I'm trying to do.

 

[MarPar]

@HALIFAXHOPS

 

[Don Frelier]

Standard Motor Products Blue Streak was always good quality stuff.
I agree that your current ballast resistor is kinda high it was likely supposed to be paired with a low primary resistance coil.
You can get Blue Streak pretty inexpensively from RockAuto:
I just picked a 1977.
For a little more you can get an AC Delco Gold or Professional (I know GM) but their stuff was always good too.