Ballast resistor troubles!

[Budnicks]

heres the diagram, the module screws down to a heat sink View attachment 783459

 

[moparedtn]

Well EBooger has a wealth of input and knowledge concerning our MOPARS and such. But I have to disagree here Kern on that his claim of keeping it because he claims so, is bunk. I have a FBO electronic ignition box and eliminated the MOPAR Chrome box I was using. Has a built in circuit for a Rev Limiter that is built into it. They suggest by-passing the BR all together as it isn't required for their set up. So I just eliminated the internal parts of the BR and jumped the plug points with a correct gauge wire thus taking it out of circuit. It is still there for the aesthetics if you will, but doesn't come into circuit play at all. I also had FBO re-curve and set my distributor which is a MOPAR Electronic Distributor to a more friendly setting for my '66 Plymouth Satellite. I have zero problems with my ignition electronics. I would also suggest to stop using the Orange MOPAR boxes. They are not reliable and tend to fail at the drop of a hat. The Chrome MOPAR boxes are far better but they also have been known to fail. Although less frequently than the Orange boxes. I have a spare regular points/condenser distributor that I re-curved myself and a spare coil and BR so that I can re-install them in the event of total ignition failure. By the way I use a Pertronix top of the line Coil. I am some what of a self taught electrical geek and I fully understand how these systems for our MOPARS are wired together and how they operate. By studying this area, I pretty much get it when it comes to a stock correct look, and making the system far better than stock without degrading what most seek as correct. Seriously, take a look at the links her and upgrade to a newer, better, and much more reliable electrical circuitry. You won't regret it...cr8crshr/Bill

http://www.4secondsflat.com/ They have great stuff...IMHO

So I take it your answer to my question is "no, you don't need a ballast if you have a 12V coil"?

 

[cr8crshr]

So I take it your answer to my question is "no, you don't need a ballast if you have a 12V coil"?

Yep if you decide to go with the FBO setup. Check out their web site and read about their suggestions. As I said I went according to their suggestions and have zero issues at all with my electronics and ignition...cr8crshr/Bill

 

[Kern Dog]

I was just reading the most recent writings from Rick Ehrenberg regarding the ballast/NO ballast issue.
His position is that with the factory points or spark box, as Ma Mopar designed, the ballast resistor is needed because it protects the coil and ECU from early failure and overheating.
I take that to mean that while he does not clearly endorse other aftermarket ignition systems, ones like MSD and FBO state in their instructions whether or not a ballast resistor is required.
Since I have a stock based ignition, I have a ballast resistor in my car.

 

[bm02tj]

Part of the reason is to give you a better spark for starting in cold weather
At run you will see 7 to 10 volts at coil
At start you see close to the same as power draw from starter pull volts down
if you ran the 13 to 14 volts the coil will over heat

 

[Darter6]

Yes, Mr. Ehrenberg is,well let's say pure Mopar. Allot of his writings are fact and some are opinions.I always go by "It's worked for me". And try to back it up with on the road/hours testing. It may not be right or wrong as long as it worked.
I told a guy at the last car show that my 65 has a Pertronix I ignition. He began to chastise me that the only ignition system I should be running is MSD and everything else is garbage.He said "You'll never see 7 grand with that." (not that I plan to,or want to) At the end of the day my car starts, runs, and drives well on garbage.Who would have known ?

 

[Kern Dog]

Who needs to rev to 7000 rpms? If the heads don't flow and the pistons are stock ,(And heavy) what is the point to rev that high?
No small block with stock heads makes more power at 7000 rpms than it does at 6000. Same goes for most big blocks except for Max Wedge or Hemi.
Race engines for NASCAR needed to rev that high, but they ran poorly and sluggishly below 3500 anyway. The majority of driving we do is at rpms below 3500.

 

[Darter6]

EXACTLY !

 

[moparedtn]

I just run stock Mopar electronic ignition with electronic voltage regulator and the stock ECU in one form or another (I have a collection of ECU's, including yes a couple of the dreaded orange ones).
(In other words, the car has been officially "converted" using one of those old kits from DC that had the little wiring harnesses and such).
I have a MSD Blaster II coil, whose instructions precluded the use of a ballast as I recall.

I went through a whole process of experimentation a handful of years ago, documented right here on FBBO somewhere, where I tried various ballasts until I got it dialed in where the coil was receiving exactly 12V; the ballast wound up with a really low value.
Can't for the life of me remember why now...

 

[Kern Dog]

Do you think that Ballast Resistors need to be solidly mounted?
When I replaced the BR last week, I put a NEW one in and the car started running great. Today I started it and it was running all rough again. I suspected that I had burned out another one so I made a jumper wire to connect the wires that are connected to each side of the BR. It ran great and the idle seemed a little higher than usual. I noticed that the screw retaining the ballast was a little loose so I snugged it up and put the wires back on. It ran normally after that. I know that other electrical stuff needs to be grounded but what about a ballast resistor ???

 

[dadsbee]

No it doesn't need to be grounded, but I think the firewall works as a heat sink!

 

[bm02tj]

The hotter the more resistance
more resistance the more heat and the lower the voltage to the coil so miss