Changing alternators, keep existing ballast resistor?

[koosh]

Not even sure if they're related, but wanting chrome alternator, dont need BIG AMPS, have nothing but stock electrical items except amp for stereo.....no power anything.
If i find something in the 65-90 amp range, do i need to change ballast or a anything else?
Thanks

 

[Bb70charger500]

Nope your good !

 

[dadsbee]

Ballast has NOTHING to do with your alternator.

 

[koosh]

Thanks guys!

 

[65RoadRacer]

Just an FYI: The ballast resistor is for a points type distributor. You crank on 12 volts to start, but on run your ballast keeps the points from frying by knocking it down to about 9 volts. If you are not running points (like MSD ignition/distributor), you don't need the ballast resistor. If you are on the stock distributor with points, leave the ballast in.

 

[Aeronet]

OEM Chrysler electronic ignitions use a ballast resistor on the firewall.

 

[koosh]

Just an FYI: The ballast resistor is for a points type distributor. You crank on 12 volts to start, but on run your ballast keeps the points from frying by knocking it down to about 9 volts. If you are not running points (like MSD ignition/distributor), you don't need the ballast resistor. If you are on the stock distributor with points, leave the ballast in.

Geeeezzz.... i bought this car with a Mopar Performance distributor in it (see pic), but theres a 4 wire ballast on the firewall?

 

[Aeronet]

The 4 pin ballast resistors are for 5 pin ECUs.
You can use a 4 pin ECU with a 4 pin ballast resistor.

 

[Aeronet]

73 with electronic

 

[Aeronet]

69 with points

 

[65RoadRacer]

You do not need a ballast resistor with an electronic ignition, but you should also upgrade the coil if you upgrade the distributor/ignition. I have run without a ballast resistor for the past 16+ years, first with my Mopar Performance distributor and ignition (w/MSD coil) and currently with an MSD distributor and ignition, never a problem.

 

[65RoadRacer]

Geeeezzz.... i bought this car with a Mopar Performance distributor in it (see pic), but theres a 4 wire ballast on the firewall?View attachment 677409

I didn't say others don't know this, or that it won't work with a ballast resistor, I'm just saying that with electronic ignition you don't need the ballast resistor because you have no points to fry in the distributor. I have been told for years that I still need the ballast... and for the first year I kept the ballast resistor even though I had a Mopar Perf distributor and MSD coil. Someone pointed out that I didn't need the ballast, so I removed it. This info is all over the web, it's not just me saying it.

 

[Aeronet]

Yeah, I was just showing the factory stuff. I've never tried it without a ballast resistor so I can't really say amything meaningful about it. However, on the factory setup I think some rewiring would be necessary to eliminate the ballast resistor(?).

 

[koosh]

So, if i remove ballast resistor, what happens to the 4 wires?
And i do intend on buying chrome coil....

 

[Aeronet]

Good question.

 

[65RoadRacer]

This is what I did until I rewired the entire car. I used the center wire for my electric choke when I had carburetors.

And for anyone who might say that this is/was a problem, it wasn't. But I only did this after I installed an MSD distributor and ignition and eliminated the Mopar ignition.



It doesn't hurt to use the ballast, as these wiring diagrams below show.

 

[koosh]

This is what I did until I rewired the entire car. I used the center wire for my electric choke when I had carburetors.

View attachment 677477

Thats kinda greek to me......im not that up on which wire goes where, maybe i should just keep tbe ballast the way it is even though changing the coil to a chrome blaster or the like.....maybe will be fine?

 

[65RoadRacer]

Thats kinda greek to me......im not that up on which wire goes where, maybe i should just keep tbe ballast the way it is even though changing the coil to a chrome blaster or the like.....maybe will be fine?

As I stated, you won't have a problem using it, it's just not necessary. There's a whole discussion on this in FABO, and a few magazines discuss it as well. As mentioned, the ballast was to save your points.. .lowering the voltage lowered the current. For a modern distributor and coil, they run best on a full 12 volts.

 

[67belvedere/225]

why did Chrysler keep the ballast after they went electronic? anyway , is there a answer??

 

[Aeronet]