Do you need a ballast resistor with a coil?
Electronic ignition systems, whether factory Mopar or aftermarket, don’t utilize breaker points, thereby not actually needing a ballast resistor to control amperage through the pickup coil. How does a ballast resistor ignition system work? The ballast resistor allows the ignition system to operate at a lower voltage until the engine starts.
Do all ignition coils need a resistor?
Do electronic ignitions need ballast resistors? Electronic ignition systems, whether factory Mopar or aftermarket, don't utilize breaker points, thereby not actually needing a ballast resistor to control amperage through the pickup coil. Quite simply, if your distributor has breaker points the answer is yes; if not, the answer is no.
How do you diagnose a bad ballast resistor?
Apr 04, 2022 · In electronic ignition systems, like those in manufacturing facilities or aftermarket models, there is no breaker point. This means that pickup coils can still be controlled without having to use a ballast resistors.
Can a 12 volt coil be used on an inductive ignition system?
Feb 22, 2022 · Do I Need A Ballast Resistor With Msd Ignition? Ignition manufacturers including Toyota, Mazda, General, Ford, Volkswagen, and Honda do not require the ballast on most late-model electronic ignitions. Our Blaster Coil line is designed for performance enhancement to compliment or supplement your current MSD Blaster Ignition, MSD 5, 6 or 7.
How do I know if my coil needs a ballast resistor?
To test your ballast resistor you need an ohm meter or multimeter set to ohms. Remove the connectors from both sides of the resistor. The ohms should read between 1.8 and 5 ohms. You should be getting 9 volts to the positive side of the coil.
Does Pertronix ignition need a ballast resistor?
ABSOLUTELY NOT. IT WILL NOT WORK WITHOUT 12 VOLTS TO THE UNIT!!!Apr 30, 2009
Does a HEI distributor need a ballast resistor?
No ballast resistor is used or required with HEI. All you are doing with the ballast resistor is lowering the voltage to the HEI (and therefore output voltage to the plugs will be lower, with the possible result of misfire).Jan 5, 2010
Do I need a ballast resistor with MSD distributor?
Basically you need to have a ballast resistor on your setup thats why MSD has it in there instructions. Yes. You are correct BUT it will depend on the coil type. with the MSD Blaster II coil that the OP is using it doesn't require one with a breakerless ignition as is with the Pertronics.Apr 25, 2012
What is a ballast resistor for a ignition coil?
A Ballast Resistor is an electrical device that reduces voltage to the coil so that more energy is available for the spark plugs during starting.
How does PerTronix ignition work?
"The points operate mechanically with a rubbing block that rubs on a small cam in the distributor. This rubbing block wears, which changes the timing and the point gap, altering both the performance and the amount of spark available," Don explains.Feb 26, 2014
What happens if you dont use ballast resistor?
An ignition system with breaker points will surely suffer from reduced point life if the ballast resistor is removed, as higher amperage can damage the surface of the points causing failure.Aug 31, 2011
Can I bypass ballast resistor?
Yes, unplug both connectors from the ballast and put your jumper between either of the blue terminals and the terminal for the brown wires. Me personally, I would cut the resistor connectors off and just solder the wires together.Jul 29, 2013
Does a 6 volt coil need a resistor?
Re: 6V Coil No Resistor requirerd? Yes, the 12v coil will burn your point up prematurely IF, the coil is one without an internal resister, and no external ballast resistor is used. If you use a 12v coil with an internal resistor, you don't need the external ballast resistor.Dec 1, 2005
Does MSD coil increase horsepower?
You will see negligible increase with MSD coils. Headers will make a huge difference.Apr 21, 2009
Can you use a MSD Blaster 2 coil with points?
This Blaster 2 Coil is supplied with a 0.8 ohm ballast resistor and a terminal and boot to fit most applications. The ballast resistor must be used with stock Points Ignition and Mallory Unilite applications.Nov 9, 2017
Can I Bypass Ballast Resistor?
If a charge passes through the ignition coil, the ballast resistor limits that charge. The simplest and fastest way to test for ballast resistor failure is to have a temporary jumper wire installed on your coil in order to bypass it. The problem has been identified if it starts and continues to run.
Does Pertronix Ignition Need A Ballast Resistor?
Despite the fact that there are ballast resistor in each car, Pertronix ignition systems don’t have much sway over these devices. Period. Leave your car with one if you are utilizing COIL. 12V (RED wire of the Ignitor) is required for the entire functionality of the ballast; remove it from the input port to fully utilize it.
Do I Need A Ballast Resistor With Msd Ignition?
Ignition manufacturers including Toyota, Mazda, General, Ford, Volkswagen, and Honda do not require the ballast on most late-model electronic ignitions. Our Blaster Coil line is designed for performance enhancement to compliment or supplement your current MSD Blaster Ignition, MSD 5, 6 or 7.
What Is Ballast Resistor In Ignition System For?
In cars, ballast resistors are used in order for fuel to ignite. ignition coil is less likely to fail due to this. As the engine begins, the ignition ballast resistor helps reduce its coil voltage and coil current. On the other hand, when the current is low, the temperature increases.
Why Do Some Ignition Coils Need Ballast Resistor?
Using a Ballast Resistor, the voltage on the coil is reduced so that more energy can be made available for spark plugs. Car drivers should consider the benefits of using an Ballast Resistor. As a result, ignition systems were switched to use a nine-watt switching coil instead of a 12-watt coil.
Is A Ballast Resistor Necessary?
Would your application warrant w require a ballast resistor? You will likely only find it in certain circumstances, so watch out for breaker points in your distributor that indicate that the answer is yes; no. See all photos 2 Older points ignition systems did not have a single resistor, so they reduced coil temperature by more than 10%.
Can You Bypass Resistor?
A wire in the left circuit has a short, which prevents the electrons from travelling at 100. There is an resistor on the short, which will be bypassed during current travel. The 100 resistor can be removed for analysis purposes.
What is a ballast resistor?
Basic function: the ballast resistor is a resistor contained in the primary ignition circuit wiring that lowers voltage after the engine is started to reduce wear on ignition components.
Do you need a ballast resistor for a Mopar pickup coil?
Electronic ignition systems, whether factory Mopar or aftermarket, don't utilize breaker points, thereby not actually needing a ballast resistor to control amperage through the pickup coil. Quite simply, if your distributor has breaker points the answer is yes; if not, the answer is no. Also to know is, do you need a ballast resistor ...
Do you need a ballast resistor for an ignition?
Electronic ignition systems, whether factory Mopar or aftermarket, don't utilize breaker points, thereby not actually needing a ballast resistor to control amperage through the pickup coil. Quite simply, if your distributor has breaker points the answer is yes; if not, the answer is no. Additionally, what does a ballast resistor do in an ignition ...
What does a ballast resistor do in an ignition system?
A Ballast Resistor is an electrical device that reduces voltage to the coil so that more energy is available for the spark plugs during starting.
Can you bypass resistor?
A wire in the left circuit is shorting the 100Ω resistor. All current will bypass the resistor and travel through the short. So typically the assumption of a short is done by redrawing the circuit. …
Does HEI distributor need ballast resistor?
When using HEI, the distributor requires a 12 volt feed. In order to achieve this the ballast resistor or the resistance wire must be removed from the circuit and replaced with a pure 12 gauge feed wire. … This means that there is no power on the “RUN” circuit when the ignition switch is in the “CRANK” mode.
What causes a ballast resistor to fail?
The resistance through the ballast resistor varies with current flow which varies with engine rpm. This naturally causes the resistor to expand and contract from heat. That’s why they eventually fail.
Is ballast resistor necessary?
So does your application require a ballast resistor? Quite simply, if your distributor has breaker points the answer is yes; if not, the answer is no. See all 7 photos 2 Older points-style ignition system used a single resistor which reduced amperage to the coil resulting in extended life for the coil and points.
What happens when a resistor fails?
When a resistor breaks down, current typically flows through the burnt resistor without any resistance and thereby passes unchecked. Other components in the circuit may become damaged from the excess current flowing through.
What happens if you remove a resistor?
If one of the resistors in a series circuit is removed, the supply circuit’s current drops to zero. This is due to the resistance increasing to infinity, as it is a series circuit, and removing one or more resistors opens (breaks) the circuit.
HemiTM Well-Known Member
I just recieved the October edition of Mopar Muscle magazine. There is a article on ballast resistors. Article states that with electronic ignition there is no need to use a ballast resistor. What are your thoughts on this?
RedFish FABO Gold Member FABO Gold Member
We just went over that in another thread. The ballast resistor protects the coil regardless which ignition system is used. If it wasn't needed it wouldn't be there. Here's the proof, The original electronic ignition had a dual ballast resistor. First half protected the coil , second half protected the ECM.
HemiTM Well-Known Member
We just went over that in another thread. The ballast resistor protects the coil regardless which ignition system is used. If it wasn't needed it wouldn't be there. Here's the proof, The original electronic ignition had a dual ballast resistor. First half protected the coil , second half protected the ECM.
66plyValiant Well-Known Member
my ballast resistor will be staying put. Ma mopar put it there for a reason so I'm sticking with it, I have only had one ever go bad on me and it was in my own driveway just carry a spare and not worry. You won't gain much by not having it in performance aspects
abodyjoe Well-Known Member
my ballast resistor will be staying put. Ma mopar put it there for a reason so I'm sticking with it, I have only had one ever go bad on me and it was in my own driveway just carry a spare and not worry. You won't gain much by not having it in performance aspects
flyinbysocal Member
What should be the voltage reading off each end of the resistor (1964 Dart GT w/ electronic ignition)? I'm showing 11.5v on one end but only 0.4v on the other. Is this normal?
RedFish FABO Gold Member FABO Gold Member
Should be 12 volts going in the resistor but a half volt voltage drop is pretty much the norm with these older connections. There should be about 7.5 volts on the other end of the resistor
What is ballast resistor?
That's why it's called a "ballast". As the current drops with RPM it cools ans supplies more voltage to the coil, vice versa at idle it limits the current as it heats up by increasing resistance and lowering applied voltage.
How many ohms should a Pertronix coil have?
Pertronix says run a coil with 1.5 ohms or more resistance, or run a ballast resistor. You need the instructions for your distributor and then most likely measure the ohms of your coil to determine if they will work "as is" together.
Can I bypass ballast resistor?
A quick and easy way to diagnose ballast resistor failure is to bypass it by running a temporary jumper wire from the battery to the coil. If it starts and remains running, you've found the problem. The ignition points are not designed to take full battery voltage for long.
How do I know if my ballast resistor is bad?
Symptoms of a Bad or Failing Ballast Resistor Vehicle starts, then immediately dies. The most obvious symptoms will be the vehicle starts, but then immediately dies as soon as you release the key. Not starting at all. If the ballast resistor is not working properly, the vehicle will not start. Don't jump the resistor. Let the vehicle be.
Do you need a resistor with a 12 volt coil?
If a 6 volt ignition system is converted to 12 volts and a Delco style 12 volt coil with an internal resistor is installed as part of the conversion, no external resistors are required. The 12 volt battery must be connected so the negative (-) battery terminal is connected to ground.
What are the 3 types of ignition systems?
There are three basic types of automotive ignition systems: distributor-based, distributor-less, and coil-on-plug (COP). Early ignition systems used fully mechanical distributors to deliver the spark at the right time. Next came more reliable distributors equipped with solid-state switches and ignition control modules.
Does electronic ignition have a coil?
In an electronic system, you still have a distributor, but the points have been replaced with a pickup coil, and there's an electronic ignition control module. In this system, coils sit directly on top of the spark plugs (there are no spark plug wires), and the system is completely electronic.
How do you wire a 12 volt coil?
How to Wire 12 Volt Coils Disconnect the black negative cable on the negative post of the battery. Look at the ignition coil. Connect one end of the spark plug wire to the large center terminal of the ignition coil. Connect the positive terminal of the ignition coil to the "On" terminal of the ignition switch.
What Ohm ignition coil should I use?
Most coils should read between 0.4 and 2 ohms. Zero resistance would indicate a shorted coil while a high resistance reading would indicate an open coil. Secondary resistance is measured between the positive (+) terminal and high voltage output terminal.
