Ballast Resister Needed?

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rod7515

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I will be switching ignition over to electronic ignition using the procomp distributor and the procomp pc-2015 ignition box. Should I use a ballast resistor or eliminate it. Since my car is a 66 it has a single resistor so if I do need a resistor will I need to go to a double ballast . I know many here dont like this ignition but it came with some other parts I bought and its never been used before. I dont want to spend on something else at this time.
Thanks for your help.
Rod

66 Dart 408 stroker
 
It all depends on if the coil you are using is internally resisted or not.
If using a standard canister coil you need the ballast, and if running a newer ecore coil(which I for sure would) you probably don't need the ballast.

If I remember correctly coils with less than 2 ohms resistance do not use a ballast.
 
For the OP, do you mean the ProComp PC2015 6AL? If so, no ballast is used. In fact a certain coil looks to be needed: an HEI type with a primary resistance of under 1 ohm. In other words, you can't use the stock type coil. But the documentation on this system is very poor.... I can't find an specific info on the coil requirements. So far, I can only conclude by inference that is needs the HEI type of coil with low primary resistance, since that is what is sold to work with it.

And understood on the money... but we are ditching an almost new Profrom dristributor that looks to be changing its timing rather randomly. My son ordered a complete HEI kit from Trailbeast. With a nice engine like your 408, IMO there is no sense in crappy things like erratic ignitions and leaky carbs. As an suggestion for you, you might consider selling the Procomp and getting something better.
 
TE=TrailBeast;1971059795]If I remember correctly coils with less than 2 ohms resistance do not use a ballast.[/QUOTE]

The other way 'round actually. Common coil resistances for non-HEI canister coils are:
- 1.5 ohms with which you use a ballast , use a ballast of .8 ohms cold or less like the MSD ones
- 3 ohms which do not use a ballast.

But this is for non-HEI coils which I don't think applies with the OP's proposed ignition.
 
TE=TrailBeast;1971059795]If I remember correctly coils with less than 2 ohms resistance do not use a ballast.

[/QUOTE]The other way 'round actually. Common coil resistances for non-HEI canister coils are:
- 1.5 ohms with which you use a ballast , use a ballast of .8 ohms cold or less like the MSD ones
- 3 ohms which do not use a ballast.

But this is for non-HEI coils which I don't think applies with the OP's proposed ignition.[/QUOTE]

Had it backwards, hey it's early. :D
 
First a follow up from above. Yes I forgot I have a coil that came with this set up. It looks like its an HEI coil in a fancy aluminum casing. See below. No information on this coil or in the box!
View attachment DSCN0080.jpg
Here are some pics of the other parts of this ignition system. I forgot I did a similar post many months back that I found when I did a search just now.
View attachment DSCN0078.jpg
Below is the schematic on the back of the ignition box
View attachment DSCN0075.jpg
If you look below the distributor has 2 wires coming from it (both go to pickup) that I assume will go to the connector from the box on the side by itself. The question I have is which wire will go to which side of the connector. Yes there is a connector that came with it but I have to get the wires in the correct side of that connector.
View attachment DSCN0076.jpg
In that post a member suggested to tie both the hot wires from the ignition switch to the resistor together but not to run directly to the new ignition box but to use a relay so that the new ignition box would not have power when the switch is turned off. Seems to make sense.

When I look at my factory schematic I see that on one side of the resistor it has power from the run ignition and that also went to the + coil side. The opposite side of the resistor had power from the crank ignition and went on from resistor terminal to the body of the alt. I just went out to the shed and verified this Drk blue wire from resistor to Alt. This leads me to ask 2 questions. First if I eliminate the resistor do I still need the wire to the alt. body that came from the resistor? 2nd question is if this wire is hot during crank how does it become a ground when I let off crank of switch. The place this wire goes on alt says GRD.
Im confused!

Looking forward to finding more out as I go forward with this.
Thanks
Rod
 
In that post a member suggested to tie both the hot wires from the ignition switch to the resistor together but not to run directly to the new ignition box but to use a relay so that the new ignition box would not have power when the switch is turned off. Seems to make sense.

When I look at my factory schematic I see that on one side of the resistor it has power from the run ignition and that also went to the + coil side. The opposite side of the resistor had power from the crank ignition and went on from resistor terminal to the body of the alt. I just went out to the shed and verified this Drk blue wire from resistor to Alt. This leads me to ask 2 questions. First if I eliminate the resistor do I still need the wire to the alt. body that came from the resistor? 2nd question is if this wire is hot during crank how does it become a ground when I let off crank of switch. The place this wire goes on alt says GRD.
Im confused!

The coil looks like the coil for this system that shows up on the internet, so try it.

As for the pickup polarity, I can only suggest to try it one way and see if the idle and performance are smooth and consistent, and then try it the other way to see if it is better or worse. You may have to reset ignition timing (maybe a LOT) when you flip it so be prepared for that. But the the idea is to find the polarity that triggers the ignition off of the sharper edge of the reluctor pulse; that will result in more stable timing. Keep it in the better orientation. Sorry I can't say better... as said, the documentation on this system really sucks.

The reason for using a relay may be a good one. This type of ignition can draw a fair amount of current at higher RPM's so that would keep some of the current load off of the ignition switch and the wiring, and insure a higher working voltage to the unit. If the wiring is in KNOWN good shape, then you can try otherwise. But if a lot of the wiring is original, the relay idea is sound.

BTW, in your description above of the wires to the ballast, you seem to have have RUN and START positions reversed... but that is minor.

The brown wire for CRANK should go to the side of the resistor that connects to the original coil +. The dark blue for RUN should go to the other side of the resistor and to either of the small terminals on the back of the alternator IF you have the later so-called 2 field connection alternator and regulator. Your '66 normally would not have this but yours may have been upgraded. In that case, the dark blue will go to 1 of the small alternator terminals, and the other should be a green wire going to the newer sytle flat pack regulator. The other wire to the regulator should go to the blue wire from RUN.

So one thing you need to do is to see if there are 1 or 2 small terminals on the back of your alternator. In fact, a pix of the back of the alternator would be very helpful.

If you do indeed have 2 small terminals on the back of the alternator, then both should be insulated from the alternator case. The reason that one of them may be labeled GRD is that when this same alternator is sold for use in the older style regulation system then that terminal is indeed grounded.
 
Thanks for that info. I will be working on this wiring in a week or two and will have many mote questions at that time. Im hoping for help ad I move forward. I'll let you know how i make out as i go.
Thanks, Rod
 
I have one in my 73 duster. Wires just like a msd 6.
I use a blaster 2 coil with no blast resistor.
 
If that terminal that is labeled 'GRD' is screwed so that it is solidly connected to the alternator case, then that alternator is set up for the older 1 wire field. That would be normal for a '66. So check that it is screwed hard to the case at the GRD terminal; I just can't quite tell for sure form the pix.

The regulator for the 1 wire field alternator is going to be a rectangular boxy thing with 1 screw terminal and 1 push-on terminal, not a flat pack unit with a modular type connector. The dark blue wire that goes to the ballast resistor should also connect over to the IGN terminal on the regulator; this is the 12V feed into the regulator. The other regulator terminal should connect to a green wire that then connects to the FLD terminal on the back of the alternator. All that should show up on your '66 schematic diagram.

Here is what the older regulator should look like: http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/371341382250?ul_noapp=true&chn=ps&lpid=82

Here is what the newer regulator looks like, although the color may vary: http://www.jegs.com/i/Mopar+Perform...3&cadevice=c&gclid=CLzzlIfn7ckCFZYWHwodHI8Elg
 
Yes this is the old style Alt. and the terminal labeled grd is screwed as it appears in pic. The regulator is the larger old style as well. I plan on replacing it so it looks new! Keeping in mind that I plan on rewiring everything out in the engine compartment while moving the battery to the trunk, adding relays for the fuel pump, electric fans (2), headlight relays (2) and ignition relay for the box.

Seems like this will be a real challenge. Any advice and information that is out there that will help me tackle this project would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks Rod
 
If you have an older real Mopar regulator, keep it, at least as a spare! Much better than the newer ones.
 
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