Ballast resistor with electronic ignition

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HemiTM

HemiTM

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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?
 
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. When the factory found they could delete the second half, they did.
If you have one of those fancy aftermarket coils designed to operate on constant 12 V system voltage you can delete the first half too.
 
RedFish said:
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. When the factory found they could delete the second half, they did.
If you have one of those fancy aftermarket coils designed to operate on constant 12 V system voltage you can delete the first half too.
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Sorry for the re-post. I didn`t see the earlier thread.
 
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
 
66plyValiant said:
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
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i agree. i don't see any reason to remove it. i could see if you were going to gain half a second at the track or something but thats not the case. i don't see why everyone obsesses over the ballast in the first place...
 
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?
 
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
 
The other thing everybody forgets about an "internally ballasted coil" which is actually a RARITY, is that "when these cars" "were these cars" just about ALL traditional US manufacturers used the same scheme, and that is.......

A coil with an external resistor to RUN

so that......

during starting you can then BYPASS the resistor and STILL have a nice hot spark for starting.

I agree with the thought that "it was put there for a reason." We keep hearing about "all these" ECU's that are "MELTING, melting" (say it like the Wicked Witch of the wherever she was from)

and maybe, just maybe, PART of the reason for some of these is too-hot coils with no or too low ballast resistor.
 
HemiTM said:
Sorry for the re-post. I didn`t see the earlier thread.
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No problem. This is a beat up question that has been passed around as much as "what wheels and tires will fit my car". I had the same problem, wanting to bypass the ballast and ecu. I didn't care so much about performance as wanting to clean up the extra wire if i could. A friend of mine purchased a distributer from Hot Rods USA for his 318. Product claims you don't need ballast or ecu, all controlled from inside plugs directly to coil + - . You have to have a coil with at least 50,000 or more out put. Works just like MSD but for only $70 for small block. He put it on ,liked it. I did some research ( souned pretty cheap to me) guy said it would do everything as advertised. I took a chance bought it . I was surprised ,top quallity well made. Very reasonable way to go if you want to lose the ballast and ecu.
 
zigs said:
No problem. This is a beat up question that has been passed around as much as "what wheels and tires will fit my car". I had the same problem, wanting to bypass the ballast and ecu. I didn't care so much about performance as wanting to clean up the extra wire if i could. A friend of mine purchased a distributer from Hot Rods USA for his 318. Product claims you don't need ballast or ecu, all controlled from inside plugs directly to coil + - . You have to have a coil with at least 50,000 or more out put. Works just like MSD but for only $70 for small block. He put it on ,liked it. I did some research ( souned pretty cheap to me) guy said it would do everything as advertised. I took a chance bought it . I was surprised ,top quallity well made. Very reasonable way to go if you want to lose the ballast and ecu.
Click to expand...

Got more info on this system / For $70.00 sounds like a good deal , I know petronix does not need the E C U but ballast is recommended unless you use special coil .
 
jerry6 said:
Got more info on this system / For $70.00 sounds like a good deal , I know petronix does not need the E C U but ballast is recommended unless you use special coil .
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Hot Rods USA is here in Washington State I beleave. The # is 1 888 875 6666. They will have you talk with a guy named Brian. My question was why so cheap. He said because they order in mass. I confirmed that it was fully electronic with lazor trigger and no need for ECU or ballast resistor . He said yes but you need to have a high out put coil. Brians part of the company is in California. I would call and ask your questions, good people to deal with. As far as I can see its a quality product. Price will very between small and big block but not much.
 
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