Ballast Resistor

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PistolGrip

PistolGrip

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I've had my '66 Barracuda for a loooong time. About 10 years ago I put in a 72 360 engine with the orange box electronic ignition. I have an older style 2 blade (single coil) ballast resistor that has been on the firewall for I don't know how long.
I heard long ago they were a weak link, so I kept a spare in my glove box. The other day I was sitting at a red light & the engine died. I thought maybe I had run out of gas, but it turned out to be the ballast resistor was fried.
Thankfully, In minutes I was able to switch in the new spare that had been gathering dust in my glove box. I'm just curious, is there anything that I should check that may have caused the resistor failure...or do they give out now and then....well....just because?
 
It was time , find you a couple of US made replacements and put up for future !!
Even Standard ignition products a made in China now !!!

My 886 Powerwagon uses a ballast resistor on wiper system so u better believe I have a few spares onboard.
 
Sometimes there can be wiring/voltage issues that can fry them, but barring that, most often they just...give up. Maybe too many heat cycles, or maybe the moon is in Scorpio rising...
 
Been carrying spares for years now too. Along with a pickup coil and ECU.They can quit at any time no matter the years.
 
I remember guys installing one right under the factory one ,they only had to switch wires in seconds .I installed Pertronix in my dart with the original distributor and by passed the resistor .
 
Run from the new ones, also a biggie is to see how many ohms your system needs, there are ballasts from .25 ohm to 3 ohm so you need to know which one. FSM should have the listing in the ignition section. Most conversions use 1 ohm but check to be sure.
 
1...They do fail. Just fail. Like anything else
2....Charging voltage may be high
3....They may have gotten wet when hot, cracked the ceramic, then failed from vibration, corrosion
4....The coil may be too "heavy" (low resistance) and draws too much current
 
I seem to recall them being a "Mopar" thing. if the car died, but started right up and died when the key was set to the "run " position, its a ballast resistor. everyone carried spares in glovebox. They all had their issues, I had a Chevy once where every once in a while the "hot " wire would fall off the HEI distributor. The plastic clip was broke. Its one of those things when it happens you know right away what it is...
 
Paul King said:
I remember guys installing one right under the factory one ,they only had to switch wires in seconds .I installed Pertronix in my dart with the original distributor and by passed the resistor .
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Thanks for all of the good feedback....one last question....Is there any pattern to them giving out? Mine was just idling at a stop light (on a cool day, for what that's worth). Do they also go out under acceleration....kinda like if you had run out of gas? For some reason I was (wrongly) thinking they only gave out when you were actually starting the car.
 
PistolGrip said:
Thanks for all of the good feedback....one last question....Is there any pattern to them giving out? Mine was just idling at a stop light (on a cool day, for what that's worth). Do they also go out under acceleration....kinda like if you had run out of gas? For some reason I was (wrongly) thinking they only gave out when you were actually starting the car.
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Nope. They're like a woman deciding to be mad about something. You never know where or when it will happen, but it will; and you can't ever figure out why.
 
PistolGrip said:
Thanks for all of the good feedback....one last question....Is there any pattern to them giving out? Mine was just idling at a stop light (on a cool day, for what that's worth). Do they also go out under acceleration....kinda like if you had run out of gas? For some reason I was (wrongly) thinking they only gave out when you were actually starting the car.
Click to expand...
Ive heard of guys putting a small spacer between the firewall and resistor for a little air circulation to keep them a bit cooler .Not sure if that helped .
 
I have spacers on all three of my ballast resisters, for that exact reason. I don't know if it helps, but I do it.

Dave
 
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