Ignition Coil Resistor?

[sKnNyPpY]

I have been having electrical/ ignition issues (especially when wet outside) and have been replacing electrical components, patching wiring, replaced fusible links, etc. and am concerned my ignition coil isn't resisted. Going to the + end of my coil is what appears to be a resistor, but it is dangling from one end not completing a circuit and another power wire directly attached. Anyone know what this is? And where and what type of resistor should I put in to get me going immediately until I install an HEI a buddy is giving me?

[Ol Blue K20]

that looks like a condensor on the dist side. I believe that should be mounted/grounded to the coil bracket and hooked up to the + side of the coil, the- is dist side.

[sKnNyPpY]

Thanks Ol Blue, There is no tab to mount on the condenser, so it might have broken off. They have new ones locally for about 8 bucks so that's first...then on to the Resistor on the other side of things.

[Ol Blue K20]

The condensor usually has a clamp it slides into and the clamp screws to coil bracket. The clamp is usually comes with a new condensor, might just get new condensor.

[sKnNyPpY]

Anyone happen to know the resistance for a ignition ballast resistor for a 350 sb? The wire to the solenoid had been patched and I know (now) there should be a resistor there in place of the original resistance wire. Thanks again everyone!

[Longhorn 70]

The big resistance is the smaller yellow wire coming from the bulkhead connector to the coil. The wire from the solenoid is usually 14 gauge. The wire from the bulkhead to the coil, 20 gauge IS the resistor. Make sure to use a good quality steel cable to the battery side of the coil of 20 ga. If you don't you will see points burn quickly and coils fail.

[68c10airstream]

Hard starting damp and wet mornings= secondary circuit troubles= coil output, plug wires, plugs, and possible distributor cap. Heres the test i did as a dealer mechanic (for a lot of years), drape a blanket over the hood, on a dark night, you under the blanket, engine warmed up and running, squirt bottle of water in hand. Mist the manifolds to get them to steam and start listening for snapping sounds and watching for sparks. If you see lightning, or hear anything replace as needed. If wires are bad, replace the plugs at the same time otherwise the carbon tracking on the old plugs will leave a trace sliding the new wires onto the old plugs. DON'T TOUCH THE WIRES WHEN IT IS RUNNING OR YOUR LAST RESTING SPOT IS IN A PINE BOX ABOUT 8 FEET LONG. Many mechanics get killed this way every year. Good luck, and be careful, Brian F.

[sKnNyPpY]

It looks like the original yellow and white/orange/purple wires are long gone (notice the black and red wires going to the coil) and I'm afraid the coil and/or the points are toast. I was hoping to do a cheap patch up (ballast resistor, etc.) to go to a car show tonight and pick up an HEI from a buddy with a 71 just like mine. Looks like I might be stumbling there or taking the Spec-V (nowhere near as cool as the truck

[Longhorn 70]

as long as the wire that replaced or/pur/yellow is 20 gauge you should be good but if not...........sizzle....

You could run a 20 gauge jumper wire just to get to the show. I have a SpecV also, you're right they AREN'T as cool but they are lighter to push.

[sKnNyPpY]

I have no idea what the gauge is. I've had the truck for a year and am replacing 40 years and 2 or 3 PO's worth of bad maintenance. Thanks for the input, hopefully the HEI will get me purring along again...until I find the next thing, but man this is irritatingly FUN!

[BurnoutNova]

Originally Posted by 68c10airstream

DON'T TOUCH THE WIRES WHEN IT IS RUNNING OR YOUR LAST RESTING SPOT IS IN A PINE BOX ABOUT 8 FEET LONG. Many mechanics get killed this way every year. Good luck, and be careful, Brian F.

That might be a little bit of a tall tale... I've grabbed plug wires with my bare hands lots of times, on points ignitions, hei and even a MSD CDI system.

I've even been hit in the leg with a mag on a motorcycle while riding and I'm not in a box yet!

[sKnNyPpY]

Yellow wire was extended with a piece of heavier gauge red wire to the + side if the coil. I removed the extension and used a new ring connector. A green wire run next to the yellow was not connected and wrapped and hidden. I'm sure what it went to. There is also a brown wire coming out of the firewall ending in a slide connector not hooked up. I'll post a picture soon...
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[sKnNyPpY]

Brown wire from firewall disconnected.