Resistive coil wire.

[Seanext]

Working on a engine harness and found the resistive coil wire broken. I know I can buy a new harness but would rather fix mine. So the question is, does anyone know where I can buy the resistive wire? Searched on this site and the interweb and still can't find what I am looking for. I would buy a whole spool if I had to. I have a couple of engine harness that I could rebuild. Any help would be appericated.

[Old_Gold]

I would think you could get resistance wire at any of the auto parts stores, by the roll or the foot possibly. I got some connectors at our local Oreilys, but you gotta find the older guy that knows about those kind of old vehicle tricks!
Jim

[Steeveedee]

You can splice it with a common butt splice crimp connector. The amount of current running through it is a lot less than other equipment that use those butt splices. Given how little the resistance would change, you could even use a wire nut, though that might make the harness look a little less sanitary with a lump in it.

[dmjlambert]

1. If it's in good condition and the broken part was just because of physical damage, repair it with a solder connection and heat shrink tubing.
2. Since a large number of people remove that wire when they put in their HEI distributor, and a lot of people have replaced their entire harness, your chances are very good if you post a want-to-buy ad in the parts section that somebody would mail you a used one for a reasonable price. I posted an ad a while back asking if anybody has their old harness left over from when they upgraded their harness, because I needed a couple of connectors, and I got what I needed from another forum member.
3. Another choice you have is to buy a ballast resistor, and install that with regular wire.

[maverickmk]

What creates the resistance? The wire itself, or is there a resister inline somewhere? I just went to HEI and would pull the wire if I can for the OP, just not sure how far I have to go to get what he needs.

[Seanext]

There is a wire in the harness that is resistive there is no physical resistor. The trade name for it is NICHROME and it has to do with the material the wire is made from. Most wire is copper, brass, or aluminun but this resistive wire is made of nickle and chromium. This make up gives the resistance which causes the voltage drop. It seems that there is two styles of this wire. Some are cloth covered and the others look like regular wire and are pink. Not sure why there is two different types maybe just manufactures of the wire. My statements are the not absoulte answer just what I have found so far.

[dmjlambert]

On our trucks it is the white cloth-covered wire. This thread shows the wire position on the firewall connector. One side connects at the firewall connector, and the other side of the wire is connected to 2 regular yellow wires inside the harness wrapping. So the whole wire extracted from a harness will have a male terminal on one end, forking into 2 yellow wires with fork or ring terminals on the ends of the yellow wires to connect to the starter and the ignition coil.
https://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/...d.php?t=708975

[toolboxchev]

Originally Posted by Seanext

There is a wire in the harness that is resistive there is no physical resistor. The trade name for it is NICHROME and it has to do with the material the wire is made from. Most wire is copper, brass, or aluminun but this resistive wire is made of nickle and chromium. This make up gives the resistance which causes the voltage drop. It seems that there is two styles of this wire. Some are cloth covered and the others look like regular wire and are pink. Not sure why there is two different types maybe just manufactures of the wire. My statements are the not absoulte answer just what I have found so far.

Given that it is a different type of wire I would stick with just soldering it together. If you are going HEI, you can eliminate it and put in a fused keyed wired off the panel inside the cab.

I would not use that Auto Parts stuff for a replacement, it will not do the same thing the factory wire did.

[RichardJ]

Seanext, if you know what nichrome wire is, then you should also know that it can not be soldered. You can crimp it into a connector and pour a foot of melted solder into it, but all you end up with is a glump of solder and melted rosin. No actual solder connection.

The 20W/OR/PPL cloth covered resistance (ballast) wire connects to the bulkhead connector. The other side of the bulkhead connector, connects to a Pink 12P copper wire that goes to the ignition switch. This 12P wire is not a resistance wire.

There is a second resistance wire in the dash harness. This 14BRN/W resistance wire segment is part of the Alternator, Exciter circuit. It is not part of the ignition system.

You will not find nichrome resistance wire at an auto supply store. The most common use of this wire is in toasters, hair dryers, small heaters and hot wire foam cutters.
The likely hood that you could ever find insulated, stranded, nichrome wire is very low.

[Steeveedee]

I seem to recall that the resistor wire was iron. I can't check mine- I put in an HEI and eliminated the old wiring to reduce clutter and the chance of a short from hanging wires.

[toolboxchev]

Originally Posted by RichardJ

Seanext, if you know what nichrome wire is, then you should also know that it can not be soldered. You can crimp it into a connector and pour a foot of melted solder into it, but all you end up with is a glump of solder and melted rosin. No actual solder connection.

The 20W/OR/PPL cloth covered resistance (ballast) wire connects to the bulkhead connector. The other side of the bulkhead connector, connects to a Pink 12P copper wire that goes to the ignition switch. This 12P wire is not a resistance wire.

There is a second resistance wire in the dash harness. This 14BRN/W resistance wire segment is part of the Alternator, Exciter circuit. It is not part of the ignition system.

You will not find nichrome resistance wire at an auto supply store. The most common use of this wire is in toasters, hair dryers, small heaters and hot wire foam cutters.
The likely hood that you could ever find insulated, stranded, nichrome wire is very low.

I seem to remember that from days of old. The solder just falls off the stuff.

[Seanext]

Hey Richard,
Thanks for the infomation I knew that it could not be soldered and that is why the factory harness had the yellow wire for the coil and the one the goes to the starter with a metal crimp. I am not 100% sure but aftermaket harnesses that are made for our truck that have a coil have the wire so I would think I should be able to find it somewhere

[Steeveedee]

I'm thinking that any company, such as AAW, that sells wiring harnesses could probably supply you with what you need, even if you only want that wire instead of the engine harness.

[RustyPile]

Originally Posted by Seanext

Working on a engine harness and found the resistive coil wire broken. I know I can buy a new harness but would rather fix mine. So the question is, does anyone know where I can buy the resistive wire? Searched on this site and the interweb and still can't find what I am looking for. I would buy a whole spool if I had to. I have a couple of engine harness that I could rebuild. Any help would be appericated.

All these posts offering help and no one has the help you actually need.. That nichrome wire can be bought but not at a parts store.. You have two easy options.. Remove the resistor wire between the bulkhead connector and the two yellow wires.. install a regular 16 ga. wire and along the run somewhere splice in a non-GM ignition resistor. That resistor IS AVAILABLE at your local parts store. Second choice is pm me and give me your mailing address.. I'll send you a resistor wire along with the two yellow wires attached.. I'll send it for free, I'll even pay the postage...……..

[RichardJ]

You might think that, but a search on AAW web site produced this first image. A web search of the AAW part # 500801 produced a ebay listing with picture of AAW # 500801.

Their harnesses include a copper distributor wire and if you want a Ballast resister, you must add a ceramic resister as shown. That resister value is for a V8 point ignition. If you have a inline 6 which needs a 1.8 ohm resister you would have to discuss that with them or source the proper value elsewhere.

I am reasonably sure that past forum posts have indicated that Painless also supplies harnesses with HEI ready copper distributor wires. A ceramic resister must be added to their harnesses as well.

>>and that is why the factory harness had the yellow wire for the coil and the one the goes to the starter with a metal crimp.<<

The yellow, copper wire is added to the Nichrome resistance wire, because the nichrome must be cut to a specific length in order to produce a specific resistance for the application. Each harness has different routing needs and the copper wire adds very little additional resistance to the distributor wire. 6 cylinder harnesses for one, are routed very differently than a v8.

[Seanext]

RusyPile

I sent you a PM and as I stated in the PM I will be more than happy to pay for the wire and shipping just let me know how much

Thanks

[toolboxchev]

I think I have one also, just found it. I dunno, just trying to help out. Are you not thinking of going to HEI.

Its a very popular upgrade.

[RustyPile]

Originally Posted by Seanext

RusyPile

I sent you a PM and as I stated in the PM I will be more than happy to pay for the wire and shipping just let me know how much

Thanks

Message received and reply sent..

[maverickmk]

Originally Posted by RustyPile

All these posts offering help and no one has the help you actually need.. That nichrome wire can be bought but not at a parts store.. You have two easy options.. Remove the resistor wire between the bulkhead connector and the two yellow wires.. install a regular 16 ga. wire and along the run somewhere splice in a non-GM ignition resistor. That resistor IS AVAILABLE at your local parts store. Second choice is pm me and give me your mailing address.. I'll send you a resistor wire along with the two yellow wires attached.. I'll send it for free, I'll even pay the postage...……..

Thank God you came along as all of these other posts are useless

[toolboxchev]

Rusty is (to me) and enthusiast. Lets kick this thing off. Help out your fellow enthusiast. Rusty is Good People!

The Auto Parts stores have stuff, but not help, the right kind of help. The kind of giving a guy an hand up, not help you out of your dough and into more misery.

I have one I can send ya if the Rusty Deal falls through. Rusty is of our Generation so give him some time.

We really need a pass it forward thread.

[Seanext]

Hey Rusty,

Thank you so much, I bought two from the for sale forum with a good wire and firewall connecter (mine is not in the best shape) so I have what I need. If you every need anything in the furture make me you first call and I will help you anyway I can.
Again thank you for your generous offer.

[RustyPile]

Originally Posted by Seanext

Hey Rusty,

Thank you so much, I bought two from the for sale forum with a good wire and firewall connecter (mine is not in the best shape) so I have what I need. If you every need anything in the furture make me you first call and I will help you anyway I can.
Again thank you for your generous offer.

You'll have a spare soon enough.. The one I have went out first thing this morning in today's mail..