Ballast resistor hack ?

[Red70340Cuda]

 Hi was wondering what all it entails to use your ballast resistor housing  with the jumper wire inside.  An any tips trick or dos an don't stop.   So it will look stock .
Thanks

[Skdmark]

It takes sbout 10 mins to do.
I used this one off of Amazon. Pretty easy to diassemble and swap in a piece of wire.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07F27W56L/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_image?ie=UTF8

Remobve mounting bracket.
Use small flat head screwdriver to fold down the retaining tabs on the front.
Slide out the spade connectors and resistor wire.
Swap in wire (I soldered mine in) and reassemble.

[Racer57]

It takes sbout 10 mins to do.
I used this one off of Amazon. Pretty easy to diassemble and swap in a piece of wire.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07F27W56L/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_image?ie=UTF8

Remobve mounting bracket.
Use small flat head screwdriver to fold down the retaining tabs on the front.
Slide out the spade connectors and resistor wire.
Swap in wire (I soldered mine in) and reassemble.

Your link shows a different ballast. Can this one be used and tuck wire behind the ceramic piece ?

[Skdmark]

@Racer57  No idea without seeing the backside of the one youposted.

The one in the link I posted you can see how the back is exposed in one of the images. You remove the resistor and replace it with a piece of wire. You just slip the terminals over the ends of the wire and solder them on.

[anlauto]

If you're bypassing it all together, just run a new solid wire in your harness from A to B so there's no interruptions in the power like a fake ballast resistor.
Then simply tape two fake wires in your harness to plug into a normal ballast resistor 

[Racer57]

If your able to bypass without issues, then why is there even one there ? 

[anlauto]

If your able to bypass without issues, then why is there even one there ? 

"QUOTE" ...."so it will look stock" 

[Burdar]

If your able to bypass without issues, then why is there even one there ? 

The stock coil isn't designed to run off of 12v.  That's why the ballast is there.  If you use a coil designed for 12v then you can remove the ballast from the system.

[dodj]

If your able to bypass without issues, then why is there even one there ? 

I think he has a different ign system but wants it to appear stock.

[Racer57]

If your able to bypass without issues, then why is there even one there ? 

The stock coil isn't designed to run off of 12v.  That's why the ballast is there.  If you use a coil designed for 12v then you can remove the ballast from the system.

How do you determine is coil is 12v ?

[70vert]

What is the reason to by-pass the ballast resistor? It would be one less thing to go bad, but is there a performance or other benefit?

I know the FBO system comes with the Pertronix coil and included a ballast by-pass. I've been looking at that as an upgrade but not pulled the trigger yet.

[Filthy Filbert]

TO understand why/if you can/should bypass the ballast, you have to first understand it's purpose.

As said, STOCK coils are not intended to run off 12v.   Why?  Because 12V wasn't available during cranking.   but...once running there's no starter draw, AND the alternator is putting out charge.

So, to have a coil that is capable of producing enough spark during engine start, yet not burn out under running conditions, they use a ballast resistor that gets bypassed during engine start.     That's why the condition of "engine cranks, starts, then dies as soon as I let off the starter" is a leading indicator of a bad ballast resistor.

Today's coils are better.  They can produce spark powerful enough under cranking conditions, AND perform with 12-14 volts feeding them without burning up.

There is no performance gain by skipping the ballast. 

[blown motor]

TO understand why/if you can/should bypass the ballast, you have to first understand it's purpose.

As said, STOCK coils are not intended to run off 12v.   Why?  Because 12V wasn't available during cranking.   but...once running there's no starter draw, AND the alternator is putting out charge.

So, to have a coil that is capable of producing enough spark during engine start, yet not burn out under running conditions, they use a ballast resistor that gets bypassed during engine start.     That's why the condition of "engine cranks, starts, then dies as soon as I let off the starter" is a leading indicator of a bad ballast resistor.

Today's coils are better.  They can produce spark powerful enough under cranking conditions, AND perform with 12-14 volts feeding them without burning up.

There is no performance gain by skipping the ballast. 

So if I'm using an MSD Blaster 2 coil then I don't need a ballast resistor?

[dodj]

So if I'm using an MSD Blaster 2 coil then I don't need a ballast resistor?

I have a blaster 2 and no resistor. But I use it with an MSD6A. I'm not sure if you can just bypass your BR with stock ign. Never really thought about it, but you probably can.

[Duodec]

according to the manufacturer the blaster 2 is made for use with an MSD ignition box but is universal so can be used with other ignition systems.  It does require a 0.8 ohm ballast resistor when used with a factory style points ignition. That limits the current that has to run through the point contacts (and so reduces arcing and resultant erosion across the contacts).  Its primary resistance (0.7 ohms) is apparently too low otherwise.   Although they don't specify a ballast resistor when using any electronic ignition system I'd want confirmation about running a factory electronic ignition (like a Chrysler 1970s box) without that resistor; the switching transistor can only carry so much current in continuous operation.

When I worked at an auto parts store late '70s to mid '80s there were two 'universal' coil types, one with a built-in internal resistor (on top of the base primary resistance) and the kind (like Chrysler used) that required an external resistor to limit the current through the coil primary and the ignition controller (electronic or points).