plastic-idol
Well-known member
When installing a pertronix unit, how can you tell if you have a ballast resistor. The instructions say to remove it, if there is one on your model car.
ballast resistor
- Thread starter plastic-idol
- Start date
The stock wiring has a resistance wire, not a ballast resistor. Turn the key to ON and you should be reading between 8 - 9 volts at the coil wire.
plastic-idol
Well-known member
sorry, my bad 
i wonder if this was the cause of the problems i had with the pertronix?
i wonder if this was the cause of the problems i had with the pertronix?
Could be. The Pertonix is designed to run on 12V, but I think it will function at voltages as low as 8.5V. If your voltage is below that threshold, it may not fire the coil properly.
Two solutions:
1. Eliminate or bypass the resistance wire and use a 1.5 Ohm 12v coil (this is what I recommend).
2. Leave the resistance wiring but only hook the coil (+) terminal to it. Hook the red Pertronix wire to a 12V switched source. The black Pertronix wire still goes to coil (-).
Two solutions:
1. Eliminate or bypass the resistance wire and use a 1.5 Ohm 12v coil (this is what I recommend).
2. Leave the resistance wiring but only hook the coil (+) terminal to it. Hook the red Pertronix wire to a 12V switched source. The black Pertronix wire still goes to coil (-).
A
Anonymous
Guest
The Pertronix system REQUIRES 12 VOLT SWITCHED power. Ford uses a 6 volt coil. There is a "ballast resistor" in the ignition line between the key and the + side of the coil. All of the Fords should have one. So, if you hook the Pertronix to the coil as a power souce IT WON'T WORK FOR LONG, IF AT ALL. The ballast resistor is located under the dash in the red line between the switch and the firewall. It will take the form or a small rectangular box (usually white) or a resistor wire in the line. It is easy to spot. If you are running a PII you simply cut it out of the line. You can do this with the PI if you change the coil to the 12 volt Flamethrower II. If the risistor has been removed by a former owner the car will run OK but the life of the coil and the stock ignition system will be greatly reduced, i.e., burn them up quickly. As with almost everything on a 30+ year old car there are no guarantees The PII with the 12 volt coil is a very strong / reliable system.
Enjoy the ride - Steve
Enjoy the ride - Steve
plastic-idol
Well-known member
that sounds exactly like my problem. it ran fine for about 3 days, then quit. I hope it didn't damage the Ignitor II.
A
Anonymous
Guest
Steve,
I installed my P1 as per their instructions (from what I could understand from them): I have both Pertronix wires hooked to the coil. The stock wire from the ignition switch also hooks to the coil as it originally did. Is this correct? I haven't had any problems (had it for 2 years). The coil is a 12V. The guy at NAPA asked if it was 6 or 12, and I told him 12. I had no idea, until now, that they used a 6V coil. Oh well, at least I have what I need, I guess.
So, when I upgrade to the Pertronix II, exactly what provisions, if any, do I need to make for this ballast resistor. I'm dumb on electrical stuff, so please be patient with me.
I plan to use the Flamethrower II coil. Do I still hook both wires of the PII to the coil?
I hope the instructions w/ the PII are better than the other ones. They were not too easy to understand for the electrically-challenged!
I installed my P1 as per their instructions (from what I could understand from them): I have both Pertronix wires hooked to the coil. The stock wire from the ignition switch also hooks to the coil as it originally did. Is this correct? I haven't had any problems (had it for 2 years). The coil is a 12V. The guy at NAPA asked if it was 6 or 12, and I told him 12. I had no idea, until now, that they used a 6V coil. Oh well, at least I have what I need, I guess.
So, when I upgrade to the Pertronix II, exactly what provisions, if any, do I need to make for this ballast resistor. I'm dumb on electrical stuff, so please be patient with me.
I plan to use the Flamethrower II coil. Do I still hook both wires of the PII to the coil?I hope the instructions w/ the PII are better than the other ones. They were not too easy to understand for the electrically-challenged!
A
Anonymous
Guest
Hi Falcon64,
If your PI is installed with a direct coil hook-up without ingnition failure you probably do not have a ballast resistor in your car. I say this based on the fact that the odds of the PI performing well for an extended period on six volt is remote. A new unit is supposed to be able to run on as little as 5 volts. But as the wireing and the unit age it just won't keep going. The other reason I doubt you have the resistor is that removing bad (damaged units) without replacing them has happened over the years. The down side is shorter point and coil life but the car will run fine. So, the long and the short of it is that once the ballast resistor is removed, or wired around, you can hook the PI or the PII directly to the coil as you have done. The instructions with the PII suggest you do just that. To be sure you can have the voltage at the + side of the coil checked at most repair shops. If its 12, your in business. Just drop in the PII and hook it up the same way.
By the way, which carb and dizzy are you running. I don't think the 64 200 I6 cars had an air pump (thermactor). If you don't have one there is a good possibility that you have the non-thermator distributor drive (round with slot to hold the rotor in the correct position). If so, the PII you would use is the same unit that goes in the dual advance (single vac) dizzy so if you go that way in the future you won't have to buy another PII (the dizzy change will be needed if you upgrade to 2V).
Steve
If your PI is installed with a direct coil hook-up without ingnition failure you probably do not have a ballast resistor in your car. I say this based on the fact that the odds of the PI performing well for an extended period on six volt is remote. A new unit is supposed to be able to run on as little as 5 volts. But as the wireing and the unit age it just won't keep going. The other reason I doubt you have the resistor is that removing bad (damaged units) without replacing them has happened over the years. The down side is shorter point and coil life but the car will run fine. So, the long and the short of it is that once the ballast resistor is removed, or wired around, you can hook the PI or the PII directly to the coil as you have done. The instructions with the PII suggest you do just that. To be sure you can have the voltage at the + side of the coil checked at most repair shops. If its 12, your in business. Just drop in the PII and hook it up the same way.
By the way, which carb and dizzy are you running. I don't think the 64 200 I6 cars had an air pump (thermactor). If you don't have one there is a good possibility that you have the non-thermator distributor drive (round with slot to hold the rotor in the correct position). If so, the PII you would use is the same unit that goes in the dual advance (single vac) dizzy so if you go that way in the future you won't have to buy another PII (the dizzy change will be needed if you upgrade to 2V).
Steve
A
Anonymous
Guest
Thanks for the reply. I'll try to check the voltage tomorrow.
Right now, I'm running the Loadomatic with the Holley 1946. I really haven't had any problems whatsoever. However, when I swap to the PII, I'll be changing to the '68-73 dual advance distributor. I have to change the head gasket, so I figured I would just wait and kill two birds with one stone!
Right now, I'm running the Loadomatic with the Holley 1946. I really haven't had any problems whatsoever. However, when I swap to the PII, I'll be changing to the '68-73 dual advance distributor. I have to change the head gasket, so I figured I would just wait and kill two birds with one stone!
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