Ignition resistor wire
- Thread starter 60s Refugee
- Start date
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I found a '77 Granda with manual disc brakes and the DS-II on the 250 a few years back. I got the head, carb, brakes and complete DS-II system off that puppy. To make a long story short,the dizzy was junk; no advance and the vac cannister was leaking. So buying a new/rebuilt dizzy for a DS-II swap makes sense to me. Why pay the junkies for a dizzy and module and hope that it works.
60s Refugee
Well-known member
That,s sorta what I thought too, especially after not being able to find a junk set!
Harry
Harry
kuhlou
Well-known member
I have a new pertronix flamethrower coil installed now, the hi energy one, no need to change the coil out? I see Kragen and checker are the same outfit. Is there any good reason to use the ford duraspark style module vs the GM 4 pin style module? Seems most posters are using the less expensive GM module.
From the CARDFORD site. So, which is it? Replace the heavy one or the light one. I've seen it both ways. I can see replacing the light one to bring advance sooner and bending the heavy tab to bring in the total sooner.
Standard distributors have the rate of advance controlled by two springs attached to the centrifugal weights. The two springs are usually of different tension and length. Frequently the heavier of the two springs is not actually under any tension when the distributor is stationary, however the weaker of the two should have absolutely no slack when stationary. If the lighter of these two springs does have some slack, it is important to take this up so that the spring is under slight tension otherwise the timing settings will be altered immediately the engine turns over. If there is no tension in the spring, bend the stop on that spring to re-instate tension.
In most applications for performance engines, the heavier of the two distributor springs requires replacement with a lighter spring. Alternative springs can be gleaned from a scrap distributor (it does not need to be of the same type necessarily) from a breakers yard. This is necessary to give a faster advance ramp, as seen in the previous table.
When the heavy spring is replaced by a lighter one, BOTH springs must be under tension, but not under too much, there must be no loose rotational movement between the central shaft and the weights as this will give too fast a ramp and lead to pinking. The static timing, if set as before is plenty, and we do not want any more until around 1300-1500RPM. If the distributor does not have bendable posts that allow the spring tension to be varied, then the springs may need to be tweaked a little to shorten or lengthen them.
Standard distributors have the rate of advance controlled by two springs attached to the centrifugal weights. The two springs are usually of different tension and length. Frequently the heavier of the two springs is not actually under any tension when the distributor is stationary, however the weaker of the two should have absolutely no slack when stationary. If the lighter of these two springs does have some slack, it is important to take this up so that the spring is under slight tension otherwise the timing settings will be altered immediately the engine turns over. If there is no tension in the spring, bend the stop on that spring to re-instate tension.
In most applications for performance engines, the heavier of the two distributor springs requires replacement with a lighter spring. Alternative springs can be gleaned from a scrap distributor (it does not need to be of the same type necessarily) from a breakers yard. This is necessary to give a faster advance ramp, as seen in the previous table.
When the heavy spring is replaced by a lighter one, BOTH springs must be under tension, but not under too much, there must be no loose rotational movement between the central shaft and the weights as this will give too fast a ramp and lead to pinking. The static timing, if set as before is plenty, and we do not want any more until around 1300-1500RPM. If the distributor does not have bendable posts that allow the spring tension to be varied, then the springs may need to be tweaked a little to shorten or lengthen them.
60s Refugee
Well-known member
OK! I got a reply from Total Performance today. My question to them was whether or not a resistor was needed in the Dura Spark II system. Their instructions indicated that it was and the harness is made to insert one if needed.
Their answer was "yes"! They said to keep the pink resistor wire in the loop and add a resistor if the pink wire was gone.
So, why the 8v ignition wire? Is it to perserve the Ignition Module, the Coil, both? I have not hooked mine up yet but had intended to bypass the resistor wire.
Harry
Their answer was "yes"! They said to keep the pink resistor wire in the loop and add a resistor if the pink wire was gone.
So, why the 8v ignition wire? Is it to perserve the Ignition Module, the Coil, both? I have not hooked mine up yet but had intended to bypass the resistor wire.
Harry
60s Refugee
Well-known member
Well, I didn't think it sounded right too. Just cuz they make the wires doesn't mean they know anything about what the wire does.
Harry
Harry
Eric Rose":2k7dn3hd said:Would there be any interest in used DSII harnesses? Because I can pull harnesses from the junkyard easily... tons of DSII equipped cars at the junkers here.
I got my whole system at a junkyard for about $30. Everything worked too
Did you happen to notice if it had a ballast resistor? lol.
Eric Rose
Famous Member
frogmn666":2b8dy59j said:
If NPD is making $113.95 off of them I want in on this racket.
If I pull one every time I go to the junkyard (for my own parts) and make enough off of it to pay for gas and breakfast I'd be happy. I always try to grab something I can re-market while I'm there. Every car forum I have ever been on has certain parts that people are always looking for.
kirkallen143
Famous Member
Not entended as a hijack
So back to the topic, I use the pink resistor wire on my DSII w/ Ford ignition module and Accel 40,000 coil...and it works great. I also have the earlier points-type dist cap. Am I missing something by not running the full 12v to the coil?
Been rumaging around the threads here, and one guy (frogmn666) said on his DSII w/ the points type dist cap, MSD and a full 12v to the coil he was getting spark cross-firing under the cap (it was on a 4cyl cap). Asking, do you think I would get cross-firing if I gave a full 12v to the coil with my points-type DSII cap?
Trying to help others here, is there anyone with a setup like mine:
DSII
Earlier points-type cap
HV coil
Ford ignition module
With or without resistor wire to coil
Kirk
So back to the topic, I use the pink resistor wire on my DSII w/ Ford ignition module and Accel 40,000 coil...and it works great. I also have the earlier points-type dist cap. Am I missing something by not running the full 12v to the coil?
Been rumaging around the threads here, and one guy (frogmn666) said on his DSII w/ the points type dist cap, MSD and a full 12v to the coil he was getting spark cross-firing under the cap (it was on a 4cyl cap). Asking, do you think I would get cross-firing if I gave a full 12v to the coil with my points-type DSII cap?
Trying to help others here, is there anyone with a setup like mine:
DSII
Earlier points-type cap
HV coil
Ford ignition module
With or without resistor wire to coil
Kirk
kirkallen143
Famous Member
Q) I just purchased an ACCEL super coil. Do I need to use the ballast resistor supplied?
A) It depends on which ignition system its being used with. When using a single or dual point distributor, coil positive should be supplied with 8-10 volts with the key in the "run" position. Check it with a voltmeter and use the resistor only if necessary. Less than seven volts will result in a weak spark, and over ten volts will burn the points. Nearly all electronic ignitions require twelve volts (no resistor). This includes HEI, ACCEL, 41000 and 51000 series, and enhancer box systems (ACCEL 300+, Mallory HYFIRE®, MSD) an exception to this is the Mallory Unilite distributor when wired directly to the coil (no spark box). This required 7-9 volts supplied to coil positive. When using the supercoil with stock Chrysler or Ford Duraspark systems, use the ballast specified by the manufacturer.
I just found this from the Accel web site, so it looks like mine set up is right w/ the ballast resistor.
Kirk
A) It depends on which ignition system its being used with. When using a single or dual point distributor, coil positive should be supplied with 8-10 volts with the key in the "run" position. Check it with a voltmeter and use the resistor only if necessary. Less than seven volts will result in a weak spark, and over ten volts will burn the points. Nearly all electronic ignitions require twelve volts (no resistor). This includes HEI, ACCEL, 41000 and 51000 series, and enhancer box systems (ACCEL 300+, Mallory HYFIRE®, MSD) an exception to this is the Mallory Unilite distributor when wired directly to the coil (no spark box). This required 7-9 volts supplied to coil positive. When using the supercoil with stock Chrysler or Ford Duraspark systems, use the ballast specified by the manufacturer.
I just found this from the Accel web site, so it looks like mine set up is right w/ the ballast resistor.
Kirk
Patrick66
Famous Member
kirkallen143":32d5uiy6 said:
i think that was actually a VW, but if its working good for you theres no need to mess with it as long as your happy. personally, i took the advice of the members on this board, and various how to's i found, and bypassed the wire. im using a GM module. works great for me, but i cant say whether there is a difference from personal experience because i never ran with the resistor.
"When using the supercoil with stock Chrysler or Ford Duraspark systems, use the ballast specified by the manufacturer. "
your duraspark system is not stock on your vehicle, the vehicles that were equipped with durasparks from the factory did not have a resistor. so the ballast specified by the manufacturer would be none. i think that if your going to swap an ignition system from one car to another(or replicating it with new/reman parts), you should swap the whole system, including the wiring. but like i said if your happy with it, dont worry about it.
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