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#1
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Ballast resister update and coil question?
So, I went to the parts store to get a new ballast resister. I had a choice, points type or electronic type. Being that I have a Mopar Electronic Conversion system on the motor I went with the electronic type. WRONG! I fried my Accel coil after about 2 miles. After looking at the Year One catalog, the one I should have used is the points type as the conversion system is setup for that type. Anyway, I put the old resister back in along with an old stock coil I had just to get home. Now, I have a MSD 6A ignition and the orange box that came with the Mopar Electronic Dist. Should I go with a stock coil or a high energy one? Also maybe changing the old voltage regulator might not be a bad idea? Thanks all
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#2
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Here's a few thoughts......
1) You don't need to run both the 6a and the orange box. The 6a trigger wires will wire straight to a mopar electronic distributor. If you use both, you are letting the inferior of the two pieces (the orange box) run the better MSD box. I think a 5A needs an ecu, and won't work by itself. 2) On the voltage regulator front, an electronic regulator is the way to go. If your car is newer than 1970, it already has one. If not, a bolt in electronic piece can be bought from a local parts store, or online. 3)The msd should be run with a better coil. The acell you had would have worked, too bad it gave up. FBO has a new capacitive discharge coil that will kick butt on any other coil used with CD type system. |
#3
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Hmm, I have a big yellow Accel coil and it doesnt need a ballast.
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#4
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Joe FBO has a bolt on electronic regulator,looks like an original.
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#5
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Your right Dave571, I've had the MSD for about 3 years now. I dug out the paper work and it shows to leave the orange box disconnecter. I still have the orange box on the firewall and pluged in so I must have left it the because I didn't want to cut the plug off. I started the motor and unpluged ths orange box and the motor still ran thenI unpluged the MSD and it didn't so the orange box is just there for looks.
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#6
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Or a quick backup fix when the MSD dies.
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#7
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Quote:
I use a FBO single spark setup now. Has run me into the 11's so far, so I'm not too interested in going back to msd. Joe grapes: Just get a good bolt in reg from someone like the forementioned FBO, and a good ballast resistor, like an msd brand one. I think FBO carries those too, if not hit a local speed shop. Any ballast with more than .6 ohms resistance should keep most coils from frying. |
#8
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Well, I studied the wiring with the MSD and the wiring without it and the resistor is not in the the loop with the coil. All it does now is make the connection between the start and the run position. That's why the motor quit when I unplug the resistor. Even though the orange box is still there I can't just plug it back in without doing some major re-wiring. Anyway,it seems the resistor had nothing to do with the coil going south. I'm thinking now it was just a simple matter of the coil going bad. I guess it happens. So, new coil and back out there. Thanks for the help everyone.
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#9
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Oh man, now i'm stumped! I put the Accel coil back in and it ran fine. It seems that some thing is not working maybe after getting hot? So I put in a new MSD Blaster 2 coil and I changed the voltage regulator. I checked all the connections also. Could the old coil be malfunctioning after getting warm? We'll see how this works.
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#10
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A shot in the dark, here. I had some similar symptoms a couple of years after I first built my motor ( electronic ign., orange box, stock coil and reg.) Unpredictable stalling - wait a bit and fire it up, etc.etc. I checked all the obvious ignition and fuel related possibilities. Turned out to be a cooked distributor module.It would run OK for a while, until enough ambient heat would shut it down. Who knew?? BTW I now run a ballast-less Mallory Hi6 CD system with an Accel coil and have had no ignition issues since.
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#11
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Distrbutor module? dodger1, are you talking about the the pick up in the distributor? Or the orange box on the firewall, the control module? Hummmmmmmmmmm, if you mean the pick up in the distributor, that's a thought.
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#12
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Yes, the pick-up inside the distributor. Parts store called it a "distributor module" Whatever, it's easy to change - and if it is cooked it should be apparent due to discoloration. At least mine was. Worth a shot as it's not an expensive part. Good luck.
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#13
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Just wondering,
I was going to start a new thread for this but I'll just ask on this one if no one minds.
Is it really benefical to upgrade a stadard MoPar electronic ignition system? My car runs Low 11's and doesnt miss a beat. Is there any et in a MSD or other aftermaket ignition or would some say its just a money racket. Ive heard of people putting on MSD's and not going a hundreth faster, just a LITTLE more consistent. The reason I bring this to the table is that ALOT of you guys run these and I wanna know why before I run out and get my own. Ive wasted enough money over the years on parts that dont do anything like the manufacturer says they will do and not into wasting a nickel anymore. I dont want to be misunderstood though, Im just wondering what the benefits of the aftermaket (and expensive) ignitions are.. Thanks BTW, my ignition on my ride is 33 years old. |
#14
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Well B1owner, I switched from the points to the electronic ignition conversion and on a street car that you don't care about being 100% correct is much more reliable. As for the MSD, when I first put it in I noticed the motor at least idled a little smoother. Maybe it was just wishful thinking, lol I've run the motor past 6500 without a hint of breaking up. I wouldn't put one in again unless I was having a problem at high rpm. I didn't feel the money spent was worth it. Also, if you want one and your running a 4 speed, get the 6AL with the rev limiter. When I got the MSD I had an automatic but now I have a 4 speed and I wish I would have got the 6AL instead of the 6A. I know what you mean, I've spent a ton of money on stuff that didn't need but that I wanted. I guess that's part of the fun hah? lol
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