Ballast Resistor Bypass

[Stukenbroeker]

Hey guys, I'm in the middle of upgrading my Ignition system and ran into a bit of a snag. The MSD Blaster 2 coil and Ready-to-Run distributor require you to bypass the ballast resistor. Easy enough. Except, I seem to have 2. I don't want to bypass the wrong one, or maybe I need to bypass both? Really not sure why there's 2 in there.

Thanks!

 

[Propwash]

Not the top one! That's specific for the wiper motor. Connect the two sets of wires together in the lower pic (your ignition ballast resistor) and you'll be ready to go.

 

[Nacho-RT74]

#1 is wiper speed ballast for low speed
#2 is the ign ballast

one idea... you can remove the resistor from the ceramic part on the back and sold on same terminals a jumper wire, inside the ceramic. Refill the groove on back with epoxy to save it from chassis. This will make to keep the related wires untouched.

 

[Stukenbroeker]

Awesome! Now I can get off the computer and get back to work! I'll let you guys know how it turns out. (I left out the part about this being in an A-Body car) Oops :eusa_silenced:

Don't tell anyone, but you guys are more helpful than the guys on FABO....

- - - Updated - - -

#1 is wiper speed ballast for low speed
#2 is the ign ballast

one idea... you can remove the resistor from the ceramic part on the back and sold on same terminals a jumper wire, inside the ceramic. Refill the groove on back with epoxy to save it from chassis. This will make to keep the related wires untouched.

That's a great idea. For the most part the ignition system will look stock, so that would be a clean disguise....

 

[mightymopar]

#1 is wiper speed ballast for low speed
#2 is the ign ballast

one idea... you can remove the resistor from the ceramic part on the back and sold on same terminals a jumper wire, inside the ceramic. Refill the groove on back with epoxy to save it from chassis. This will make to keep the related wires untouched.

Love your idea, makes me wish I thought of that, and I have been a TV repair tech in my spare time for 30+ years.

 

[mr. b]

that's how I bypassed mine on my car with msd ignition

 

[Stukenbroeker]

Well, got the ballast resistor bypassed, MSD Blaster Coil and Summit Ready-to-Run distributor installed, but I can't get it to start up.
I ran out of daylight, so I couldn't really troubleshoot. I cranked the motor over with the #1 spark plug out to check for TDC, then set the distributor in accordingly, but I suppose it's possible that it is off. I'll have to pull it out again in the morning and see.

It did backfire through the carb, so maybe I'm too far out on the timing? The timing tape on the balancer is long gone, so I have nothing to go on....

 

[ZombiePopper]

Sounds like you're 180 out

 

[miller]

Sounds like you're 180 out

Right on. Only sure way to tell if it's at TDC (on compression stroke) is to pull the valve cover off #1 bank, and watch the rocker arms.
If your simply 180 out, pull the dist enough to rotate it. You do have your timing mark on the balance to go by, also rotating the engine until the marks line up, will put you in the ballpark. Probably already know, but some don't.

 

[Stukenbroeker]

You guys were dead on. I cranked it over by hand with a wrench, waited for it to stop blowing out the spark plug hole, pulled the distributor cap and boom, 180 degrees off. popped the dizzy back out, rotated it, clamped it back down and she fired right up. ran a bit rough for a second until i realized i hadn't put the plug wire back on the #1 plug, but a few adjustments later and she's road worthy again.

Thanks again guys!

 

[Stukenbroeker]

I take that back. She just died on me on my way to work.

 

[miller]

Coil wire come loose?
Sorry, don't know much why the ign ballast would need to be by-passed. What type distributor are you running?

 

[Stukenbroeker]

Coil wire come loose?
Sorry, don't know much why the ign ballast would need to be by-passed. What type distributor are you running?

I'll have to check the coil wire when I get back to the car. The MSD Blaster Coil and Ready-to-Run distributor combo requires that you bypass the ballast resistor.

 

[miller]

Assuming your distributor is electronic, not standard points, right? Only know standard dist...thought you might have fried your condenser.
Hope you get her going okay.

 

[Stukenbroeker]

Assuming your distributor is electronic, not standard points, right? Only know standard dist...thought you might have fried your condenser.
Hope you get her going okay.

Just spoke with them to confirm. The ready-to-run distributors don't use a capacitor. Bypass the ballast resistor and the Blaster 2 Coil runs at .7 ohms, so all of that should be fine, from what i can tell anyways.....

 

[ZombiePopper]

Did it die outright or sputter to a stop?

 

[Stukenbroeker]

Did it die outright or sputter to a stop?

Sputtered.

Just got it home. You guys are never going to forgive me........I think I was out of gas :angry7:

 

[miller]

Oh, man! First time I've out-right laughed in years.
Running out of gas should happen to everybody, at least once. Seriously, hope that was it. Easy fix.
Just keep that mopar up, eh.

 

[ZombiePopper]

Sputter to a stop "USUALLY" is a fuel issue

 

[brasil]

..have the same set up MSD Ready to run and the Blaster 2 Coil.... as I can read in your Thread I also have to bypass my Resistor
but the resistor came with the coil ! One package... now I am reading about the 0.7 ohm resistance... ?
Normaly I only have to bypass the resistor.. That´s it ... right ?
Sorry for the questions.... but I don´t want to kill the coil..or the distributor

Greetings Juergen