chuckaroo

Hi Guys
Need to replace the ballast resistor on my 66 Vette 327/300 hp and after researching the files I noted several posts said that the replacement resistance ohms should be between 1.8 to 2.2 ohms, I called Ecklers to order one. I asked for the ohms of their resistor and they said it was .2 ohms. What say you??? That seems too large a difference. I read that in 63 it was .3 ohms but later it was changed to the 1.8 to 2.2 because the .3 was burning out the points. Too high a voltage at .3 and needed the voltage down to around 5-7 volts. Any advise??
Thanks

65GGvert

I copied and pasted a post in C2 General from JohnZ, who knows for sure:

The ballast resistor through mid-'63 was 0.3 ohms; it was changed to 1.8 ohms in February of '63 to reduce complaints of point-burning. Your 1.9-ohm resistor will work fine.

Powershift

As 65 GGvert and others have stated, there are two versions. If you want/need the higher ohm (blue strip) version there are many other suppliers that will have it. LICS is one. Also quite certain Keen, Zip, and CC will also have.

The ballast is matched to a specific coil, so you want the correct ballast/coil combination.

Larry

leif.anderson93

Why not swing by FLAPS and pick one up for around $10?

Powershift

You are correct, that will work, but don't expect it to look like the Delco-Remy originals. Current licensed reproductions are (almost) exact.

Larry

chuckaroo

Larry
I checked several common suppliers and they only had 0.2 ohms and only CC had 1.0 ohm resistors. To be honest they really didn't know. I would prefer 1.8 or close and some what similar to original appearance. Maybe you or someone out there might have a lead. It appears that they are selling the 0.2 ohm resistor to their customers. As usual any help from the Forum is appreciated. Thanks

Powershift

LICS #37-25A. Shown as in-stock 10 minutes ago. Don't understand why this is a problem. I am almost certain Zip and Keen and Paragon would also have them.

For mid-year cars, LICS is the first place I recommend. Parts are almost always in stock and they ship next day. FWIW

If no-one can help you (which I doubt) send me a PM and I will send you an NOS one from my personal stock. But I doubt this is needed.

Larry

EDIT: A quick check at Zip shows M-3472 as the one you need. Price about the same as LICS.

Zip Corvettes

I just tested one of these for someone. Our blue stripe one is 1.9 ohms.

Powershift

Probably for our original poster. Thanks for the follow-up….it may help others in the same situation.

Larry

chuckaroo

Larry
Thanks for your help. I check with Zip and at that time they didn't know the resistance. Next I checked with LICS and theirs said 1.8 ohms in the catalogue. Bought that one. Sorry Zip.
Larry, when I checked LICS yesterday I couldn't find it. Also, your offer to send one from your personal stock was very kind.
Thanks to all.

chuckaroo

Hi Guys
I'm back again. Here's my situation. Bought a new coil resistor and need to know the proper way to hook the three wires correctly. I know where two go but not sure about the third ...probably a stupid question but I don't want to burn out a $40 resister or worse an ignition switch. Here is what I got:
1 With ignition switch off no readings on any of the three wires.
2 Ignition switch turned to run - 12v to (dark orange wire)
3 There is Continuity from 2nd wire to + side of coil - (Brown wire)
4 (Red wire) not sure side of resistor or where it connects on other side
5 My guess that the red wire and dark orange wire are fastened together on once side with 12v. The other brown wire on the opposite side of the resistor and to the + side of the coil or 6v to the coil.

Also with none of the three wires connected to anything I can crank the starter motor.

Now, the new resistor has 1.9 to 2.2 ohms on an ohm meter but when I put 12v wire on one side I expected the voltage to measure 6v on the other side of the resistor but there was no change or voltage drop. Does the resistor have to heat up before the resistor drops the voltage??? When I originally removed the three wires this winter I thought I could remember but old age took it's toll. Thanks for any help.

JohnZ

There are only two wires involved with the resistor on a '66 - a pink wire from the ignition switch, through the firewall next to the wiper motor, connects to the bottom terminal on the resistor. Another pink wire, from the engine harness across the top of the cowl, connects to the top terminal on the resistor. The resistor is mounted specifically so the nichrome resistance wire coil is exposed to open air circulation, NOT mounted with the back of the resistor against fiberglass.

At the coil, there's a black primary wire from the distributor (points) on the (-) terminal, and there's a pink wire from the resistor connected on the (+) terminal, along with a pink wire from the outboard "R" terminal on the starter solenoid (resistor bypass wire). There's also a radio noise suppression capacitor attached to the spark plug wire support, with its black pigtail on the (+) coil terminal.

Powershift

The resistor will only show a voltage drop across the resistor if the points are closed and current is flowing thru the coil.

It sounds like you have a Petronix or other electronic trigger in the distributor??

According to factory drawings for 1967 for an non-TI distributor, the ballast resistor will have a single 12 v pink wire into the resistor and a single pink wire out of the resistor going to the + terminal post of the coil. 1966 may be different color wire, I don't have a 1966 electrical schematic. But 1966 and 1967 are normally very similar.

Before going further you need to tell me (us) if you have a Petronix or other electronic system.

Larry

chuckaroo

Larry and John Z
Thanks for putting up with me.....I knew I was going have difficulty dealing with this because every schematic I check and everyone I talked with including both of you guys say there only two wires. Now I want stress
that there were three wires connected to my resistor. What I see is one wire could be pink comes through the firewall . There is no voltage shown with the ignition switch off ...when the key is switched to run position it registers 12V on that wire (seems that should go to the bottom connect of the resistor. Another pink wire has continuity with the + terminal on the coil. Should go the top of the resistor yes/no??? There is another wire orange I think I know not where it goes. Could it be it goes no where?? It was fasten either top or bottom of the resistor I don't remember. Could I just leave it off and see what happens??

I'm pretty sure I don't have any hopped up coil or dist. as I sent it to Lars Grimsrud to be rebuilt and he said if there was something like that he would put it in a bag and send it back. One more thing the circuit that energize the starter motors works ok. In other words with all three wires to the ballast are disconnect the motor will turn over when the is turned to the start position. What do you guy think?? Again thanks.

Powershift

Chuck:

First, what we are doing here has nothing to do with the starter. The starter is on a completely different circuit. HOWEVER, the is a pink wire that runs from the starter to the + side of the coil. The + side of the coil also has a pink wire from the ballast resistor (total of two pink wires at the coil + terminal). The coil + terminal also has a condenser….for a total of three wires. The condenser is a single wire and is used to suppress interference with the radio. If should be connected, but it won't hurt your car if you leave it off for now.

It really doesn't matter which end of the ballast resistor you call IN and which you call OUT. JohnZ picture shows IN to be on the bottom, and OUT to be on the top. That is fine.

If you have an extra wire (orange??) you need to follow it to see where it goes. It may be a connection that someone used to get a 12 volt (switched) power for something in the past…………..like a Petronix electronic trigger for the distributor or power for a carburetor electric choke or power for an electric fuel pump or ??

If you can't find out where it goes, just leave it off for now and we will see what happens. If it is needed for something, it will eventually show up.

Please confirm that you have only a single black wire from the coil (-) post to the distributor and also only that one black wire is going into the distributor. If you have two wires going into the distributor, you need to pop the distributor cap and tell us where the second wire is going.

I do not believe anything but a dead short will burn out you new ballast resistor………it is pretty tough.

Larry

EDIT: I just checked my 1967 327/350 HP car and cannot find or see an orange wire anywhere near the ballast resistor area. Yes, there are a few orange wires under the hood, but not in this area. So I dunno………..

chuckaroo

Hi Larry

Went out last night and surveyed my wiring and here is my report (96% certainty). Might as will start at the starter. Couldn't get under far enough to see but with a mirror I saw a pink wire coming out of a harness and going to the back of the starter/solenoid. It went into the harness and came out by the coil and attached to the + pole of the coil. At the + pole it mated with another pink wire that went into a harness and came out at the top of the ballast. I assume it goes to the top connection or the 6v side. A wire coming through the firewall that is energized with 12v when key is in the run position would go to the bottom of the ballast or 12v side. Now for the mystery third wire, it is orange and I noticed last night it was stamped with "ignition". It went into a harness that ran along the firewall and down the left inner fender toward the alternator. There it turn down to small black plastic cube where the orange wire went into the bottom of the cube with some other wires. 1" x 1" cube. This cube was beside the alternator and directly under a rectangular black metal box looking like a relay or voltage regular. On the top of the cube it said Tyco, 12V, 40/30A, and a part #. This orange wire and the associated parts don't look original....too new. Tyco has some thing to do with windshield wipers. Finally the coil has only one black wire from the neg. pole and it goes to the dist. Sorry too much detail. Thanks again.

65GGvert

Among other things, Tyco makes security systems. Sounds like someone tapped into the ignition power at the ballast to operate an aftermarket alarm.

Powershift

This is correct, and as it should be.

Larry

Powershift

Tyco is an electronics company………..makes a lot of stuff for houses and cars, etc. An aftermarket alarm is a possibility as 65GGvert stated above. I would need to see more to say for certain. If you give me the part number, I will try and find out what it is. Sounds like a relay of some sort.

Trico is the company associated with windshield wipers for our cars.

Leave the orange wire off for now and start and run the car. Take it out for a nice drive today.

Larry

chuckaroo

Larry
This company makes small race cars and toy trains. The number is vf4-65f11-so1. The only thing in order to have 12v to the alarm system the ignition switch would have to be left on.