I will be installing a new Maxfire electronic dist'r, http://www.summitracing.com/int/part...8204/overview/ and E-fire ignition coil, http://www.summitracing.com/int/part...0440/overview/ in the near future. Does the '76 HEI use any type of a resistance device to limit voltage/current to the ignition coil? Mallory has this statement in their installation instructions:

"This distributor requires 12 volts to operate correctly. If the vehicle is equipped with an ignition ballast resistor (or loom resistance wire) in the wire between the ignition switch and the coil (+) terminal, you
will need to run a new wire from the ignition switch which will supply 12 volts. Check a service manual for your vehicle to locate the ignition ballast resistor (or loom resistance wire). These are most common
in vehicles that were originally equipped a point type or some early electronic distributors."

In their catalogue, they refer to their ballast resistor as a requirement for most of their coils but do state which ones do not require it. The one I will be using does not state that I do not need one (inferring that I need a ballast resistor) but is the recommended coil for their Maxfire. Ignitions involve electrons which I'm not very understanding of. So, do I need a ballast reistor for this ignition setup?

Edit: Some more info to clarify my question. Here are the wiring instructions:

"3 PIN FLAT CONNECTOR – this is the power
connector.
BLACK WIRE- connects to the vehicle ground
(engine block). Make sure the surface is free of
dirt, grease and paint.
RED WIRE- connects to the 12 volt ignition
wire from the key switch (there should not be
any ballast resistors or loom resistance wire in
this wire). Refer to a service manual’s wiring
diagram to determine the correct wire. Make
sure the wire supplies 12 volts when the switch
is in the start position and the run position.
WHITE WIRE- this wire is NOT USED with the
22 Series E-Fire inductive storage distributor. It
is used as a 12v square wave tach output with
the 12 Series MAX-Fire. Verify the series you have
by the first 2 digits of the distributor part number.
2 PIN FLAT CONNECTOR–this is the coil connector
ORANGE WIRE-connects to the coil + terminal
BLACK WIRE-connects to the coil – terminal"

So what I'm asking, for the two pin flat connector, do I need a ballast resistor to the + coil terminal even though it's getting its voltage from the dist'r wire connector?

 

With the engine running, measure the voltage at the power wire with the stock ignition in place. A ballast system will show about 10 volts, a non-ballast system will show 12 volts.

 

My engine is half torn apart right now so it can't be started.

 

Perfect! Crawl into the engine bay and trace the power lead back to the bulk-head electrical connector and measure the resistance of that wire. Then disassemble the connector and install a new wire if the original shows a resistance.

 

If your car is a '76 then the distributor feed wire has zero/minimal resistance.
You'll have to give the Mallory tech line a call and ask them if their ignition module has primary current limiting circuitry, or whether it needs a ballast resistance feeding the C+ terminal.

Just out of curiosity, what does this Mallory unit do that the original distributor doesn't?

 

Far easier to dial in timing curves, it has a built-in rev limiter and I like to tweak. Thanks 69427 for confirming the pink is 12v in both the on and start mode. Would it do any harm to put in a ballast resistor in the + wire from the dist'r to the + coil terminal? I don't want to overheat the coil and have to replace it every so often. I'll also give them a call.

 

Shouldn't hurt anything, but it may be unnecessary. If the Mallory module has some sophistication in its design it will have built in (primary) current limiting, so the ballast resistance would be unnecessary. If the module is a simple "dumb" switch then there needs to be some resistance in the line to keep the primary current peak levels from frying the coil and/or module switching transistor.