old distributor
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Instructor
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 123
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From: hico tx
old distributor
i took the electronic distribotor out and put the old tach drive one in . it still has the points in it. the electronic one had straight 12 volts running to it from the coil.now that the old point style is in what wire runs to the resistor. is it the negative wire from the coil to the resistor and then to the distributor ?
Tech Contributor
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 14,356
Likes: 6,328
From: At my Bar drinking and wrenching in Lafayette Colorado
Re: old distributor (2TS-73)
The resistor wire, or ballast resistor (if your resistor wire has been cut out of the harness) is installed in the positive wire coming from your ignition switch and running to the "+" side of the coil. The wire running from the "-" side of the coil goes directly to the distributor and is attached to the points. The points provide the ground path.
To see if you have a resistor wire in your circuit, install the ignition wire to the "+" side of your coil, and then run a wire directly from the "-" side of the coil to ground. Turn the ignition "on" and measure voltage at the "+" side. If voltage is about 6-7 volts, you have the resistor wire in the circuit. If voltage is close to battery voltage (about 10-11), you need to install a resistor in the "+" side of the circuit. As you know, running a set of points on straight battery voltage will cause the condenser to fail within about 20 seconds of operation, and the points will weld themselves closed.
[Modified by lars, 8:52 AM 2/21/2003]
To see if you have a resistor wire in your circuit, install the ignition wire to the "+" side of your coil, and then run a wire directly from the "-" side of the coil to ground. Turn the ignition "on" and measure voltage at the "+" side. If voltage is about 6-7 volts, you have the resistor wire in the circuit. If voltage is close to battery voltage (about 10-11), you need to install a resistor in the "+" side of the circuit. As you know, running a set of points on straight battery voltage will cause the condenser to fail within about 20 seconds of operation, and the points will weld themselves closed.
[Modified by lars, 8:52 AM 2/21/2003]
