RE: IML: 56 Ballist Resistor

[RandalPark@xxxxxxx]

Now I am wondering what caused you to decide that the ballast resistor was bad in the first place. I have never had one of these fail.

Paul W.

In an email dated 2/6/2005 1:29:22 am GMT Daylight time, JCantor791@xxxxxxx writes:

>Teresa,
>
>Thanks for the suggestion. ? My local NAPA store has this one in stock and
>for much less than the one that they had been able to find listed with the
>correct resistance range which must be made of unobtainium given its several month
>lead time.
>
>But this brings up the question of resistance range. ? The 56 FSM that I have
>indicates that the ballast resistor should be between 0.66 and 0.735 ohms.
>The 74 P/U unit you suggested is 1.2 ohms. ? Being that I'm a mechanical
>engineer not an electrical engineer, I'm not sure if this really matters. ? It is
>my understanding that the purpose of the ballast resistor is to cut the voltage
>going to the coil so as to protect it from the full 12V (or greater) of the
>system. ? In this case, I would assume that a resistor that was larger would
>knock the voltage down TOO far and risk preventing the coil from producing a hot
>enough spark while too small a resistor would risk frying the coil with too
>high a voltage. ? Of course I'm not sure what happens when the resistor has
>gone to an open circuit as I believe the current one has.
>
>So, the question to all you electrical guru's is: should I keep searching for
>the right resistance range or is this close enough? ? Or have I completely
>miss understood the circuit and perhaps miss measured the resistance's and my
>current resistor and coil are just fine?
>
>Thanks in advance,
>
>Jeff
>'56 Sedan
>Trenton, NJ
>
>
>From: "Chad & Teresa Smith" <hemi_powered@xxxxxxx>
>Subject: RE: IML: 56 Balist Resistor
>Date: Wed, 01 Jun 2005 06:37:17 -0700
>Reply-To: mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>Jeff,
>
>The ballast resistor was junk in my 56 as well...I will tell you what I did.
>? I walked across the driveway, opened the hood on my husbands 1974 Dodge
>pickup, examined it..huh, sure enough...same darn thing....stuck it in my
>car, and away I went... You can buy a new one for a 1974 dodge pickup
>without problem.? Got any friends with 1970s dodge pickups with a 440?? I
>have been driving the car for two years on the ballast resistor...no
>problems.
>
>Teresa Smith
>
>>From: JCantor791@xxxxxxx
>>Reply-To: mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>>To: mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>>Subject: IML: 56 Balist Resistor
>>Date: Wed, 1 Jun 2005 06:55:40 EDT
>>
>>I have all of the needed parts to do a tune up on my 56 except the ballast
>>resistor which does appear to have shorted out.?? Bernbaum is not able to
>>get
>>these currently so I'm looking for suggestions for other sources.?? I've
>>tried
>>the local sources including NAPA with no success.
>>
>>Thanks
>>Jeff
>>56 Sedan
>>Trenton, NJ
>


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