When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
this may be in the wrong forum, but. does anyone know why ford has a resistor wire, or in the case of newer trucks, have a resistor that limits the amount of power going to the coil? in the manual i have it says, the resistor wire is bypassed when starting and then is used when the engine is running, but isn't it better to have more or hotter spark? why add a performance coil, with move voltage and hotter spark? just wondering. thanks
I know in the past an individual "ballast resistor" was in ignition circuit to primary side of coil which cut voltage to about 8 volts or so in the run position and used full voltage in starting since the battery voltage drops so much in turning the starter. This would create a no run condition once the starter/key was released to run but the engine would start and run until the key was released - I fought this in a 56 Olds that I had over hauled in the drive and couldn't figure out why engine work would affect the ignition, I must have hit the resistor while pulling heads - it was a large porcelein block with heavy resistance wire inside. I have always wondered if they still used this scheme for ignition power these days but never took the trouble to research it.
I know in the past an individual "ballast resistor" was in ignition circuit to primary side of coil which cut voltage to about 8 volts or so in the run position and used full voltage in starting since the battery voltage drops so much in turning the starter. This would create a no run condition once the starter/key was released to run but the engine would start and run until the key was released - I fought this in a 56 Olds that I had over hauled in the drive and couldn't figure out why engine work would affect the ignition, I must have hit the resistor while pulling heads - it was a large porcelein block with heavy resistance wire inside. I have always wondered if they still used this scheme for ignition power these days but never took the trouble to research it.
my brothers 62 ford truck had the resistor on the fire wall, i haven't seen one in a loooooog time tho, i think it does the same job as the wire, but y bother if one goes the extra distance of getting a hi performance coil?
on cars with points and condencers, the resistor on the primary side of the coil was to keep the points from burning out. if it has electronic ignition i do not know, might be to keep the coil running cooler?
on cars with points and condencers, the resistor on the primary side of the coil was to keep the points from burning out. if it has electronic ignition i do not know, might be to keep the coil running cooler?