Ross,I'm pretty sure the diagram showed it in the circuit,but I'll dig it out tonight to verify.I just got back from a parts house that's open late,they matched up my resistor against one their book shows,it matches,so I ordered it.It'll be here in the A.M..My shop manual said to replace if it reads outside of 1.3-1.4 ohms,and mine was reading @ 2 ohms.Hope that was all it was.I'll check in tomorrow after changing it out.Thanks for all the help,everyone.

 

Pretty sure it would still run if the resistor was 2 ohms.....hhhhhmmmmm.. try disconnecting the wire on the coil + hook up your voltmeter and set the key to run........should read voltage..............if not the circuit is open, broken/corroded wire somewhere.

 

A lot of the advice given earlier was assuming your had a stock points system. If you have an MSD electronic system and a 6A, I would be very careful putting 12v here or there, you could burn up something. That kind of a system is nothing like the stock points.

 

Right,Ross,my feelings exactly.I'm going down to pick up the ballast resistor and replace it first.That's the cheap fix,11.00.If it still does the same thing,I'll pick up the ignition switch and change it out.Ain't it terrible being a "parts swapper",instead of a Real mechanic?!!Steve.

 

Thanks,everyone.The ballast resistor took care of the problem.I did,however,go through three or four of them at each of two stores,both Echlin and Borg -Warner brands,checking for one within specs(1.3-1.4 ohms).Sad,isn't it?I immediately tried to find the one of their several brands that was made in USA,having a bias in that direction.What I found is that all of them will label where the BOX is manufactured,just not where the part is built.Apparently,they want to overcome the resistance of consumers like myself.

Steve