Coil and Ballast Resistor

[SenorCole86]

Hi, I'm currently hooking up my Painless wiring harness and when I came to the engine section, I found something that sorda confused me. The kit come with this large, white ballast resistor and suggets I use it, but I didn't find one in the stock harness that looked anything like it. Any ideas? Any help would be greatly appreciated, thanks!

 

[LBR]

You should either use it with the painless kit as recommended or use your old resistance wire from the stock wiring loom and splice it into the painless ignition wire for the coil + side and not use the ballast resistor. I would do the later because I don't like the looks of that resistor (too 50's-ish) LBR

 

[redneckgroundhog]

I agree with LBR. The 1.35 ohm resistance wire supplies less than full battery voltage to the coil during engine operation. This resistance wire is by passed during the starting process, by the I-terminal on the starter solenoid, so the coil then receives full battery voltage. The I-terminal is only energized while the starter circuit is activated. You'll need to use one or the other or risk the wrath of the Jeep gods.

 

[Snitty]

I would seriously suggest going with an HEI ignition and forgetting about that resistor all together

 

[Bounty__Hunter]

RE: Performance Ignition for TJ

I had to use the same ceramic ballast resistor when I put a performance coil on the '88 258 I once had. If it calls for it, use it.

 

[jay79cj7]

A word of warning on that ballast resistor: I just put the painless kit in my CJ and I fried my TFI coil and ignition module. It turns out that ballast resistor only drops the voltage 3V or so, so you have 11V at the coil, which is higher than what should be there. I am using some radio shack resistors now until I get around to finding a more permanent solution.

 

[ndnatty]

Interesting, I put the same system into my Cj and didn't have a problem, but I also replaced my coil along with the harness. Good luck senorcole!

 

[jay79cj7]

Re: Men in black... Judicial tyranny strikes again

That's interesting... I have heard a stock coil can handle full voltage, but the module can't. I have heard of a few people on here frying modules due to overvoltage in the ignition circuit.

 

[Snitty]

RE: OBA compressor donors

That's why I suggest HEI, it loves to see 12+ volts at all times, simple to hook up, simple to adjust, simple... period

 

[jay79cj7]

HEI is on my to do list! I have not heard of any complaints. I probably won't be doing it any time soon though... My CJ budget is negative right now!

 

[SenorCole86]

Re: RE: how to reset the ecu?

If I get an MSD blaster coil, do I install the ballast resistor on the negative side of the coil instead of the positive side to protect the module and still get 12v to the coil?

 

[jay79cj7]

Re: RE: Re: RE: Re: RE: Re: RE: Jeepy!!!

It doesn't matter which side you install the ballast on. The module and coil are in series, so a resistor in the middle of the circuit is the same as having it upstream.

 

[SenorCole86]

So, where can I put it so I can get 12v to the coil and 9v to the module?

 

[jay79cj7]

You can't.

 

[SenorCole86]

Oh, well, would the MSD coil still improve performance then? And, does anybody know of any mudules that'll "bolt" up that can handle 12v?

 

[jay79cj7]

That's the HEI that Snitty refers to. It requires replacing the distributor.

http://www.geocities.com/jeeperaz/hei.htm