Ignition question

Discussion in 'Technical' started by Earl Branham, Apr 21, 2012.

  1. bmcdaniel

    bmcdaniel Senile Member Supporting Member

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    Good point, I'm running a Mallory HyFire VI box so in our cars the Pertronix just switches the boxes, not the coil directly.
     
  2. Earl Branham

    Earl Branham Certified Old Fart

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    Put the new coil in, and this time put in the resistor (MSD said to use it), and the car wouldn't run.....missed and popped and sputtered, and the tach needle was all over the place. Called Pertronix, and they said not to use that coil, as the resistance was too low. MSD said it was ok. Anyway, put the stock coil back in, and it seems to run ok. Pertronix also said it appears the coil is bad and they want it back, and will warranty it (only two months old). I'm taking the MSD back tomorrow, and they said they would give me a refund or whatever I wanted, since they recommended the coil in error. Bad day!
     
  3. Mavman72

    Mavman72 Gone backwards but lookin' forward

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    Earl...You can check the AC voltage at the battery or at the pos cable lug on the alt while the car is running...
     
  4. Ryan

    Ryan Ford Addict

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    Are you using an Internal resistor coil or External resistor coil? The stock coils for our cars are External resistor coil because the resistor is in the wire. If you use an aftermarket wiring harness that removes the resistor wire then you can just run an Internal resistor coil.

    But if you have an Internal resistor coil and have a reisistor wire or external resistor in line then you wont have enough voltage.

    Sounds like Earl may have been running an external resistor coil on the new wire harness with no resistor in it before. Now maybe the New MSD coil that was put in might be an internal resistor coil and the added resistor in line made the voltage too low. Most coils will say right on them if they are internal or external resistor.

    EDIT: I just looked at the MSD coils and it appears that they are all for External resistor use, some come with the resistor and some do not. Are you sure the Ron Frances Harness does not have a built in resistor to the coil? did you check the voltage to the coil?
     
    Last edited: Apr 23, 2012
  5. Earl Branham

    Earl Branham Certified Old Fart

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    Not yet Ryan, gonna do that tomorrow. Back gave me a fit after bending over the fenders all morning. Thanks for the info, gotta get this thing going. Right now, using the stock coil without a resistor (Pertronix guy said not to use one), and it runs ok. Wierd!!!!!
     

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