Message text written by INTERNET:Mquinn698@aol.com
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I just got my TR4 engine running after being rebuilt. At this point all I
have is a frame with the engine trans and rear installed. The only wires I
have are the for the starter and a wire for the coil and the car is
grounded.
I bought a Crane Fireball coil to replace the Lucas Coil. When I opened the
box I found a ballast resister. Never using one before I don't understand
what it does or what it is for, can someone explain.
The second part of this question is, I installed the coil and ballast
resister following the instructions as soon as I plugged the hot wire to
the
ballast resister it started smoking. I pulled the wire and double checked
my
self and all seemed correct. I plugged in the hot wire again and more
smoke.
So I thought I would see what would happen if I bypass the resister and
hook
up the coil like the original coil. The car started fine twice. On the
third
time nothing. When I scraped the hot wire on the coil there was no spark as
before. So thinking I fried the coil I put the Lucas coil back and again no
spark. I opened the distributor cap with the power to the coil I touched
the
points with a screw driver, still no spark. I did the about 3 time then I
got
a spark at the points and a spark when I scrapped the hot wire for the
coil.
I buttoned everything up and car started fine again. I'm thinking the crane
coil welded the points slightly and I broke them apart. Now what? did I fry
the crane coil. Is or was the ballast resister bad? did I do something
wrong
with the wiring (I had + from battery to resister, then from the resister
to
the + of the coil and the - of the coil to the distributor.) HELP!! I can
build things but I am not very good with the electrical.
Thanks in advance
--Mike Quinn
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Mike,
If the points were welded together you would have gotten a spark although
the car would not run. More likely you created a layer of oxide on the
points and poking around with the screwdriver disturbed the layer allowing
the points to make contact.
Is there a dark spot on the resistor? Is the surface cracked? Do you have
a volt-ohm meter? (I am surpised by how many folks have a torque wrench,
feeler gauges, line wrenches, spring compressors but no volt meters. If
you are going to try to maintain a car yourself you need a volt meter and
you need to know how to use it. and they are not expensive unless you get
a really good one which the hobbiest doesn't need) The resistor should
measure about 1 to 2 ohms.
Good luck
Dave
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