apparent dead electronic ignition on G, Part 2

BTW, JohnT, Hayfarmer, Buckanddeere everyone, between the cold, Christmas and company, I haven't been able to diagnose my normally trusty steed with your kindly provided suggestions. Hopefully in the next day or two I'll have the chance. I will post the results asap. Any additional thoughts on the installation as described would be appreciated. Does anyone else have a similar experience with these components sourced from Denny's? Believe me, I am not throwing stones at Denny's; if there is a mistake, I made it by missing a point in their instructions. I was just wondering if anyone had bought essentially the same package and how they installed it?

Clooney, welcome back!

Thanks,
Rob

The electronic ignitions have a limit to the current they can carry, just like points.

Coil resistance for a 12 Volt coil will vary from over 3 Ohms, down to 1.5 Ohms, and even down to well under 1 Ohm for certain high-powered or CD ignitions.

You need to know the current limits of your specific ignition module, and know the mfg's coil resistance spec's, because if a coil with too little primary resistance is used without a ballast resistor, and primary current exceeds the limits of the module you have, all the smoke's gonna leak out, and that gets EXPENSIVE!

With the original Pertronix unit (NOT the Pertronix II), if the ignition switch is left "ON" without the engine turning over, full coil primary current will flow through the igntion coil and module until the battery is dead.

If you have a low primary resistance coil, and no ballast resistor, the module will likely melt down.

(Don't ask how I know thi$$$$$$!)

SO, MAKE SURE you pick the power up for that distributor unit from the 12 volt side of the resistor (not the coil side)..

I would suggest you call the tec hotline of the E.I. manufacturer as they have seen it all & can probably talk you through a full check out in a very short time (that’s what they are there for & are very good at)..

Clooney

All it does is reduce voltage and limit current both through the electronic switch and that coil and if Denny specified it, hopefully, it was proper and required to match the coil and elec. switch.

HOWEVER, here's somethign you may want to check with Denny and take a look at: That elec switch probably has 2 wires out of it with one wired to 12 volts and another to the coils - terminal. When using a ballast, that hot wire may be need wired ahead of the ballast off the Ignition switches IGN output terminal instead of the coils + side !!!!! !! since after the ballast voltage drop that may be nearer to 6 versus 12 volts????? ? Where is it wired currently?????

For it to work, when the ignitions turned ON and assuming the switch is working and conducting current, there should be battery voltage out the switches IGN output terminal,,,,, ,,, battery voltage on the ballast high input (from switch NOT to coil) terminal,,,,, ,reduced voltage (maybe 6 or so) on the ballast other low side and coils high input terminal,,,,, ,,,,and near zero volts on the coils other low (to distributor) terminal. Then as the engine is cranked a test lamp or voltmeter on the coils low (to distributor) terminal should be usually off and flash (but depends on switch speed and type and quality of voltmeter) on (switch opens) and off (switch normally closed).

For the coil to produce a spark out its high voltage secondary tower, its low voltage primary (between lil + and - terminals) must conduct current (switch closed) but then be interrupted (switch opens) momentarily.

Check the switch wiring to see if its supposed to be on the ballast low output (6 volt) or its high 12 volt side (switches IGN output) as I suspect.

Let us know, Good luck n God Bless n Merry Christmas

John T