I, as well as some others, have CRS and though I read the posts most days, I don't remember what everyone is running and with what, so when posting, even if redundant or asking something else, put the tractor model, year or s/n, front mount distributor or angle mount, and whether 6V or 12V information in your question. Also know that wire colors mean absolutely nothing to no one but you. Color does not conduct electrons and the chances are good your original, cloth-covered, correctly color coded wiring harness is long gone or has the colors faded away. You must verify wiring thru a continuity check. A VOM usually has a continuity setting, but a test light is fine, you don't need power to check continuity. Now, you say "...ignition switch to terminal block...". I interpret that to mean you have a post 1950, after s/n 263844, with the angle mount distributor. The side mount distributor setup eliminated the original ballast resistor, p/n A8NN-12250 used from '39-'50, and then utilized a simple terminal junction block, p/n 8NN-14448, to connect several wires to. Then you say "...an orange wire from the block to the resistor...". HUH? As I said before, first forget wire colors, only you can determine where they go. Every aftermarket wiring harness is not made the same. Orange was never an original color anyway. If you have a front mount distributor, it will use the ballast resistor. In a 12V conversion kit, you may get a 1/2 OHM, 1.0 OHM, or 1.5 OHM ceramic resistor. You need to verify with your VOM; never assume things are as marked on packages. Today's aftermarket, mostly overseas made stuff, is usually manufactured with no quality control and therefore no one double checks package contents are correct let alone actual component values are correct. So, when you say 'resistor' are you referring to the ceramic 1 OHM inline external unit or, are you talking about the original ballast resistor? You wouldn't be using a ballast resistor AND a terminal junction block in any set up. Your coil factors into the equation as well. On systems with the front mount distributor, whether a 6-V or 12-V setup, the original ballast resistor must be used as originally wired. On same, if using the original 6-VOLT coil, you MUST use the external ceramic 1-OHM resistor. You can avoid the external resistor by simply changing to a 12-VOLT coil on the distributor. NO deviations. On any 12V conversion, I'd use a 12V coil. Clarification needed. The original ballast resistor is not the same as the external ceramic resistor, though the ceramic unit does supply correct ballast voltage.
Tim "PloughNman" Daley(MI)
