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Hi Terry, Sorry, I have no Continental wiring diagrams, but maybe can shed some light on your problem and the ballast resistor. What it does on JD tractors, plus many other sorts of engines and probably yours also, is exactly what the guy told you, it drops approximately 6 volts leaving 6 across the coil, which also reduces current through the ignition points. If an engine like yours is a 12 volt system and has a ballast resistor, it probably uses a 6 volt coil, so the ballast makes things (voltages) right. If the ballast werent there and its a 6 volt coil, it (coil) would run too hot plus the excess current through the points will cause them to burn out prematurely. Typical approximate resistance values of a 6 volt coil and ballast resistor are around 1. 5 ohms each, making a voltage divider with half the 12 volt battery voltage dropping across each unit. Now to your not runnign problem: Some causes more likely than a bad ballast resistor causing her to run till she gets hot then stop, are: 1) Bad points which are burned or pitted or carboned up. If yours only have a gray oxide coating (were shiny silver when new), you may improve things by cleaning/polishing them and checking the gap which is probably somewhere between 0.016 to 0.022. Be sure you remove and clean any residue or oil off the poionts after they are cleaned. However, if they are badly burned or pitted or black carboned, replace them. 2) A bad condensor can be the cause of ignition failure after shes warmed up. A TV radio shop could possibly test them, or you could simply replace it if one were available. A condensor should appear as an open circuit (after it charges up) to a Direct Current source, but if it ever shorts out (closed circuit), it kills the spark. 3) A bad coil can cause ignition failure after warm up but run fine when shes cold. While a simple low voltage continuity test might find a definite BAD coil, it wont find heat related or high voltage breakdown problems as youre having. 4) A bad ignition switch can cause problems after warm up, cuz the internal switch contacts may be loose or carboned and resistance increases with heat. Likewise, a bad or carboned up or loose connection or wire about anywhere in the voltage source path from the battery through any ammeter could be reducign the voltage gettign to your coil after things warm up. 5) The ballast resistor may be bad and increase its resistance when warmed up, but I first suspect the points or condensor then the coil then the ignition switch before that. NOW, you say your ballast has the same voltage in as out. HOWEVER, if theres no load atached to the ballast, it should show the same on either end, subject to the quality (ohms/volt) of your voltmeter. If its hooked to the coil and the ignition points are good and closed and the coils primary is continuous and conducting, then you should see only approx 6 volts on its load (coil) side if its a good ballast. Measure it (ballast) all by itself with no voltages atached with an ohmmeter on the 0 to 10 or 100 ohms scale, and it should read somewhere between 1.5 to 1.7 ohms or so is my best guess. Likewise, a 6 volt coils primary (between lil + and - terminals) should be around 1.3 to 1.7 ohms or so. If possible right after she dies, with the ignition on and points closed, take voltage measurements to see if the ballast has battery voltage on its input (from switch) side and 6 or 7 or so on its output (to coil) side. While warm if you have the ignition on and place a test lamp on the coil, the high (non distributor) side should be lit and stay lit, but if you crank the engine over slowly, the test lamp on the coils low (to distributor) side should flash on (when points are open) and flash totally off (when points are closed). If the light isnt on ever at the coils high side, youre not gettign voltage to the coil, either cuz of a bad (open or high resistance when warm) ballast or a faulty ignition switch. Just check backwards to see where you loose voltage when warm and turned on to see if its a bad ballast or switch, or even an ammeter or wire or connection from the battery to the ammeter or switch. If the light (as engine is turned over) never goes off on the coils low (to distributor) side, then the ignition points are bad, maybe due to carbon or pittign etc. Sooooo ooooo o, check the points first and the voltages and other tests above and see what you find. I suspect the points or a bad condensor then coil if she quits when warm, then the switch or its source or wiring before the ballast. NOTE, this assumes the plugs and plug wires are all good????? ??? PS This also assumes youre runnign out of a spark and NOT out of gas causing her to stop????? ??? If the carbs not gettign sufficient gas to keep its float bowl full, it will run till the bowl emptys then run later after it trickle fills. Good Luck n God Bless the USA, hope this helps some. John T Nordhoff in Indiana
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