Ballast Resistor selection

[Keith R.]

I am replacing the repro ballast resistor with another one with a correct configuration. Its the one on the left. The center one is the original one that I removed from the car and the one on the right is the current replacement. All three differ with regard to the style and configuration of the resistor coil. The one on the left has a series of large coils embedded in some sort of matrix. The one in the center has a thin wire with some sort of packing or insulation around it and the one on the right is just a rod. The left measures .6 ohm, the middle 1.8 ohm and the one on the right only about .3. My car is a 1960 290hp FI with TI ignition. Does it matter which one I use since there are no points?

[Duke W.]

Re: Ballast Resistor selection

Are you saying that the car has a sixties vintage Delco Transistor Ignition system or does it have the original dual point distributor with the point sets replaced by an electronic switch?

Duke

[Keith R.]

Re: Ballast Resistor selection

The latter Duke - an original dual point distributor with the point sets replaced by an electronic switch.

[Duke W.]

Re: Ballast Resistor selection

You need to contact the manufacturer of the switch and find out if the specific model you have requires a ballast or not. Some do, some don't.

Also, early Corvettes like yours originally were equipped with a 0.3 ohm ballast, but all Corvette engine ballasts from 1965 to the end of the single point system in 1974 were 1.8 ohm, so you also need to know the nominal resistance of any required ballast.

Duke

[Keith R.]

Re: Ballast Resistor selection

We contacted the manufacturer of the TI ignition kit and were told that their product is engineered to work with ballast resistors ONLY with ohm readings in the 1.2 to 1.8 ohm range.

[Bob W.]

Re: Ballast Resistor selection

Keith , Who is the manufacture of the TI ignition kit?

Bob

[Keith R.]

Re: Ballast Resistor selection

Sorry for the late response Bob. I recall my mechanic telling me that it was Lectric Limited