Dashboard box BR connection

[David H.]

I have built my dashboard box and attempted to start the engine.
Unfortunetly it does not want to run.
It wants to start and fires a few time but will not continue to run.
What I have determined is that my ballast resistor is cutting out I think.
I have continuity across the two contacts so it is not broken.

My question is the wiring of the BR.
One wire comes from the coil to it.
Where does the other side of it go to?
The diagram I have is not real clear.
It looks like it goes to the water temp gauge.
But the only wires there are the red and black for the light on it.
Do I wire it in series with these?
The wire from the BR to the red on the WT gauge, then the black of the WT gauge to ground?

[Timothy B.]

Re: Dashboard box BR connection

David,

12 volts goes to one side of the ballast then the other side of the ballast is wired to the coil + terminal. The starter solenoid wire is from the R terminal on the solenoid to the coil + to provide 12 volts during cranking only.

Make sure you have grounds attached to the motor..

[William C.]

Re: Dashboard box BR connection

If you are referring to the Ballast resistor, one side is 12V ignition feed, and the other side is the connection to the distributor. Depending on how much wiring you have incorporated into your system, is is possible that the "firing" you are getting is off the cranking circuit that bypasses the ballast resistor. That feed goes dead when the starter solenoid is not energized.

[John H.]

Re: Dashboard box BR connection

David -

Photo below shows the ignition circuit; note that there are two wires connected to the coil (+) terminal - one from the ignition switch "on" position through the ballast resistor, and another direct to the "R" terminal on the starter solenoid; the latter provides 12 volts to the coil when the starter is cranking - you need both of them.

The dotted line from the ignition switch to the solenoid is the purple "start" wire to the "S" terminal.

[David H.]

Re: Dashboard box BR connection

OK, putting the 12v to the ballast resistor did the trick, and it's running ok now.
Thanks all for the input.