Re: Should Ballast Resister be bypassed or not? MSD
[Re: RJS]
#2961107
09/04/21 11:53 PM
09/04/21 11:53 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 8,225 Plymouth, MI
Blusmbl
master
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master
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 8,225
Plymouth, MI
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I’ve never left the ballast resistor on any of my MSD installations.
'18 Ford Raptor, random motorcycles, 1968 Plymouth Fury III - 11.37 @ 118
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Re: Should Ballast Resister be bypassed or not? MSD
[Re: SomeCarGuy]
#2961119
09/05/21 12:44 AM
09/05/21 12:44 AM
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Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 2,819 Sobieski Wi
bee1971
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master
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 2,819
Sobieski Wi
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Need to bee more specific when you say MSD Ignition
As in
MSD Distributor ? Or
MSD Ignition Box ? Or
MSD Coil ? Or
All of the above
1971 Dodge Charger Superbee 2011 Ram Sport 1500 Quad Cab Deep Water Blue Loaded Siberian Huskies
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Re: Should Ballast Resister be bypassed or not? MSD
[Re: RJS]
#2961128
09/05/21 03:18 AM
09/05/21 03:18 AM
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Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 43,742 Bend,OR USA
Cab_Burge
I Win
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I Win
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 43,742
Bend,OR USA
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All the MSD race and street ignitions that I've used , 404B to digital 7 non programable with a grid ,require you to eliminate the 12V resistor to the coil The box controls the voltage pulse duration and voltage (WAY higher than 12.25V) to the coil for the multi spark feature DON'T ask me how I know about the voltage to the coils
Mr.Cab Racing and winning with Mopars since 1964. (Old F--t, Huh)
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Re: Should Ballast Resister be bypassed or not? MSD
[Re: Moparite]
#2961180
09/05/21 10:16 AM
09/05/21 10:16 AM
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Joined: May 2003
Posts: 6,621 Downtown Roebuck Ont
Twostick
Still wishing...
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Still wishing...
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 6,621
Downtown Roebuck Ont
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Try reading the installation instructions. As far as the coil is concerned, the ballast resister circuit is no longer in play when using an MSD box. The coil gets energized directly from the box and with a 6AL IIRC the capacitor discharges 480 volts to the coil. I suspect Cab has some first hand personal knowledge about this. Kevin
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Re: Should Ballast Resister be bypassed or not? MSD
[Re: RJS]
#2961226
09/05/21 12:33 PM
09/05/21 12:33 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 31,203 Oregon
AndyF
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I Win
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Oregon
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You should be able to figure it out by looking at how your system is wired. If the ballast resistor is just dropping the voltage to the MSD ignition box then it is hurting your performance and it probably isn't extending the life of the MSD box. The ballast resistor was originally designed to protect the points. It was then repurposed in the ECU era to protect the life of the coil. Look at how the last guy wired the ignition in your car. Does the coil get its voltage from the ballast resistor or is it coming from the MSD box? You have to actually study how the system before you'll know what the last guy did. He might have bypassed the ballast but just left it there or perhaps he didn't read the instructions and he actually wired it up so the MSD box isn't receiving a full 12 volts. Anything is possible when dealing with backyard mechanics.
Last edited by AndyF; 09/05/21 12:33 PM.
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Re: Should Ballast Resister be bypassed or not? MSD
[Re: AndyF]
#2961292
09/05/21 05:25 PM
09/05/21 05:25 PM
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Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 12,318 Fulton County, PA
CMcAllister
Mr. Helpful
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Mr. Helpful
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 12,318
Fulton County, PA
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No ballast with MSD stuff.
If the results don't match the theory, change the theory.
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Re: Should Ballast Resister be bypassed or not? MSD
[Re: RJS]
#2961354
09/05/21 08:22 PM
09/05/21 08:22 PM
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Joined: May 2003
Posts: 6,621 Downtown Roebuck Ont
Twostick
Still wishing...
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Still wishing...
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 6,621
Downtown Roebuck Ont
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No the system is stand alone, the MSD goes straight to bat+ at starter solenoid and is grounded to the engine block. The dist. leads go right to the dist. and the the orange and black go to the coil so i would have to say the ballast isn't hurting anything as it is or am I incorrect on that? Ron Unless MSD has changed their install instructions, the big black and red wires go DIRECTLY to the battery. I'm surprised it runs if you have it wired otherwise as I've seen it happen. The wire that normally goes to the + on the coil is what is usually used to signal the on/off wire to the MSD box and that is why you need to bypass the ballast resister so that signal wire sees 12V. Kevin
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Re: Should Ballast Resister be bypassed or not? MSD
[Re: RJS]
#2961392
09/05/21 09:23 PM
09/05/21 09:23 PM
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Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 2,819 Sobieski Wi
bee1971
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master
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Sobieski Wi
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MSD6AL 2
Ballast Resistor: If your vehicle has a ballast resistor in-line with the coil wiring, it is recommended to bypass it
That’s why I was asking what box you where running or what/all components
So another words you want a full 12-14.5 Volts to the positive side of your Blaster 2 Coil with the engine running using the MSD6AL Box
Peace
Last edited by bee1971; 09/05/21 09:29 PM.
1971 Dodge Charger Superbee 2011 Ram Sport 1500 Quad Cab Deep Water Blue Loaded Siberian Huskies
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Re: Should Ballast Resister be bypassed or not? MSD
[Re: Twostick]
#2961398
09/05/21 09:30 PM
09/05/21 09:30 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 6,232 JERSEY
RJS
OP
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OP
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JERSEY
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No the system is stand alone, the MSD goes straight to bat+ at starter solenoid and is grounded to the engine block. The dist. leads go right to the dist. and the the orange and black go to the coil so i would have to say the ballast isn't hurting anything as it is or am I incorrect on that? Ron Unless MSD has changed their install instructions, the big black and red wires go DIRECTLY to the battery. I'm surprised it runs if you have it wired otherwise as I've seen it happen. The wire that normally goes to the + on the coil is what is usually used to signal the on/off wire to the MSD box and that is why you need to bypass the ballast resister so that signal wire sees 12V. Kevin In all my years this is the first car I have with an MSD so pardon my ignorance. But isn't having the large RED to the starter solenoid the same as running it to the battery terminal? I have the large BLACK to engine block and also a jumper from there to firewall. The one wire I forgot to talk about is the small RED which I guess is the trigger you guys were speaking of and yes that goes to the blue wire that used to go to + at coil. So is that why it's best to jump the ballast resister? Thanks Ron
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Re: Should Ballast Resister be bypassed or not? MSD
[Re: Twostick]
#2961399
09/05/21 09:30 PM
09/05/21 09:30 PM
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Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 2,819 Sobieski Wi
bee1971
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master
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Sobieski Wi
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No the system is stand alone, the MSD goes straight to bat+ at starter solenoid and is grounded to the engine block. The dist. leads go right to the dist. and the the orange and black go to the coil so i would have to say the ballast isn't hurting anything as it is or am I incorrect on that? Ron Unless MSD has changed their install instructions, the big black and red wires go DIRECTLY to the battery. I'm surprised it runs if you have it wired otherwise as I've seen it happen. The wire that normally goes to the + on the coil is what is usually used to signal the on/off wire to the MSD box and that is why you need to bypass the ballast resister so that signal wire sees 12V. Kevin X2
1971 Dodge Charger Superbee 2011 Ram Sport 1500 Quad Cab Deep Water Blue Loaded Siberian Huskies
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Re: Should Ballast Resister be bypassed or not? MSD
[Re: bee1971]
#2961401
09/05/21 09:34 PM
09/05/21 09:34 PM
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Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 2,819 Sobieski Wi
bee1971
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Sobieski Wi
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Orange This wire connects to the coil positive (+) terminal. This is the ONLY wire that makes electrical contact with the positive coil terminal.
Is this wire directly going to the positive side of the coil ? Make sure this is the only wire
Last edited by bee1971; 09/05/21 09:42 PM.
1971 Dodge Charger Superbee 2011 Ram Sport 1500 Quad Cab Deep Water Blue Loaded Siberian Huskies
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