Re: Can I eliminate ballast resistor?
[Re: tt76400]
#925231
02/10/11 03:25 AM
02/10/11 03:25 AM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 5,439 So Cal
Sinitro
master
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master
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 5,439
So Cal
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Why bypass the ballast resistor.. Running a full 12V without current limiting will smoke the coil pronto.. If you want to run it hotter but still protect it, use the 0.25 Ohm resistor still available from Mopar for use with the Blaster II coil. Just my $0.02...
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Re: Can I eliminate ballast resistor?
[Re: Sinitro]
#925232
02/10/11 10:06 AM
02/10/11 10:06 AM
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Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 21,345 Marysville, O-H-I-O
70Cuda383
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Too Many Posts
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Marysville, O-H-I-O
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Quote:
Why bypass the ballast resistor.. Running a full 12V without current limiting will smoke the coil pronto..
If you want to run it hotter but still protect it, use the 0.25 Ohm resistor still available from Mopar for use with the Blaster II coil.
Just my $0.02...
because more voltage in, equals more voltage out, equals hotter spark, and ultimatly, possibly more Hp or at least a cleaner burn.
plus, they do make coils to run on a full 12V. I did it for quite awhile on my orange box ignition and an MSD coil. never had any problems. I put maybe 3,000 miles on the orange box with no issues before I swapped to MSD to clear up a loading up at idle issue on the plugs
--at idle my plugs would load up and the spark would start jumping the boot to the block. when I swapped to the MSD, I also swapped to Rick's Firecore wires, so one of those 2 changes cleared up my issue.
so, I say go for it. not sure if I was "supposed" to do it or not, but it worked fine for a few years of cruising, couple thousand miles, and was still working fine when I made the swap.
**Photobucket sucks**
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Re: Can I eliminate ballast resistor?
[Re: Sinitro]
#925233
02/10/11 10:21 AM
02/10/11 10:21 AM
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Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 2,826 NY usa
540challenger
master
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master
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 2,826
NY usa
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Quote:
Why bypass the ballast resistor.. Running a full 12V without current limiting will smoke the coil pronto..
If you want to run it hotter but still protect it, use the 0.25 Ohm resistor still available from Mopar for use with the Blaster II coil.
Just my $0.02...
The big reson not to run a ballast is to elimate another problem that has lead a bunch of us to have a spare ballast in the truck
It is a easy mod, buy a coil made to run a full 12v then just connect the wires on either end of the ballast.
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Re: Can I eliminate ballast resistor?
[Re: 540challenger]
#925234
02/10/11 08:24 PM
02/10/11 08:24 PM
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Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 162 Iowa
tt76400
OP
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OP
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Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 162
Iowa
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Exactly, I just wanted to eliminate one more failure point!! I'm 40 and have been driving Mopars since I was 14, I've only had one control box die on me, but I can't tell you how many ballast resistors I've had go bad on me! I almost talked myself into doing the GM HEI module swap, but I figured if I could keep it all Mopar, run a hotter coil, eliminate one potential problem, and not have to worry about cooking my control box, I'd do it that way. So...........get a coil designed for a HEI type system, bypass the ballast, and go on my merry way, right?
Thanks much to all!!!
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Re: Can I eliminate ballast resistor?
[Re: tt76400]
#925236
02/10/11 08:46 PM
02/10/11 08:46 PM
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Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 36,040 Lincoln Nebraska
RapidRobert
Circle Track
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Circle Track
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 36,040
Lincoln Nebraska
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4 pin and your parts house will have a basic Mopar standard motor products one in either 4 or 5 pin which is pretty reliable but if not whatever they have is fine. The ECU is pretty much just a switch for the pri current like the points used to b and an ECU can handle switching quite a bit of current so if you toss the ballast & get a full 12V coil as it's the ballast/coil combo that must match (for longevity) and which is what decides the amt/duration of the spark energy.
live every 24 hour block of time like it's your last day on earth
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Re: Can I eliminate ballast resistor?
[Re: RapidRobert]
#925238
02/10/11 09:04 PM
02/10/11 09:04 PM
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Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 161 Huber Heights Ohio
greenpigs
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member
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Posts: 161
Huber Heights Ohio
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I am going to go with the MSD ballast that is .8 ohms but wonder if the .25 MP version would be better for my car. It is a summer only street car & MSD didn't seem to say anything about running a ballast with the 8222 coil, unless you run points. I am using the MP electronic ignition with one of the old orange boxs that works.
69 Charger RT
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Re: Can I eliminate ballast resistor?
[Re: greenpigs]
#925240
02/10/11 09:50 PM
02/10/11 09:50 PM
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Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 36,040 Lincoln Nebraska
RapidRobert
Circle Track
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Circle Track
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Posts: 36,040
Lincoln Nebraska
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Way back (didn't know any better) I ran the big yellow Accel super coil w NO ballast in a daily driver 440 barracuda & it never failed and was the easiest starting vehicle I have ever dealt w. Not sure on the power as I didn't have any prior exp to compare it too and it was an inefficient eng/not highly tuned. Not sure but I think Accel rec a .8 ohm ballast w it. EDIT if the 8222 greenpigs referred to is the MSD blaster 2 I think that no ballast required unless you use points as he mentioned that is in the white MSD instruction sheet. I have one that I'm going to run on straight 12V
Last edited by RapidRobert; 02/10/11 10:25 PM.
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Re: Can I eliminate ballast resistor?
[Re: RapidRobert]
#925241
02/10/11 11:41 PM
02/10/11 11:41 PM
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Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 161 Huber Heights Ohio
greenpigs
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member
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 161
Huber Heights Ohio
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Yep its the hi vibration blaster 2 coil & is epoxy filled. I think I will go with the .25 resistor & grab an .8 as well just in case. Not sure why running a .25 on the street will hurt anything if the coil is ok withhout one. It is a simple subject but still enough to keep me second guessing myself. The only other thing that may matter is if too much voltage gets to the coil which is why I am going to grab the .8 ballast. The 1.25 ohm resister I am curentlty running is gettting put in the glove box for backup either way.
69 Charger RT
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Re: Can I eliminate ballast resistor?
[Re: 70Cuda383]
#925242
02/10/11 11:54 PM
02/10/11 11:54 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 5,439 So Cal
Sinitro
master
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master
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 5,439
So Cal
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Quote:
Quote:
Why bypass the ballast resistor.. Running a full 12V without current limiting will smoke the coil pronto..
If you want to run it hotter but still protect it, use the 0.25 Ohm resistor still available from Mopar for use with the Blaster II coil.
Just my $0.02...
because more voltage in, equals more voltage out, equals hotter spark, and ultimatly, possibly more Hp or at least a cleaner burn.
plus, they do make coils to run on a full 12V. I did it for quite awhile on my orange box ignition and an MSD coil. never had any problems. I put maybe 3,000 miles on the orange box with no issues before I swapped to MSD to clear up a loading up at idle issue on the plugs
--at idle my plugs would load up and the spark would start jumping the boot to the block. when I swapped to the MSD, I also swapped to Rick's Firecore wires, so one of those 2 changes cleared up my issue.
so, I say go for it. not sure if I was "supposed" to do it or not, but it worked fine for a few years of cruising, couple thousand miles, and was still working fine when I made the swap.
Really depends upon the coil used.. Some of the later coils can handle 12V direct Also keep in mind its not just the voltage but the current as well.. The ballast resistor helps to keep the coil within its comfort zone as it heats up and the resistance increases the supply voltage to the coil decreases..
Just my $0.02..
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Re: Can I eliminate ballast resistor?
[Re: RapidRobert]
#925248
02/11/11 01:03 PM
02/11/11 01:03 PM
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Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 1,822 Colorado
denfireguy
top fuel
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top fuel
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 1,822
Colorado
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I think I would rather change a ballast on the side of the road than the coil. Just me. Craig
2014 Ram 1500 Laramie, 73 Cuda Previous mopars: 62 Valiant, 65 Fury III, 68 Fury III, 72 Satellite, 74 Satellite, 89 Acclaim, 98 Caravan, 2003 Durango Only previous Non-Mopar: Schwinn Tornado
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Re: Can I eliminate ballast resistor?
[Re: denfireguy]
#925249
02/11/11 02:16 PM
02/11/11 02:16 PM
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Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 2,826 NY usa
540challenger
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master
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 2,826
NY usa
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Quote:
I think I would rather change a ballast on the side of the road than the coil. Just me. Craig
A coil or ballast can both go bad on the road and both take r mins to change.
If you can get rid of one you reduce the chance of something going wrong by 1/2.
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