Coil resistance wire dilema...Inline 6

Oshkosh1

Ensign
Joined
Jun 8, 2009
Messages
968
Hi all...

I have points and I don't THINK the previous owner installed a reistor wire when the swap was made. I just remember seeing something that didn't seem right, but was buried under multiple layers of electrical tape...only the ends were exposed enough to see.

As this is a "composite" powerplant of sorts(early 70's engine/late 80's wiring)I've found the need to compare different schematics to discern/inperpet my wiring.

Bear with me...

Here's the current setup:
There's a purple/yellow wire running from the starter solenoid with a spliced in white wire painted purple/yellow to the + term. THAT seems correct(albeit sloppy).

There's a white wire painted (again)solid purple spliced onto the factory solid light purple(not painted)wire found within the wiring harness.

There's a grey wire to the -side...to the tach...no issues, tach works fine.

I turned the key to the "Run" position and measured 12.5V at the terminal end of the solid purple wire and as I understand it, I should be reading about half of that...correct?

The other wire reads "0"...so other than the bu-shwa-zee wiring re-paint...this seems normal.

Here's a pic:

IMG_1077.JPG

So...assuming this spliced in replacement ISN'T a resistor wire, and I DO need one. Where can I find some?

Thanks.
 

Oshkosh1

Ensign
Joined
Jun 8, 2009
Messages
968
Re: Coil resistance wire dilema...Inline 6

After thinking about it...it almost seems as if maybe at one time the PO had converted the original points setup to a Pertronix or similar, THEN prior to selling(or for other reasons) re-installed the points and left(or forgot) the 12v power to the coil in place. As I understand the conversion, the electronic ignitions require a full 12v to power them. It appears that in order to supply it, he simply replaced the 18" length of resistance wire with regular wire to do this. As there is not an electric choke, and this wire is dedicated soley to the coil now, it makes sense...I suppose...:confused:
 

achris

More fish than mountain goat
Joined
May 19, 2004
Messages
27,468
Re: Coil resistance wire dilema...Inline 6

You can't assume the wire is not resistive just because you read 12 volts on the coil +. If the points were open at the time you metered then even if the resistance was very high you'd still see 12 volts. You need a quality meter and measure just the resistance of the wire without it connected to anything....

Chris..........
 

Oshkosh1

Ensign
Joined
Jun 8, 2009
Messages
968
Re: Coil resistance wire dilema...Inline 6

You can't assume the wire is not resistive just because you read 12 volts on the coil +. If the points were open at the time you metered then even if the resistance was very high you'd still see 12 volts. You need a quality meter and measure just the resistance of the wire without it connected to anything....

Chris..........
Thanks for the replies...
The wire was disconnected from the coil when I tested it. I just tested for resistance(the 12" spliced piece), and read "0".
 

achris

More fish than mountain goat
Joined
May 19, 2004
Messages
27,468
Re: Coil resistance wire dilema...Inline 6

Thanks for the replies...
The wire was disconnected from the coil when I tested it. I just tested for resistance(the 12" spliced piece), and read "0".

Yeah, looks like you need the kit... The resistance should be 1.6 to 2Ω...

Chris.....
 

Silvertip

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Sep 22, 2003
Messages
28,771
Re: Coil resistance wire dilema...Inline 6

The way this works is that with the ignition in the RUN postion the +12 volts to the coil is dropped to a lesser value by the ballast resistor or resistance wire. During engine startup, when the key is in the START position, the "R" terminal on the starter solenoid bypasses the resistance wire or ballast resistor to feed a full 12 volts to the igntiion.
 
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