Ballast Resistor Question

[WAWII]

4365453946 is the Chrysler Electronic Ignition box.

[1964ShortyD100]

Thanks for your imput, Will!

Knowing what this is helps me out greatly, but I'm still not sure how I can make it work (half of the wires weren't connected to anything...) However they[the previous owners] rigged it up, it wasn't right. They bypassed the primary ballast resistor, and ended up shorting something out. I found several melted wires and a melted bluk head plug. It's a miricle that they didn't burn the whole thing up!

I'm going to drop in the new alternator for now, because I'm not an experianced electrician, I can only follow the stock diagram I have.

I plan to upgrade in the near future, but I want to do it right. Any suggestions? Should I hold onto the alternator I'm about to take out?

Thanks,
-Noah

[CSS-Registry]

try this diagram for getting your electronic ignition to work:

http://www.moparts.org/Tech/Archive/elec/3.html

these work well and with a basic test light you can find your "ignition on" and "ignition run" wires - these rest of the diagrams will help you wire in either the four prong resistor or the two prong.

i got a 65 Valiant running using these diagrams that had all the wires cut at the firewall and a wire-nest under the hood.

fun stuff!

Ben

[1964ShortyD100]

Ok, that's cool. Thanks for the diagram, Ben!

I think I can get this hooked up correctly now, but due to my current lack of electrical aptitude, I will have to ask a stupid question. What is the main advantage of this setup vs. the stock setup?

I have a not so stupid question also: What about the 4 prong resistor? Can I throw it out? I have not seen it on any diagram, and I purchased a brand new 2 prong from Napa the other day.

Any idea how to test the ignition box to make sure it's good? I'd bet money that it's burned up. And should I just put a cap or tape on the end of the unused green wire?

Thanks again for all your help, I really think I'm making good progress on this project!
I'll keep you guys posted. Until next time,
-Noah

[WAWII]

If memory serves me correctly, the dual basalt resistors were used on some MoPars that used one to start, and both to run.

This type of electronic ignition was also a stock setup on some MoPars as well, don't remember the years though. I swapped my 79 Magnum out from "Lean Burn" to the "Chrome" version of this in 1980, and used the "orange" version when I built my V-8 for the M37. Not sure how to test it other than wire it in and run it.

My Accel Super coil required an added resistor, but I later swapped them out for a single of the correct resistance.

[CSS-Registry]

Ok, that's cool. Thanks for the diagram, Ben!

I think I can get this hooked up correctly now, but due to my current lack of electrical aptitude, I will have to ask a stupid question. What is the main advantage of this setup vs. the stock setup?

you should get a more dependable hotter spark without the maintenance of points. basically wire it up and forget it.

I have a not so stupid question also: What about the 4 prong resistor? Can I throw it out? I have not seen it on any diagram, and I purchased a brand new 2 prong from Napa the other day.

if you can wire it up without the four prong i would - you do not need that set up with the parts you are using.

Any idea how to test the ignition box to make sure it's good? I'd bet money that it's burned up. And should I just put a cap or tape on the end of the unused green wire?

there is a test somewhere on the interwebs but i would simply wire it up based on on of the diagram and try to start it. yes - be sure to tape the end of the green wire.

Thanks again for all your help, I really think I'm making good progress on this project!
I'll keep you guys posted. Until next time,
-Noah

good luck!

Ben

[1964ShortyD100]

Ok, I think that this is exacly what they were trying to do! It has an Accel Super Stock coil, as well as the 4 prong resistor and the ECU.

I will try this and see what happens.

Thanks for the support here,
-Noah

[Russ]

"I'm going to drop in the new alternator for now, because I'm not an experianced electrician, I can only follow the stock diagram I have."

I'm out of town right now with limited computer time or would have responded sooner. If you haven't already swapped the alternator you can just ground the lower field wire and hook it up the same as you would the original alternator. This will work but you will still be better off to set it up correctly as the electronic regulator is more stable.

Russ

[nfury8]

The 4 prong ballast is only for use with the 5 wire ECU, which you have.
This was the first implementation of electronic ignition from Mopar.
They refined and improved the setup a few years later, and went to
the 4 wire ECU and 2 prong ballast. Which is also the only one Mopar sells
for retrofitting.

I would dump the ECU and ballast and swap to the 2 prong ballast and
4 wire ECU. Your ECU plug will still work. A new ECU will cost you
$20 @ OReilly or $25 @ Advance (CBE14) and have a lifetime warranty.
If you are stuck with NAPA, MPE TP51SB - $27, but only 1yr according to
the website. The Echlin TP51 is $62, but still only 1yr.

My 71 truck has a $20 box in it going on 5 yrs.

A 1.0 ohm to 1.3 ohm ballast is fine. The trade off is the lower ohm
allows more amperage to flow. More Amps mean more power, hotter
spark and higher RPM potential. It also means a hotter coil, which
the hotter the coil, the shorter the life.

Eberg over at Mopar Action recommends 1.0 ohm.

[64200pshbtn]

Hi a little late lookin at the post but maybe my input can give an idea. It sounds like whoever the previous owner was tried to covert it to electronic ignition with the ECU and the 4 prong balist resistor as well as the dual field alternator. Just curious what kind of voltage regulator did they have on the truck does it have a plug that hooks onto it or does it have one wire screw on and another use a spade to plug on? I have a 74 w200 with all this set up but its stock for that year. I just finished goin through the whole system cause i had something shorting out and frying wires and such. I have a wiring diagram for a 74 if you want to compare to what they did and such.

Personally i would go with the original wiring set up if at all possible its a lot easier to work with and has a lot less to go wrong with it. But both set ups have their advantages

[1964ShortyD100]

Just curious what kind of voltage regulator did they have on the truck does it have a plug that hooks onto it or does it have one wire screw on and another use a spade to plug on?

This is exactly what I have. The Voltage Regulator and the Starter Relay are both new.

I have a wiring diagram for a 74 if you want to compare to what they did and such.

If you could do that, I would really appreciate it! I am still suffering a few wiring woes. I have a 2 wire distributor which I think I need the ECU to run.

I would like to go with the original setup, but I'm not in the mood to change out the distributor. I am having problems integrating the new stuff though.

Thanks,

-Noah

[nfury8]

Here is a diagram from the shop manual for wiring the dual field alternator.

[Russ]

Noah, you are getting a lot of suggestions so let me add one more. Don't buy anything until you know what you need. The isolated field (three wire) alternator will work with the older points style regulator, but the electronic regulator using both field wires is an improvement. No need to buy another alternator. Also, the four prong ballast and the five pin ECU work fine, so no need to buy another one if the one you have works. I put over 200K miles on a 1976 Aspen and about 100K miles on another 1976 Aspen, both with the four prong ballast and associated ECU and never had problems. What I'm saying is that the parts you have work fine if they are not defective, so there's no need to spend money on something you don't need. I have a 1976 Mopar FSM that I can scan the wiring diagram out of showing the ignition and charging systems wiring diagram. PM me if you think it would help.

[1964ShortyD100]

Update on my progress thus far:

First of all, I would like to thank all the people who have helped me out. Without you guys, my truck would still be sitting in the driveway with a rat's nest of charred wires under the hood. Thanks!

As of today, I have purchased a new ECU from Napa and will be putting it in. I will also be rebuilding the carb, it's awefully gummed up. I have replaced all of the wiring except for the ECU plug. I will be getting a new one tomorrow from Bruce Conner (the owner of Napa here in Madison,) who happens to be a friend of the family and a total Mopar guru. He has helped me out alot as well. Here is a link to an article on his '71 Cuda that always wins the at the local shows (or anywhere else he goes. ) It's amazing!
http://www.moparmusclemagazine.com/feat ... index.html

She will be running tomorrow, I will then have the oil/fluids changed and do a full lube on all the axels. Then I can start fixing any other problems that I find.

Thanks again guys,

-Noah

[WAWII]

Yours Welcome, and that is one SWEEEEEEEET Cuda Convertible!

[Russ]

I saw those Cuda converts at the Mopar show a couple of years back. You have to see them in person to see how beautiful they are.

[MountainMoparRobin]

Looking to change out the Ballast Resistor. Figured since I've changed everything else on the Ignition System, might as well address this cheap part. NAPA sells the part but their program says that the Part number is ICR12, but this is an irregular part number and is only located in FL. Shipping would be just as much as the part itself. Some other part numbers are on hand and are only slightly different:
ICR11 1.35 ohms
ICR13 1.82 ohms
ICR23 1.20 ohms

Will these other parts work for my '64 D200?

Thanks again for all the help.

also for your future referance the ballist resistor was used on Dodge trucks up into the 80's, I know 83 for sure for I did own one, so you can use that resistor on your truck aslo, instead of having the parts store tell you their is only 1 and its 2500 miles away, when they have one listed under another Dodge truck on their shelves, they don't know anymore than their computor tells them

[paizao99]

I have burned up two 1.3 ohms resistors in the last two weeks. Put the pertronix several months ago and am now burning up resistors. I bypassed the resistor all together a few days ago and the truck ran fine until today. I turn the key and have nothing. I am thinking that the coil is burned up. Before I run out and by a coil, thought that I'd get you guys' take. As always, thanks for the advice.