Ballast Resistor Which Side?

When I connect my new ballast resistor, it starts to smoke! When I switch the sides it still smokes! HELP! I put a meter on the pos side of the coil and it reads 5.84v is that right? Any help is appreciated! :v6:

 

The ballast resistor should be inline between switched (comes on and off with the ignition switch) 12v power and the coil. That is if its a 12v system. If you have a 6 volt system it will be 6 volts. I don't think you would need a resistor with a 6 volt system however.
What do you mean when you say " when I switch the sides it still smokes"? Sides of what?

 

I think he is talking about the sides of the Ballast Resistor.

The ballast resistor doesn't care which way current runs through it.

 

i had it on mine it somkes because there is some oil on it ... on the wire ... it will stop after a whyle and be fine .. and i think mine is on the negitive side ... just be carefull it get dang hot i have all my ignition problems listed in the intermeadits (sp) so you can look there and that has all the ancwers

 

The hot wire from the ignition switch goes to the balast resistor and from there to the pos side of the coil. I thought the spec for voltage was around 8.5 volts going to the coil from the resistor. As was stated above, it doesn't matter which side you run power to on the resistor. Make sure that you don't have one of the screws that secures the hot wires grounding to the firewall.

 

Loose connections at the ballast resistor will cause a voltage drop and make it really hot, as well.