Slick 60's

Okay, so my re-wire project is going slow but steady. I've only called Painless once, and the guy wasn't all that helpful. Had I just paid more attention to the diagram, I probably wouldn't have had to call. Now, I'd call the help line for this, but it's too late already, and I'm not sure they'd have my answer. The Painless wiring harness has a pink wire that runs from the back of the key switch to the starter solenoid, passing through the fuseblock. I'm back to running my points in my distributor, and know I need to run the ballast resistor wire. I've teed off of the pink wire between the firewall and the starter solenoid, to fee the coil. My question is, can I just put the ballast resistor wire between my ignition switch and the fuseblock, or should I bypass the fuseblock and just connect my ballast resistor wire directly to the solenoid/coil? Not sure if running the feed from the switch with the resistor wire and then through the fuseblock would matter?

Thanks,
Jerry

Jerry D wrote:I've teed off of the pink wire between the firewall and the starter solenoid, to fee the coil. My question is, can I just put the ballast resistor wire between my ignition switch and the fuseblock, or should I bypass the fuseblock and just connect my ballast resistor wire directly to the solenoid/coil? Not sure if running the feed from the switch with the resistor wire and then through the fuseblock would matter?Thanks,
Jerry

this would mean you will only have power to the coil while the key is in start position

the ballast resistor should be used only if you dont have a resistor wire, if using a ballast resistor it should be just before the coil.

i dont really think a fuse is necessary for the resistor.

The wire I teed for the coil, is only teed on the way to the solenoid, as previously, the wire divided in two at the firewall plug. The schematic I found online, showed the red/blue wire from the key switch going to one side of the solenoid, and the pink (resistor wire) splitting to two wires, a red/green stripe to the coil, and the second wire of the split changing to brown, and going to the solenoid.

I don't think it'd be a problem to just take the wire to the fuseblock out, and then cut it at the firewall, and connect the resistor wire from the key switch to it just inside of the firewall.

That would be my solution. I would tie in the wire from the starter relay "I" terminal; the full voltage when starting makes for easier starts.
Paul

Jerry Not sure what you are running but I am using a Pertronix unit and have eliminated the pink wire all together you do need to split off a wire to the starter relay at full voltage either way,or you will have a hard time starting with all the starter draw

Pertronix Ii works well with full available voltage; Pertronix 1 is still happier with the resisted voltage, although Pertronix states it can be used with full voltage. Preferred voltage supply is now mainly an issue with matching to the particular coil, as well as optimizing point life when retained.
Paul

Life safety stuff is not fused.
Headlights.....usually on a large breaker from the factory
Ignition....ballast yes fuse no.
Just about everything else is accessories and can be fused.

"Ignition .... ballast"? Wouldn't recommend it. Heat is the enemy in electrical. A ballast resistor builds heat in a limited area, and varies output as heating occurs, one of the reasons Mopar enthusiasts carried spares. The resistance wire spreads that heat out over it's length, resulting in a more stable output and less concentrated heat. Thus, a "key on, points closed" scenario is less apt to quickly take a toll on the ignition system, including said wire.

Paul