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Can I do this?

S

steedalx

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First some background info. The hot wire to the coil was losing power after the truck started, which caused it to die. The guy who I took it to spliced into another hot under the hood and ran that wire to the coil hot, which works. The problem is when the switch is on, the connection(where he spliced into the other hot) gets hot and smokes. It has begun to burn the wire in to. Not good.

Can I just run a hot wire from the fuse panel to the coil? If not what can I do?
 
Has this been converted to HEI, or still points?

Points requires what, 6 volts to run? I've never had to deal with points (thankfully) but I DO recall that reduction in voltage, which IIRC was done through a special wire running to the coil. I'd expect 12 volts instead of 6 would cause some problems in that circuit.
 
When starting your engine the coil should get full voltage (12 volts) from a wire from the starter. After its running the power will come off of a resistor, not sure what voltage. /forums/images/graemlins/waytogo.gif

For points type ignition.

/forums/images/graemlins/peace.gif
 
For a points type ignition run a switched Batt voltage 12ga wire to one side of the resister and connect the other to the coil.
That drops the voltage to the coil to about 6 volts, another wire should be run from the starter solinoid S terminal to the coil. That will give the the coil a shot in the arm so to speak when starting.
Running full Batt voltage to the coil will burn the points up pretty fast but shouldn't cause the wiring to smoke.
I would test the coil to see if it is shorting out.
 
Yes it is still points. While I am at work, can some take a picture of the resistor? I don't remember seeing anything like that. Thanks
 
GM doesnt use ballast resistors on most of their vehicles--instead the yellow wire to the coil + is a resistance wire--if that wire burns up,you can run a new one from the fuse block(hot only when key is "on")and use a chrysler style ballast resistor (2 prong)or a "universal" one like an RU-10 Standard--Blue Streak to reduce the amperage and keep your points alive.I cant post pictures,so someone else will have to help you there.Much easier than opening the harness up. Howcome you arent running HEI??--if you do,you dont want a resistor,HEI needs a full 12 volt source,with 10 or 12 ga wire.I'd try to figure out why that wire is getting hot before putting a new wire in--it will burn the new one too if you have a short curcuit or bad coil or ground. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif
 
Its an easy swap and well worth it--you will gain a little more power and mileage,not to mention that around here a set of points is a special order for many parts stores,or they stock cheap china junk that isnt worth squat--when I learned that a set of Blue Streak points now cost nearly 25 bucks /forums/images/graemlins/eek.gifand I had to wait a day for them for the 307 in my van,I went straight to the junkyard and bought a complete HEI distributor,with coil ,cap,and plug wires for 30 bucks--not a bad investment if you ask me--even a module or pick up coil is cheaper and easier to get than the points are now,they are almost considered an "antique"part,and they charge accordingly!. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif /forums/images/graemlins/screwy.gif
 
Any small block one( or big block-all the same) from 1974 to 1980 is what will work for you--all you need is one with a vaccuum advance,the later years have electronic spark timing,and are computer controlled,and have no vacuum advance,wont work---the one in the e-bay picture looks correct,but they didnt say what year its from--the years I listed above have a 4 prong module in them--the newer (above 1980)ones have a 5 or 7 pin module,you dont want them.I would look for one in the boneyard--there should be some around for cheap money--I have found some used ones in the trash at a speed shop--they installed aftermarket ones for customers,and they didnt want the HEI back,so they chucked them in the dumpster!--I got a good complete spare plus I sold the other one to a friend for 25 bucks--wish I had a dumpster like that in my yard--I also got a few stock GM q-jet aluminum intakes there,same deal,customers bought a new high rise intake,told them to scrap the originals! /forums/images/graemlins/screwy.gif /forums/images/graemlins/screwy.gif
 
OK my truck does not have any "resistor" hooked up, or that I can find. There is a small something beside the coil with a black wire coming out of the top but the wire is not hooked into anything. IT looks like a C battery. Is this the resistor? IF so can somebody take of picture of how the wires are run.

Thanks
 
If I can explain this correctly, there is a purple wire that runs from the harness to the starter. The red wire that runs out of that same harness splits, one end goes to the "+" on the coil and the other end goes to the starter. The "-" on the coil runs under the distributor. Also there is a green wire that someone has run from the "-" on the coil to the aftermarket tach.

Thanks for any advice.
 
OK I think I found the coil resistor. It is a white long piece with connectors on each end. It is mounted to the firewall. Assuming that is it, I guess it has been running on 12V all the time. So I guess this hurts the points.


In order to hook it up, do I just run the hot wire from the harness into one side of the resistor then from the other side to the "+" on the coil?
 
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OK my truck does not have any "resistor" hooked up, or that I can find. There is a small something beside the coil with a black wire coming out of the top but the wire is not hooked into anything. IT looks like a C battery. Is this the resistor? IF so can somebody take of picture of how the wires are run.


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That would be the condensor.
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OK I think I found the coil resistor. It is a white long piece with connectors on each end. It is mounted to the firewall.

[/ QUOTE ]
Thats the resitor. Full batery voltage on one terminal and the other connects to the coil.
 
[ QUOTE ]
OK my truck does not have any "resistor" hooked up, or that I can find. There is a small something beside the coil with a black wire coming out of the top but the wire is not hooked into anything. IT looks like a C battery. Is this the resistor? IF so can somebody take of picture of how the wires are run.

Thanks

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That condensor thats mounted on the coil bracket is only for radio noise suppression,doesnt have anything to do with the ignition(not to be confused with the condenser INSIDE the distributor,that one is the heart of the ignition system!).Someone must have put that ballast resistor in,GM trucks didnt have one factory,and the wire from the solenoid "R" terminal would have been a yellow one factory,that wire sends a full 12 volts to the coil when cranking(by-passes the resistor).I still think an HEI distrubutor is the way to go--much hotter spark,no maintenence,no 25 dollar hard to find points in it--I like the old stuff too,but sometimes you have to move up to the 20th century!.But I still have only owned 1 vehicle with a computer,none with EFI yet--so I shouldnt preach I guess! /forums/images/graemlins/ignore.gif
 
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