I think it’s the Ballast resistor?

[413]

Do you guys know you can connect both ballast plug ins together and then drive the car again? All the ballast does is drop full voltage down to 8 or 9 going to the coil.

Doing this will put full system voltage to your coil which its not designed for but it will run and get you someplace. Instead of a tow truck or walking.

 

[Polara_500]

Do you guys know you can connect both ballast plug ins together and then drive the car again? All the ballast does is drop full voltage down to 8 or 9 going to the coil.

Doing this will put full system voltage to your coil which its not designed for but it will run and get you someplace. Instead of a tow truck or walking.

You will likely have burnt points in short order, at least in my experience, but it will allow you to drive.

 

[413]

You will likely have burnt points in short order, at least in my experience, but it will allow you to drive.

You are correct, but it will only apply to 5 people on this website! LOL

 

[Ripinator]

You are correct, but it will only apply to 5 people on this website! LOL

I resemble that remark. . .

 

[HWYCRZR]

Do you guys know you can connect both ballast plug ins together and then drive the car again? All the ballast does is drop full voltage down to 8 or 9 going to the coil.

Doing this will put full system voltage to your coil which its not designed for but it will run and get you someplace. Instead of a tow truck or walking.

That was my backup plan. I even wondered how far I could drive on full voltage before damage. I would have been about 60 miles from home. Also in theory per the FSM the higher speed cools the ballast resistor making it lower resistance. So at 70 mph I would do less damage than at idle?

 

[volksworld]

earlier this year i was sorting out a coil/ballast resistor issue...searching around the factory manual, a motor manual, various forums and various vendors all claimed different resistances.. .the ''you have to buy ours all the others are wrong" pitch...and the half dozen or so ( most new ) that i had were different again...amazing how something so simple can be so difficult

 

[commando1]

..amazing how something so simple can be so difficult

And they are all cranked out by the same Chinese factory.

 

[mr. fix it]

My latest one was idling in a Mc'D's drive thru.
all was good until it suddenly stumbled & died.

Luckily there was an opening to push the car out of the queue with the help of a few people desperate for fast food LOL!

Sat for a few minutes, fired right up, idled smoothly dropped into drive then as soon as it went about 10' died again.

Hung another BR on the system and away I went but the drive wasn't a relaxing one wondering if it was going to die again on me.
But it's fine for now

The old BR looks great! but it's headed for the garbage can.

 

[volksworld]

we parked the race car in about 1990 so my "new" ones were at least 30 yrs old...always had 2 mounted together so you could pull the wires off one and hookup the other...that was the first thing you did if it ran bad

 

[Polara_500]

we parked the race car in about 1990 so my "new" ones were at least 30 yrs old...always had 2 mounted together so you could pull the wires off one and hookup the other...that was the first thing you did if it ran bad

I have that on my 'street' car.

 

[68PK21 440.6bbl]

Do you guys know you can connect both ballast plug ins together and then drive the car again? All the ballast does is drop full voltage down to 8 or 9 going to the coil.

Doing this will put full system voltage to your coil which its not designed for but it will run and get you someplace. Instead of a tow truck or walking.

19?? (whatev'a) car theft kit.

(Don't ask me how I know about this)

.

 

[The Goose]

But you carry a spare now, right?

Yup. I may be dumb but I ain’t ignerant. LoL!!!

 

[The Goose]

19?? (whatev'a) car theft kit.

View attachment 398160

View attachment 398161

(Don't ask me how I know about this)

.

...

 

[HWYCRZR]

For good measure I will pick up another at ORielly tomorrow. Also am going to test my old coil, and put in the tool bag for backup.

So does anyone have a picture of the NOS one from ‘68 era? P/N 2095501. Google show’s many different pictures.
Were they all ceramic? Or were they ceramic with the metal retainer?

 

[413]

Original ballast had a Metal strap wrapped around to mount. Two holes, there is a bump out on the firewall that goes in the other hole so they are level when tightened.

The all ceramic came out later on like mid 70’s.

 

[halifaxhops]

Shoot me a pm as a reminder have a box full. 72 up were definitely all ceramic because they went to electronic with the dual ballast. Thinking 68/69 was the change over?
We are beating the ecu/ballast/coil to death over on FBBO but coming up with a ton of great information that is documented on it.

Correct ballast resistor for standard to electronic conversion

 

[68PK21 440.6bbl]

I remember all my 1968 Furys had this style from owning Furys from 1970 to 1986/7

I don't ever recall seeing the chinesium gold type plating on the bracket back then.

This type back then was considered a 'Aftermarket' variety although doing this latest picture search I see many reference for 'Jeep'.

Hope this helps.

I really can't ever remember having a problem with them back then, I had some spares, it's a pocket pull item, but I guess over 50 years of jump starting the battery can do weird things to the electrical system. I know jump starting someones frozen battery forever screwed up my electrical system on my 1968 Fury Fastop.

.

 

[HWYCRZR]

Well the saga continues. Some more trouble shooting in order. I agree the broken “caterpillar” in my original was probably an initial cause, but I hav further issues.
I got about 10 miles down the road this morning and it started cutting out again. Turned around, and it was running and cutting out the last mile. I connected the two wires together from the ballast resistor, but didn’t initially help. After cooling off for about 5-10 minutes it started and ran for a while and then started cutting out again and died.
Next step is to verify my points and gap are still set where they belong. Then a quick check of the condenser, before I look at the coil. I did pull my old one out of the drawer to check it out.

 

[HWYCRZR]

Points were a little close as .014 was tight (low end of spec. Specs are .014 -.019). Took some emory cloth and did a little sanding in case there were any high spots. Re adjusted to .016-.018.
Although not nominal. I wouldn’t think they were off enough to cause issues.

 

[68PK21 440.6bbl]

Never use emery cloth on any electric contacts, only use a clean file on points.
Only use flint paper on armatures or alternator slip rings.