Straight 8 Buick ignition question

Hey Guys,

i have a 52' Buick thats been converted to 12V running a 12V coil and NOS points and condenser. I tried to fire it with a ballast resistor in the ignition switch --> coil wire and a "hot" wire coming of the solenoid staight to the same mounting point on the coil.

The engine would fire as long as the starter was engaged and then cut off. (Resistor pretty hot)

Tried it again without the resistor and without the "hot wire" and it works fine.

As far as I know, the resistor keeps the points from burning off, so i would be better to have one in.


Question:

Why doesn't it work with the resistor?

What kind of resistor do I actually need? (tried 1,5ohm and 10ohm)

Do I need different points and condenser for 12V?

Thanks

 

Hi
Im using the same points and condensator with 12V and it works.

 

I don't know the resistance value, most any ceramic ballast resistor for ignition systems should work, you can get them at any parts store. When installed the voltage to the coil should be about 9 volts. Wire it to the positive terminal of the coil, make sure this wire has power any time the ignition is in the run position. In your case it sounds like you have the coil and the starter wired on the same circuit. The stock points and condenser will work just fine.

 

I go along with Shawn said. Check and see if you have power to the coil with the key on. If not start backtracking. Check on both sides of the resistor and then go to the switch and make sure that the wire going to the coil is connected to the ign pole of the switch.
Most likely it is a bad connection, wrong connection, bad wire or bad switch.

 

i have power to the coil when key is on position.
going in into the resistor are 12.3V comming out are about 5.8V.
Wires and connections should be alright, just installed a harnes from ron francis.

when I jump the resistor, everything works fine.

 

how many volts are supposed to be coming out of the coil on the negative side goint to the disributor?

 

Static ? 0 on the negative side , when capacitor if discharged . A good capacitor may perturb the measure ..

I m not a great mecanic or english native , mostly electronics , but I think the goal of the resistor is :
When you crank , battery voltage goes down .
So the resistor is shorted with a relay to have full voltage .
when the engine is running ( read : no more cranking ) , voltage on the battery goes up and the resistor is used to avoid too much voltage on the coil / points .
The resistor may be a real resistor ( the kind of one Mopar guy have in the glove box ) or a resistive wire .
I think I ve read on the teambuick.net forum that the voltage with engine running must be around 8 volts on converted 6 / 12 Buick ..
Use a galvano multimeter , not a numeric . the numeric will lie .
Hope I don t tell too many stupid things , when I see a Buick L8 topic , I can t resist

Other way .... Use a good numeric meter , check the resistor and the resistor of the coil .
U = RI .
Now use math
PS : Pextronics cost about 100 $ ....

Edit : you may have a relay , check it or change it .... If it s burned , after cranking you don t have no more voltage on the coil

 

You may have a coil that has the resistor built in. That coil needs 12 volts to the pos. side.

 

exactly!

 

you need 9.6 volts to the coil with the key on. most new coils have ( use with external resistor marked on them).

 

thx for all your replys.

i've got my coil out of my neighboors shack. He is a Mopar guy and he also gave me one of those Mopar resistors to hook into the ignition to coil wire.

I'll buy a new resistor today and see whats happening.
If it's still doing the same thing, I assume my coil already has a resistor build in.