First off I should say I am running a Mallory Unilite distributor with a Mallory coil on a '79 350. About 2 weeks ago I put a new starter in my '58 Chevy. I noticed after a while that it didn't want to start until I let off the starter (as the voltage jumped back up in the car). About a week ago it stopped starting all together. The starter will crank on forever, just no spark to start it (I checked). If I jump from the battery to the coil, she'll start right up and runs just fine. So I think maybe it's the ballast resistor. I go get a new one, and I burn the shit up, get another one, same thing. I have 12 volts coming from the ignition, so I am stumped. I haven't checked the Unilite module yet, but if the car runs, then shouldn't it be ok? Also, I didn't have this type of trouble with the old starter (it was just worn out), so maybe it is a bad starter solenoid?? Hopefully someone in HAMB land can help me out. Thanks, Duck
If your ballast is burning up, there is a short. If the old starter worked fine, until the new one was replaced, My next guess would be the new starter may be defective. Return it for a new one or have it bench tested. The starter may be shorting out to the motor somewhere. Does your ballast burn up when you turn the key on or only in start? I believe the ballast is inline to the ignition battery side isnt it? Another issue, which just happened on my buddys car, the original ignition switch went bad. The car will start if you hold it in the start position, but when you let the key back to the "ON" side, the motor dies. Needs new ign. switch. I had a reverse issue where my starter on my flattie would not work. It had voltage, all the right stuff to turn over the motor, but what I did was pull it, check the brushes, cleaned it up...issue was bad ground. Make sure the "isolated" circuits are not shorting out.
Exact same thing happened to me a number of years ago with a Unilite. The module was bad. Module only needs 9 volts if it's OK. When you jump the resistor you give it the full 12 volts and it works. Change the module. Before mine wouldn't start at all, it just wouldn't start when it got hot or it would quit running when it was hot at idle. Before I figured it all out,I used to drive around with one foot on the gas and the other on the brake!!! I tried a coil, resistor, new wires,etc. It was the module.Put a new one in and it was fine.
Sorry to bring this back up but what or did anything work. I have the exact same problem on a customers 32 ford that I have at the shop. EXCEPT that when I feed the coil 12v from the battery it still wont give me any spark. Only when I shut the key to the off postion do I get a jump of spark out the top of the coil tower.
It was the module. $80 later and it's fixed. Check out this link, it's got some good info: http://www.centuryperformance.com/mallory/unitest.asp Good luck, Duck
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