Ballast Resister ?

[ILLINOIS ROADSTER OWNER]

Hi ! Should the Ballast resister be hot when the motor is running ? Mine appears to be warm ! Could there be something wired wrong ? Could someone give me the run down on what wires go to the ballast resister,resister,coil and distibutor ! I think maybe a wire may be wrong somewhere ! ANY HELP WOULD BE MUCH APPRECIATED !! DON ! My Datsun is a 1969 SPL 311 1600 Roadster !

[S Allen]

The resistor provides voltage to the + side of the coil when the ignition switch is in "RUN" position. It is wired in series. When the ignition switch is in the "START" position, the battery voltage is
applied directly to the + side of the coil, bypassing the resistor to
provide a hotter spark with the high current load of the starter for initial start-up. There should be at least 12 volts on the input side of the resistor, and a few volts less at the + terminal of the coil. I do not know the exact voltage as I have never measured it. Break out your multi-meter to check it for sure. I would say a little warm is okay. Usually a resistor either works or it does not. You can check the wiring diagrams on the site to make sure you have the wires in the right places. Good luck.

Steve