I converted my 66 dart to electronic ignition today. It started and ran fine but after a few minutes the "new" ballast resistor was to hot to touch. Anyone had this problem? If it helps...4 pin ecu, stock new coil, new resistor.

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1966 Dart GT
4 spd. OD conversion
8 3/4 - 3.55 SG (Sold)

62 Lancer GT
B Body 8 3/4

What box do you have on the car? Are you using this for racing only? Do you have a 12v switched hot to 1 side of the ballast resistor or both? If it is a chrome or a gold unit the resistor will get hot due to the amount of voltage running through it, chrysler doesnt recommend using a ballast resistor with these boxes as they are for racing only and arent for continous use.

I have just a standard box from an aspen wagon. I've got 12v switched to one side of the resistor. could I have wired something wrong? 4 pins 2 to distributor. 1 to switched 12v side of resistor(blue wire with white tracer coming from bulkhead to resistor). 1 to neg. side of coil. Also wire from negative side of resistor to pos. side of coil.

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1966 Dart GT
4 spd. OD conversion
8 3/4 - 3.55 SG (Sold)

62 Lancer GT
B Body 8 3/4

This isn't a problem, its normal. Thats why they are mounted against the firewall, so the surrounding metal helps dissipate the heat.

I'm not sure if youre kidding or not?

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1966 Dart GT
4 spd. OD conversion
8 3/4 - 3.55 SG (Sold)

62 Lancer GT
B Body 8 3/4

Me? No, I'm not kidding, 100% serious. A resistor gets hot by nature, thats how they work. They convert electrical energy into thermal energy. And since these are relatively low ohm, and decent amounts of current pass through them, plenty of heat is radiated.

Pierre is dead on the money with this one.Think of it this way;if you put a valve in the middle of a hot water line and close it half way it will get hotter than the line after it,your ballast resistor is the valve in your electrical system and its partly shut letting the current build up and creating heat and in the case of a brand new resistor possibly smoke.
Clear as mud now .
HyperValiant

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1960 Hyper-Pac Valiant(rolling test-bed)
1963 Valiant V2OO(Son's summer project,- he just turned 15 )
1972 Valiant 4dr(Daughter Kelly's repair in progress)
1974 Valiant (v8) daughter Kelly's work in progress

Thanks thats good to know, I did have a little puff of smoke at first. Thanks again for the info.....

_________________
1966 Dart GT
4 spd. OD conversion
8 3/4 - 3.55 SG (Sold)

62 Lancer GT
B Body 8 3/4

Thanks thats good to know, I did have a little puff of smoke at first. Thanks again for the info.....

_________________
1966 Dart GT
4 spd. OD conversion
8 3/4 - 3.55 SG (Sold)

62 Lancer GT
B Body 8 3/4

Keep a spare in the glove, they are known to cook themselves every now and then.

When you said stock coil, you meant stock for the EI cars right? The EI coil and points coil are different.

Ultimately you could use a coil that doesn't require a ballast.

Yes it is an EI coil.

_________________
1966 Dart GT
4 spd. OD conversion
8 3/4 - 3.55 SG (Sold)

62 Lancer GT
B Body 8 3/4