IMO: The Ballast resistor was used to reduce the stress on the coil and points after starting truck. It's referred to as a bypass because during start mode, on switch or foot, it, itself, is bypassed and 12V is sent to coil, then upon letting off on sw or foot, voltage goes thru the resistor to the coil. It controls it's own resistance according to the heat, caused by current thru it, and thus, reduces voltage/current to ignition components. Your coil probably says "Use with external resistor". Unless you switch to HEI, it may/will be safer to leave it. They say it also protects a situation of: key left on, points closed.....burn up something. On a key switch with momentary start position, it is bypassed thru the switch/solenoid wiring. On a foot switch,(which is a foot operated solenoid)(get it? sole...noid) it is bypassed with that stud sticking out the side of the foot switch. As Jerry said. I didn't see his last two sentences when I first posted.. Just to be clear, when I speak of bypass, I mean momentarily bypass as designed, not permanently bypass, as in, not using the Ballast Resistor.
Last edited by bartamos; 01/28/2014 6:15 AM.
