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| | | | Joined: Jul 2005 Posts: 135 Member | | Member Joined: Jul 2005 Posts: 135 | Talk about embarassing--today was my first day at a new job and my truck wouldn't fire a lick this morning, hence no transportation.
Checked it out this evening and the ballast resistor feeding the coil had gone out and wasn't allowing any electrical flow. Strange since I had driven the truck a number of times yesterday and all was just fine. I suppose that I will start carrying a spare even if the prior one lasted 5-6 years.
Is it common for ballast resistors to go out from time to time? Cold turkey? Now it works, now it doesn't?
Word hard, play harder, enjoy life!
| | | | | Joined: Feb 2002 Posts: 12,029 Cruising in the Passing Lane | | Cruising in the Passing Lane Joined: Feb 2002 Posts: 12,029 | I had one go out a few weeks ago - same kinda thing, worked one day, next morning no go - don't know if it's 'common', but they do burn out, and it's not a bad idea to have an extra on hand!
Bill | | | | | Joined: Jan 2005 Posts: 1,682 Extreme Gabster | | Extreme Gabster Joined: Jan 2005 Posts: 1,682 | Whats a balist resistor? 
an idea is only stupid if you think about it rationally.
| | | | | Joined: Jul 2004 Posts: 5,708 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Jul 2004 Posts: 5,708 | Windy in Kansas, Shouldn't the truck have started but quit as soon as you went to the resistor (hard to say it Bill) circuit! Remember that you have two sources for the coil. One full voltage on START, and the reduced source, or circuit, for RUN. That is usually the bittersweet deal with this resistor failing...the rig roars to life, but then fizzles when the key goes to RUN or the foot leaves the stomper. You can just jump around the resistor for awhile..it isn't "instant" death for the points. I sure hope you weren't fired before you were hired!  Stuart | | | | | Joined: Apr 2005 Posts: 2,832 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Apr 2005 Posts: 2,832 | Fumblin, it's the white porcelin thingy thats about 3/4" wide by 2 1/2" long on the firewall that reduces the voltage to the coil. Turn your key on for 5 minutes and stick your finger on the back side of it--if it burns the hell out of your finger, you found it.
Evan
| | | | | Joined: Jan 2005 Posts: 1,682 Extreme Gabster | | Extreme Gabster Joined: Jan 2005 Posts: 1,682 | I don't have one of those. I have an armored cable that comes right out of the ignition switch right to the coil on both my trucks.
That resistor must have been one of their new fangled 'advancements' they thought up after 1946.
an idea is only stupid if you think about it rationally.
| | | | | Joined: Mar 2005 Posts: 1,029 Member | | Member Joined: Mar 2005 Posts: 1,029 | Six volt systems never had the ballast resitor Fumblin. | | | | | Joined: Jul 2005 Posts: 135 Member | | Member Joined: Jul 2005 Posts: 135 | My '49 3800 doesn't have the starting full voltage by-pass circuit for the resistor. Voltage flows through the resistor only through the ignition switch. The truck starts so well with this setup I'd hate to change it.
I had actually tried to hot wire the coil from off of the starter but apparently I didn't a get good complete circuit without clamps and just some stripped wire.
Nope, didn't lose the job before I began. I have worked for the same employer on a full time temporary basis for the last two summers. The job changed and is now full time year around. If they hadn't already known my work habits and dependability it might have been a different story.
Word hard, play harder, enjoy life!
| | | | | Joined: Jul 2005 Posts: 226 Cruising in the Passing Lane | | Cruising in the Passing Lane Joined: Jul 2005 Posts: 226 | yup they burn out, its just a winding for a resistor...and like atomarc said you can short around it,,,it just makes the points burn up faster but it should run ya to town anyway.....
What it will say on my Tombstone: "Boy, that guy sure owed alotta people Money"
| | | | | Joined: Oct 2005 Posts: 688 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Oct 2005 Posts: 688 | Hey Wind, the same thing happened to me and the Wife not two weeks ago. I hate to break down with the Wife. She looks at me with those(you wanted this truck) Look in her eyes and says, "lets call the tow-truck"... Well why dont you just call me a little girl. I get out and work for about one hour on the Dist. and wouldn't you guess it ....up comes a man in his Model A (FQRD)  Not a FQRD....... So to make a long story.. longer! He looks at the Dist. and thumps something and says to me "OK CRANK ER UP" and Vaaarrrrroooooom She starts up. I could have died every one in the town saw this, because it was about 12noon on a Sunday. "Hey did you see that Cool Model A start the old chevy 59?" My wife has been ribbing me about this for weeks. Anyway Windy thanks for reminding me of this! :mad: Cliff59(husband of robin59 of Herington Kansas) | | |
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