The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop New distributor

I just converted to an hei distributor, I got a new battery and I wired everything up. I tried starting it so I can do the timing with a vacuum guage, the engine cranks really fast and it sounds like it starts up but as soon as I take my foot off the starter switch the engine dies, it's a 261

what year? is it 12V? did it have an ignition resistor on it previously?
what you describe sounds like the power > ignition switch to coil is missing, you get coil power when the starter is engaged so engine starts, but that power is lost when you let off on the starter, and the wiring [that might have gone via an ignition resistor] for "normal" power to the coil is missing, engines dies

Bill

It's a 1959 12 volt it had a ballast resistor on the the fire wall, the papers that langdon sent me said do delete any resistor, I just unhooked the wires on the resistor and taped them off. If this is the problem how do I go about wiring it, also does it matter what terminal on the ignition switch I run the ignition coil to, sorry if these are dumb questions I'm new

yes, that's the reason, you need to bypass the resistor, not just disconnect the wires, it still needs power to the coil from that route - if you haven't messed with the ignition switch, then don't, just hook the wires from both ends of the resistor together, tape that joint up and it should run ... the original wires from the ignition switch to the resistor would usually be green and brown, brown on one end, green to the other, and along with that green a 2nd green to the coil, hook all 3 together

Bill

So I need to use the original green wire to the coil? Langdon told me to use a 10 guage wire from the coil to the ignition switch so that's what I did, would I have to put the 10 guage wire in place of the original green wire and bypass the resistor or do I just bypass the resistor and leave the 10 guage wire where it is, which is on a terminal by its self

so you just ran this new wire to a random terminal? Langdons instructions were to use a 10 gauge wire to bypass the resistor ... if the original wires that went from the ignition switch to the coil [via the resistor] are still there, they are what is replaced with the heavier wire, on the same terminals

Bill

I wasn't planing on leaving it on the random terminal I was just trying to get it to run so I can do the timing, I gues I got anxious to get it running.
So to dumb things down abit for me, all I do is put the 10 guage wire in place of the brown and two green wires exactly as they are jus without the resistor?

yes, just need to bypass that resistor, and if 10 ga is recommended than you'll use that for the whole run, switch to coil, to replace the originals, which I believe are 12 ga

Bill

Without the resistor all that one green and brown wire would be doing is going from one terminal to another. Were these resisor wires there exclusively to provide resistance to the coil or do they sereve another purpose as well, are they necessary now that the resistor is out of the picture?

you can just do any old thing, as you've already done, and eventually you might hit on something that seems to works, but it'd be best to do it correctly - each terminal on the ignition switch has a particular purpose, without knowing the circuits and what happens inside the switch you're flying blind

there originally was a wire [brown] from the ignition switch to the resistor ["input" end] - this wire is always 'hot' when the key is on - there is a 2nd wire [green] from the switch to the other end ["output" end] of the resistor [some years direct to coil] - that wire is only hot when the starter is engaged, bypassing the resistor to give full voltage to the coil when cranking - the 2nd green wire on the output end of the resistor goes to the coil - currently you apparently have the 2nd wire from the switch correct so the coil gets voltage when cranking and the engine fires - because you took the resistor out of the circuit, when you let off the starter, there is no longer any power to the coil because you "interrupted" the brown wire that normally supplies power when running .... this is the classical symptom of a burned out resistor

run your new 10 ga wire from the coil to the same terminal on the ignition switch that the brown wire went to, the original bypassing wire from the starter side terminal to the switch [violet] and on to the output of the resistor won't be needed, you'll have full voltage to the coil anytime the key is on - foot start switch connections

Bill

Ok my head is about to explode, I thought I understood what you were telling me, but apparently not, I tried it and it didn't work, I need it all in one spoon full, explain it like if i was a kinder gardener. Let's forget about how I currently have it set up, I'm going to start over and describe to you what I see here(the original set up); there is a ballast resistor on the fire wall, one end has a green wire to a terminal on the ignition switch with another green wire on that same terminal from the ignition switch to the ignition coil, the other end of the resistor has a brown wire to another terminal on the ignition switch with a violet wire on that same terminal from the ignition switch to the starter.
the two green wires and the brown wire are now out of the picture, that leaves just the violet starter wire on one terminal, I run the 10 gage wire to what terminal? And do I keep either of the resistor wires, and where exactly would they be.
I know I'm being a real hassle right now, but i am honestly puzzled.

someone switched some wires around I think or you were missing one ... the new wire needs to go to a terminal labeled IGN 2, which should be where the green wires were, that should be hot only when the key is on, if you have a meter you can check it - the violet to the starter and any wire to the resistor can be removed along with the resistor

Bill

The one from the coil goes to the one that's allways hot when the key is on, which terminal is hot, there's acc, sol, ign, g-1, g-2, 15, and bat, that's it

Lets keep it simple; run a jumper wire from the positive post on the battery to the "BAT" terminal on the HEI cap. There's also a "TACH" terminal right beside the the "BAT terminal so be sure to get the wire from the battery on the right one. If it starts then you only need ONE wire---from the "IGN" on the switch to the "BAT" on the HEI cap. Forget resistors, bypasses, wire colors and everything else and just drive it.

Sounds like a plan, I'll try it tomorow