Coil resistor

Scott H

Scott H

Well-known member
I'm not ready to wire up my whole truck at this point but I DO want to test-fire my engine.

I took the resistor off the inner firewall and it looks pretty crusty. I checked across the terminals and I get zero continuity and no reading for resistance. Am I correct in assuming this resistor is junk?

Can I test-run the engine for 20 - 30 seconds without using a resistor and not damage my coil?

1936 truck, 1940 v8 engine, keeping it 6 volt/positive ground
 
yep your resister is no good, i would say you can run your motor for a few seconds, but why don't just get the restorer then you wont have any trouble
 
The resistor is mostly to protect the contact points in the distributor from burning and getting pitted from arcing which would take a very long time with the higher voltage to you could certainly test your engine at length without any problem.

Here's a resistor from NAPA for mounting on the coil or circuit breaker board: http://napaonline.com/Catalog/Resul...k=Keyword&Nty=1&N=599001+101940+50026+2026044

Or, this one from Mac's for mounting on the firewall like you had: http://napaonline.com/Catalog/Resul...k=Keyword&Nty=1&N=599001+101940+50026+2026044
 
Scott I don't like replacement resistors they are small and run hotter. Here's what I do. Bend the 2 slotted metal covers up some so you can get at the wire ends of the resistor. Take a small sharp object and scrape the area of both end parts clean near the wire ends. Carefully scrape the wire ends a little close to the end of the wire against the end cap. Move the wire ends up as close to the metal ends as possible. With both terminal legs parellel solder the wire ends to the the metal ends USEING ACID FLUX. Paste flux won't allow the solder to adhere to the nichrome resistor wire. Rinse with baking soda and water, rince with clean water and blow dry. I always spray with starter fluid and blow dry again. Carefully bend the covers back in place. This is a very poor electrical connection squeezing the wire under the ceramic insulator sleeve against the metal ends with a rivet. I have done this for 30 years and never had any voltage drops across the resistor since. Should now work longer than when it was new. G.M.
 
G.M. - sounds like a good plan..but I'm concerned the nichrome wire may be broken. I'll check into it and see what I find.
 
If it's broke near the end a half turn shorter won't make any differance. You can still solder it. G.M.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top