Mallory dual Point Distributor & Coil.

flathead4rd

Well-known member
No matter what coil I use with my new Mallory dual point Distributor, they all seem to run good but are very hot to the touch. Is that much heat normal? I've had two coils quit on me and create a no start or run condition on me until they cool off. Instructions say no ballast resistor needed. Once they cool off it will start and run again.
 
The coil may be warm, but shouldn't be "hot to the touch". It sounds like it needs a ballast resistor, contrary to the "instructions". What instructions are you referring to? Are you running a 6 or 12 volt system? The rule of thumb is that you want about 4 amps running through the points (and the coil). Use (or not) a properly-sized ballast resistor to yield this using ohms law. Generally, 12 volt systems want 3 Ohms total resistance on the circuit, 6 volt systems want 1.5 Ohms. Use a multimeter to determine this resistance.

Just curious; did it run OK (not hot) before you changed distributors with these coils? Distributors are just switches and shouldn't make any difference to the coil.
 
Negative side of coil to the distributor? Positive side is 12V. Which ignition wires OK?
I'm using a set from Pertronix, that has a older style look. Tubman is correct,
you're just making and breaking a circuit with the points. Gaps are OK? I hate this kind of crap when it happens. Good luck, keep us posted on your progress.

Empi has the Bosch coils, they are in Fullerton, Ca. Bubba was also recommending Beru
coils, they are much less $$. Stoddard Porsche sells them.
Pertronix has a internally regulated coil.
 
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