The Ford Barn

Kentf1003 · 08-18-2013, 08:52 AM

Preparing to rewire the 1940 Ford pickup I am building and noticed that the ignition resistor is missing on the breaker assembly board. (Two wires hanging.) I've read that the ballast resistor should be 1.5 ohms, but I see in the Macs catalog that their 32-48 ignition coil resistor is listed as 40 ohms. Any Barners know what the proper ohms should be? Thanks.

George/Maine · 08-18-2013, 12:40 PM

I see macs has that 40 ohms but think its wrong.
.4 would be more correct. Say 3 amps x.4=1.2 volts leaving 5.8 at coil +or-
Ford used a .5 ohm resister.
1.5 ohms more for 12 volts if you used that one your coil voltage would be to low.

Kurt in NJ · 08-18-2013, 01:31 PM

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Before you buy a reproduction ask if it is on a ceramic core like original ---or on a bamboo core ---I recently worked on a car ,the owner said it had a new resistor, ran for a few min, then it smelled like a 3rd world trash fire---the bamboo was burning, then the resistor went open

08-18-2013, 08:52 AM	#1
Kentf1003 Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 138	Ignition resistor Preparing to rewire the 1940 Ford pickup I am building and noticed that the ignition resistor is missing on the breaker assembly board. (Two wires hanging.) I've read that the ballast resistor should be 1.5 ohms, but I see in the Macs catalog that their 32-48 ignition coil resistor is listed as 40 ohms. Any Barners know what the proper ohms should be? Thanks.

08-18-2013, 12:40 PM	#2
George/Maine Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Mid coast Maine Posts: 1,878	Re: Ignition resistor I see macs has that 40 ohms but think its wrong. .4 would be more correct. Say 3 amps x.4=1.2 volts leaving 5.8 at coil +or- Ford used a .5 ohm resister. 1.5 ohms more for 12 volts if you used that one your coil voltage would be to low.

08-18-2013, 01:31 PM	#3
Kurt in NJ Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: on the Littlefield Posts: 6,159	Re: Ignition resistor Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) Before you buy a reproduction ask if it is on a ceramic core like original ---or on a bamboo core ---I recently worked on a car ,the owner said it had a new resistor, ran for a few min, then it smelled like a 3rd world trash fire---the bamboo was burning, then the resistor went open