[Vanube]

I'm going to install this kit on my 1985 Dodge b150. I'm not that great at this stuff. My question is- how exactly do I wire the "start" and "run" to the ballast resistor? Thanks very much.

 

[ImperialCrown]

Your van should already have electronic ignition. Wire the ballast exactly like it is shown on the instructions.
The coil gets the full 12 volts from the ignition switch while cranking. After the engine starts, the voltage to the coil is dropped through the resistor.

 

[AllanC]

. . . . I'm going to install this kit on my 1985 Dodge b150. I'm not that great at this stuff. My question is- how exactly do I wire the "start" and "run" to the ballast resistor? . . .

Attached is a schematic for 1985 D / W 150 ignition and starter relay wiring. Hopefully the wiring colors are correct. Find the ignition ballast resistor on your vehicle and see if wiring colors match. You should be able to match up circuit paths with existing vehicle wiring against this aftermarket igntion system schematic.

 

[Vanube]

Got it all wired up. The first ballast resistor brought me from about 11 volts down to one and a half volts. This seems like too much resistance. So I put a new balasst resistor in and it did the same thing.

 

[Bob Lincoln]

I believe that the ballast resistor is somewhere between 5 and 10 ohms.
Are you measuring the voltage across the resistor? If so, that's the voltage drop produced by the resistor, NOT the voltage seen by the coil.

 

[Vanube]

The voltage on the feed side of the balust resistor is 11 volts with the key on run position. The voltage on the terminal opposite the feed terminal (it is a two prong ballast resistor) is one volt with key on run position. Therefore the voltage to the coil with the key on run position is one volt. Is this not correct?

I get 11 volts on both terminals of the ballast resistor if I disconnect the wire going from the coil to the ballast resistor.

 

[ImperialCrown]

Have you tried to start it yet? The current though the coil to ground may average out once it is running.
It may be acting as expected. The test with the key in 'run' with the engine not running may be an invalid test.

 

[Bob Lincoln]

The voltage on the feed side of the balust resistor is 11 volts with the key on run position. The voltage on the terminal opposite the feed terminal (it is a two prong ballast resistor) is one volt with key on run position. Therefore the voltage to the coil with the key on run position is one volt. Is this not correct?

I get 11 volts on both terminals of the ballast resistor if I disconnect the wire going from the coil to the ballast resistor.

This should not happen. This tells you that you removed a short circuit by unplugging the downstream end of the resistor. Something is wired wrong, or has failed.
Measure the resistance across the resistor with the wires unplugged to verify that the resistor is good.
Then measure the primary resistance across the coil with its wires unplugged, and measure the secondary resistance. This will be from the center terminal to the negative primary terminal. Let me know what you get for all three readings.