Smoking ballast resistor in Y block

[himmelberg]

Installed a new intake and carbs. In the process I moved the coil and ballast resistor to the firewall. I changed out an old ground strap from the engine block to the firewall.

Now, upon attempting to start the engine the ballast resistor smokes and seems that we're not getting any fire in the hole. There is a Jacobs prostreet system installed that has been working great, giving instant starts and good service for a year.

Any advice on what is causing the smoke (I'm assuming lots of heat). The fittings are tight and wired as it came apart... neg to the dist primary, pos to the bottom of the resistor, ignition wire to the top of the resistor. Thanks. himmelberg

[porknbeaner]

Make sure that all your connections are good? Did you change to a lighter gauge wire? Is your new ground makeing good contact? these are just the normal questions you should ask yourself.
Not make sure that the ballast is grounded well. Sounds crazy I know. But in my Galaxie when I put the ballast on the firewall it wouldn't run and I ended up scrapeing the paint off the wall right under the mount for the resistor.
Common sense says this shouldn't make any difference but...
Could be that the resistor just took a dump. That happens on occaision. If it smoked its probably burnt up now and no zot is going through it.

[enjenjo]

You need to get a ground back on the engine. All the current for your starter is going through the resistor to ground. You may have cooked the Jacobs box

[andysdeuce]

What enjenjo said. Make sure you get to bare metal on the frame and engine. You don't have a good ground.

[wingnutz]

They usually do smoke a little then it should stop!

I'd check the rest of your circuitry for proper ballast and grounding..., then you might want to check your point gap again! (sounds goofy but that has worked for me)

Mark