As the title indicates, I put a Dennis Carpenter coil adapter on my 36 since I couldn't find a stock 3 bolt replacement and now the ballast resistor gets red hot after a few minutes of running. Truth be told, I had the same adapter installed prior to this and it ran fine for weeks, but the + coil wire came loose and when I tightened it, the crappy little brass stud started to give. It still ran fine after that (about 2 weeks), until I noticed a hot electrical smell and saw the resistor was red hot. My first impression was that maybe it was caused by resistance from the stud on the adapter starting to give out, so I replaced the adapter and the ballast resistor w/ new units (at separate times) but the issue still stands. I've also replaced the wiring to the new can style coil, but nothing has seemed to help. Has anyone else ran into this problem?
325w, all the wiring is staying cool which made me think it was the resistor which I replaced w/ a modern ceramic unit that still did the same thing. I suppose the newer resistor could be the incorrect resistance, but I'm not entirely sure what it should be on a stock 36.
Here ya go Beaner, I never saw one either. lol http://www.speedwaymotors.com/1933-36-Ford-Flathead-Coil-Adapter-Kit,12950.html
OK its like a bulkhead for the firewall and you can hide your coil under the dash it looks like, I would be looking for a short first off. I am guessing that if it is using a resistor that it is a 12V coil, they don't pull as many amps as a 6V coil so I am going to guess that the system has been upgraded to 12V correct? Oh thanks by the way.
No, you remove the coil mounted on top of the distributor, then put the adapter in place of the old coil, then you use a "normal" can coil, with the coil wire running to the adapter, just mount the "normal" coil off the intake like normal.
OK Now I am getting it the '36 had a divers helmet. I had completely forgotten about those. The original distributer would not have been running resistor, 6V ignition doesn't use them so the car was converted to 12V at some point? Correct?
Pretty sure the '36 had a resistor, the coil was pretty low in impedance. Hopefully Jim Linder will read this.
It sounds like you have replaced everything except the coil. I think at this point I would replace the coil and resistor with an internally resisted coil and clean up the wiring a little. If the resistor is getting too hot and there is no short in the wire between the coil and resistor then the only connected load on the resistor is the coil. By doing it this way you know you have coordinated the resistance with the coil.
You are correct I just found a wiring diagram for it. But if it is 6V and it is using a modern coil then it should not use a resistor. It is not using the low impedance Ford coil it is using a modern canister coil. maybe it would help if @fltnlow would chime in here and fill in the blanks.
If your replacement coil is a 6V can type, do not run the power to it thru a resistor......just six volts straight to the - (negative) terminal of the coil. Repeat.....no resistor. If your car is a 32-48 Ford it would have a resistor mounted inside the firewall (up under the dashboard). Do NOT use this resistor....bypass it if it's there in the wiring from the ignition switch. If you're set up for 12 volt, use an external resisted can type coil. With this coil you need a 1.5 ohm ballast resistor in the power feed to the coil.....the power wire from your ignition switch will connect to the ballast resistor, and then the other side of the resistor will connect to the + (positive) terminal of the 12V can type coil.
Very first sentence: As the title indicates, I put a Dennis Carpenter coil adapter on my 36 since I couldn't find a stock 3 bolt replacement and now the ballast resistor gets red hot after a few minutes of running. But I don't have an answer for him. The resister will get hot tho. Kinda like an electric heater but not red hot. He has replaced the wire going to the coil ,& everything but the coil so I would suggest trying another coil.
The ceramic resistor will get hot, it puts 12 volts to the coil when cold but when they heat up,thats when the build resistance,hot hot they get I don't know,I just put one in a Chevy truck and I'll heat gun it in a couple days to see.
The Jalopy Journal
