Ballast resistor

[440]

I accidentally broke my ballast resistor a couple of years ago and somewhere along the lines must have thrown it out. I've tried to google values but keep coming up dry, I've seen .8 ohm - 1.2 ohm.

Car is a 69 Charger with Mopar orange box and MSD blaster 2 coil. The resistor that was on the car looked OEM mopar (broken top section is still screwed to firewall) and the only one I could find that looks the same and is easily available is 1 ohm.

What do I need?

[Pete in NH]

Hi,

The Mopar orange box systems use a 1.2 ohm ballast resistor with a stock coil. I'm not sure if that would change with the MSD coil.

[440]

Thanks, even that is more information than I have been able to find. I knew the orange box kits came with a resistor but I couldn't find the specs on it anywhere.

I assume the 1.2 ohm is for points distributors so I'd also assume an electronic distributor would support a lower ohm resistor.

Some people seem to run orange boxes without a resistor no problem.....

[Pete in NH]

Actually, its the points system that uses the lower value resistor. The orange box kit comes with a 1.2 ohm resistor. I know this because I put an orange box kit on my car. I measured the ballast resistor in the kit, because you're right they don't specify a value anywhere that I can find. I wanted to know the resistor value if I ever needed a spare.

[John_Kunkel]

And, to confuse the issue even more, MSD specifies a .8 ohm resistor for the Blaster 2 coil.

[440]

And there lies the question. I think an email to MSD tech might be in order.

[440]

Well, I ordered a resistor and the place I ordered it from says I don't need it with a mopar orange ignition box (4pin) and blaster 2 coil, I said I'll take it anyways as I can jump it so it still looks stock.

He said the 4 pin orange boxes can run 12v and as long as the coil is a 12v coil there shouldn't be any problems.