Ballast Resistor wire

[Paul Berry]

I have just bought a new one from ford approx 8£. The problem is that when i cut the loom open to fit it , it has already been butchered. there is another wire soldered to the end in closest to the fuse box side. i suppose this effectively bridges it out. is it still necessary to fit this ballast wire or not?.

[Andy P]

I've bought one of these recently thinking it was causing a problem in my ignition. It turned out it wasn't the problem but the original ballast resistor, if we're talking about a mk3, is not the clumsy ceramic thing they give you. It is clipped to the side of the engine bay directly under the ignition coil. It doesn't look like anything, just a slightly chunky male and female connector.

[Paul Berry]

At first glance i thought so to. The capacitor clamped to the connecting screw for the coilis in my oppinion for suppresion of the circuit.

[mark richardson]

whats the original problem with your ignition

[Paul Berry]

THERE SHOULD BE APPROX 6 VOLTS AT THE IGNITION COIL WHEN ITS ON . MINE HAS 12 .I have put a new wire but now there is 12 volts at the coil and 6 volts at the starter coil with the ignition turned on but not running

[mark richardson]

remove the bodged bit of wiring from fuse box take a fused feed with a ballast resistor in circuit to the coil positive this will give you 6v approx
take a feed from the starter energiser wire to the same coil connection (12v live when cranking)for starting' then tidy wiring up
it could be an ign switch problem but i doubt it more likely toyed with wiring

[Paul Berry]

Dont you just love it when people mess with the wiring.The first indication was when i fitted a radio It looked like a crows nest under the dash ,with twisted together wires and the like . thanks for your advice.