Brothers... here I was driving my car, then, suddenly It starts to miss a little.. I hurried back to the house, parking it the engine dies on me... OMG... what can it be know.

I have an 1987 chevy camaro witht he computer bypassed and a traditional set up. I am using the Mallory Comp 9000 Unilite Distributor with the Mallory POwer Coil and a Ballast Resistor.

I have tested the Coil and is fine. Still pending the distributor (UNILITE and I dont have a clue how to test that)... but I am Hoping.... REALLY HOPING is the ballaster resistor.

I did a test with a MultiMeter and the output voltage is about 3 volts (going to the possitive terminal of the coil). I would assume that 3 volts going to the coil wouldn't be enough... also... there is no spark comming out of the coil secondary terminal...

So here is my real questions:

What happens and a Ballaster resistor fail?
Do this fail often?
How do I trouble shoot a ballast resistor.

Any help will be great.

Thanks !

 

They usually burn out (go open circuit like a burned out lightbulb).
When they do, they don't put any voltage thru.
You can test it by disconnecting the wires from it and check the "ohms" of continuity thru it with a multimeter.
An open one will read infinity. A good one should read less than 3 ohms.
I'm not familiar with that mallory system or how it is wired.

 

Thanks. I went I re did the test following your suggetions. My ballast resistor is O.K. I decided to test the voltage going out of the ballaster resitor alone (disconnecting the part the goes to the coil). No Voltage drop.

Then I decided to connect the the coil, but disconnect the cables that go to the Distributors. No Voltage drop

When I connect the cable to the distributor there is a voltage drop of about 6 Volts.

I am begining to think it the actual unitlite unit...I will have to call mallory for T/S guidelines...

One thing I noted with the ballast resistor was that it was HOT really HOT.. is that usual?

 

If the key has been on for some time and the engine is not running, that is completely normal.