What does the ballast resistor do?

[Duke W.]

Re: Does this mean a TI ignition doesn't...

The TI has a resistance wire in the harness, but it's less than one ohm. Since the TI (Transistor Ignition) uses TRANSISITORS to switch primary current, there are no points and the transistors can handle higher primary current, which nets greater ignition energy. The HEI module packs all the TI amplifier circuitry into a thick film hybrid module and adds some other neat stuff such as variable dwell, which helps maintain energy and voltage at high revs. The conventional single point ignition supplies about 41 millijoules per spark. Both the TI and HEI deliver about 75 millijoules, but the HEI is much cheaper and more reliable than the TI. I think its one of the most elegant designs GM ever produced. It's long duration spark is perfect for a street engine, and I've never understood why people spend hundreds of dollars on aftermarket ignitions to replace the HEI.

Duke

[Jeff Gunn #29146]

Re: Guys...

Not that it matters, but I was there on the Indiana board about 2-1/2 to 3 years ago... Jeff


Jeff's '74 Corvette Restoration Project

[Everett Ogilvie]

Re: What Duke really meant!

Hey Duke, I got a chuckle from your numbers thing. And I thought Dale's finger story was hilarious - wish I could have been there to see it. Most of us here "know" each other pretty well, at least our "Virtual" personas. Like I said before, I hope to meet some of you folks in person someday. Keep up the humor side of this thing!

[Dave NCRS#24235]

Re: NCRS numbers... don't ask me to join again

I put the number after my name for the same reasons Juliet stated. I'd use my last initial, but there is already a Dave W posting things on this board. If I use my long last name - I take up more space - and run the risk of being ridiculed in the same way William Clinton was this week. - Dave

[Bill Baird]

Re: Guys...

I've been using it since the Indiana days as well. As an additional note, I belong to the NCRS and the Indiana Chapter of the NCRS.

Bill Baird

[Eric Mortimer- NCRS Cincinnati]

Non-members on the Board

Hi "Motorman" and others avoiding our exhorbitant $30 NCRS membership fee,

It all comes down to this:

The National Corvette Restorers Society doesn't have the resources to help every human who owns and/or loves the Chevrolet Corvette.

We are a non-profit hobby group spread all over the world and governed by an elected group of members.

We ARE here to provide the best service, products and experience possible to NCRS members.

Wasting our resources on people who obviously think little of the National Corvette Restorers Society just doesn't make a lot of sense.

To do anything less would be cheating our 14,500 current NCRS families...

Eric Mortimer

[motorman]

Re: Non-members on the Board

eric since i am over 65 do i get a senior citizen discount? i though you only had to join if you asked questions not if you just answered them.

[Roberto L.]

Re: What does the ballast resistor do?

Hei friends, I put the NCRS number because I'm proud to be a member, and I'm proud to be a Rocky Mounting Chapter long distance member. Un tango desde Argentina Roberto, NCRS #30019, RMC

[Al Gore #2]

I invented the Internet...

...when I wasn't busy fundraising.

AG #2Man

[Jeff]

Duke has good luck with Dexcool and ballasts,

...and bad luck with Michelins, the exact opposite of my experience with all 3. Go figure. Anytime a Mopar of mine won't start, I change the ballast without even thinking. I carry them and distrubutor gears as spare parts whenever I leave the driveway.

JP

[Jeff]

I used to have 3 or 4 digit #. Now I'm in the...

...millions. Guess if you miss a few years (decades) they dock you. Oh well, I'd be glad to buy it back, Eric...

JP

[Dale Pearman]

Re: Ed said, Duke said?

Hey Rich: The more current, the higher the resistance and, the higher the temp.This is basic Phisics. The energy is transfered to the air around the resistor. That lowers resistance and allows greater current, etc.etc. Cponsider what the AVERAGE current is when the key is on but revs are zero. Then take the average current at different rpms of the resultant saw tooth waveform. That average current is all over the place with rpm. The resistor tries to keep the average up to a nominal design value. Think it through!

Varooom!

[Dale Pearman]

Re: What does the ballast resistor do?

Bienvenito Amigo! Desde de Argentina eh? Es un muy bonita pais! Soy partialmente de Costariccense pero no vivo en La pais por once anos! Muy malo porque tengo mucho amour por la moda de vivir; PURA VIDA!

El Senior Varooom!

[Dale Pearman]

Re: Both Ed and Duke are wrong

NOTHING is steady state in the primary ignition circuit. It's ALL dynamic!

Rev. Varooom!

[Dale Pearman]

Duke is RIGHT!.

Duke speaks the TRUTH! Honest! Ya know what I'm sayin? I mean, he's right! OK?

Rev. Varooom!