Pinto Ignition Coil

[Guest mcgrailtony]

I'm reaching the final stages of wiring up the ignition circuit on my old/unfinished/recently aquired Robin Hood 2B. The engine is a rebuilt (inherited unrun with missing ancilliaries) stage one Pinto 2L, 1987. Here is my problem.

 

I fitted a new Genuine Bosch / Ford coil with a direct positive feed from the ignition key module. (Please note I have ceated the whole wiring loom from scratch and did not use the Sierra / RHE loom, instruments or column stalk.)

 

I recently left the ignition on accidentally for a couple of hours and the coil exploded, so now I am on coil number two. Somebody at the Exeter show said that i need to fit a ballast resistor to stop coil overheating which I fitted yesterday but this got very hot with minutes so I disconnected it with no harm done. Shouls a ballast resistor get hot? having refered to the relavent Haynes Sierra manual wirining diagram, there is no sign of an in line / external ballast resistor and the Ford dealer is clueless as to wether there is an internal one fitted(which there may be). I need to know in fear of blowing another £70-00 coil and I doubt Ford will give me another!

 

Next problem, the coil remains live regardless of ignition switch position (coil feed is taken from the first position "ignition" tag / spade connector on the aftermarkety rotary ignition switch) and can only be cut by throwing the master battery switch which doesn't make sense.

 

I have wired the + feed to the + coil terminal (also numbered 15) and the neg terminal(no 1) to the distributor feed which I believe is correct.

 

Can anybody throw some light on these issues?

[Guest peter2b2002]

there are two types of coils for pintos , one for an EFI and another for carbs, have you got the correct type? I nearly got cought out a few months ago when I picked up a coil for a pinto( the parts book only said 2ltr pinto)old chap in the shop asked me if it was carb or efi, just as well as I had picked up the wrong one

peter2b

[Guest old_timbo]

Depends on the resistance of the coil. approx. 3.2 ohms = no ballast resistor. approx. 1.6 ohms = use ballast resistor. With cars having ballast resistors the idea was that under normal runnning the voltage was approx 6v at the coils. However when the ignition key was turned the full 12v was put on the coil to give a more powerful spark for starting. You can't always tell by looking whether a ballast resistor is fitted to a car. On Minis for instance one of the wires to the coil is high resistance. Best to forget about ballast resistor sets-ups on Kit cars IMHO.

 

Tim

[Longboarder]

There is some confusion here over several issues.

Next problem, the coil remains live regardless of ignition switch position (coil feed is taken from the first position "ignition" tag / spade connector on the aftermarkety rotary ignition switch) and can only be cut by throwing the master battery switch which doesn't make sense.

First you need to sort the wiring so the ignition live supply is exactly that. Ignition live.

The type of coil you use depends on type of ignition you have. Points or inductive distributor standard 12V coil. All others electronic coil 12V.

Ballast resistor was a wayward idea of Fords in the early 80's to make starting easier. Seemed like a good idea but requires different wiring circuit, low voltage coil and doesn't do what it says on the tin. Don't use unless you like to work harder than you need to, to do a job.

What type of ignition system are you using? Points, inductive, Hall effect, ESC/ESC11/EEC1V or other. That determines which coil you need. Get 12V. Don't use ballast resistor. Coils do overheat if left on without the engine running.

 

Nigel

[Guest Christine]

The ballast resistor should drop the voltage to the coil to 9V but you should use the correct ballasted coil, for starting a second feed from the small terminal on the starter provides 12V, Ballast resistors do get hot the nature of the beast, you can always bin the resistor and fit an unballasted coil with a 12V feed.

Edited October 29, 2010 by Garry

[Guest mcgrailtony]

there are two types of coils for pintos , one for an EFI and another for carbs, have you got the correct type? I nearly got cought out a few months ago when I picked up a coil for a pinto( the parts book only said 2ltr pinto)old chap in the shop asked me if it was carb or efi, just as well as I had picked up the wrong one

peter2b

[/quote

 

Yes Peter I have the rigt type (according to the Ford supplier!) Thanks fpr your help.

[Guest mcgrailtony]

Depends on the resistance of the coil. approx. 3.2 ohms = no ballast resistor. approx. 1.6 ohms = use ballast resistor. With cars having ballast resistors the idea was that under normal runnning the voltage was approx 6v at the coils. However when the ignition key was turned the full 12v was put on the coil to give a more powerful spark for starting. You can't always tell by looking whether a ballast resistor is fitted to a car. On Minis for instance one of the wires to the coil is high resistance. Best to forget about ballast resistor sets-ups on Kit cars IMHO.

 

Tim

 

OK WILL BIN THE RESISTOR AND TRY AGAIN WITHOUT WITHOUT LEAVING THE IGNITION ON WITHOUT RUNNING AND LET YOU KNOW HOW I GET ON

 

thanks for your help

[Guest mcgrailtony]

There is some confusion here over several issues.

First you need to sort the wiring so the ignition live supply is exactly that. Ignition live.

The type of coil you use depends on type of ignition you have. Points or inductive distributor standard 12V coil. All others electronic coil 12V.

Ballast resistor was a wayward idea of Fords in the early 80's to make starting easier. Seemed like a good idea but requires different wiring circuit, low voltage coil and doesn't do what it says on the tin. Don't use unless you like to work harder than you need to, to do a job.

What type of ignition system are you using? Points, inductive, Hall effect, ESC/ESC11/EEC1V or other. That determines which coil you need. Get 12V. Don't use ballast resistor. Coils do overheat if left on without the engine running.

 

Nigel

 

Lots of useful info there Nigel so thanks. Will ditch resistor and try without again. Mine is an inductive system.

[Longboarder]

OK. Use standard points type coil, not electronic type. Wiring is like the picture below. Only difficult wire is the black/green which must be a continuation of the solenoid activating wire on the starter or come from position 3, the cranking position. It must only be live when cranking.

Wire colours shown are the ones that will commonly be on the plug salvaged from the sierra donor to connect to the amp.

 

Nigel