1960s 1962 Resistor wire became very hot!

[Ramses]

As the title said, sometime when i let my key to "ON" AND the distributor is stoped in "OPEN" position, my resistor wire became so hot that i see smoke and my wire start melting...

I tried to replace the resistor wire with a balast resistor (Actually ACDelco F1104) but now i see smoke getting out of my resistor..

When distributor stop in "open" position and my key is "ON" i have this overheating issue, so if i drive the car i will probably have the same issue too?


Is there a solution for this?

Thanks for your help!

[J. Gomez]

As the title said, sometime when i let my key to "ON" AND the distributor is stoped in "OPEN" position, my resistor wire became so hot that i see smoke and my wire start melting...

I tried to replace the resistor wire with a balast resistor (Actually ACDelco F1104) but now i see smoke getting out of my resistor..

When distributor stop in "open" position and my key is "ON" i have this overheating issue, so if i drive the car i will probably have the same issue too?


Is there a solution for this?

Thanks for your help!

Hmm first able I would guess the term you used as "When distributor stop in "open" position" is when the points are open.

If that is correct and with the points open (so no ground back to the distributor) and yet your ballast resistor/wire gets HOT, two things could cause this;

1 There is a short to ground coming from the distributor over to the coil, so with the key "on" and points open you get the overheating wire.
2 The coil could be bad possible shorted internally so if you have a short as item 1 above the ballast/wire gets "HOT".

Under normal situation the ballast resistor/wire would get hot to the touch if the key is on and the points are closed (to ground) the coil internal resistance would/should restrict them to get burn-up.

[James Landi]

"Under normal situation the ballast resistor/wire would get hot to the touch if the key is on and the points are closed (to ground) the coil internal resistance would/should restrict them to get burn-up."
 
I agree with Mr. Gomez, but don't adhere to his theory regarding a direct "short" to ground.  If that were the case the car wouldn't run. There is the wire that runs to the starter solenoid that is there to provide extra battery power to the points when the starter is engaged. I suggest that you CHECK that wire --- it's the only OTHER wire that's connected to the outside of the distributor-- with the car off and the points open, there should be NOT current flow to ground -- because this wire runs near the hot manifold, it could be in contact to ground... if when you test this wire there's an apparent load (in ohms) then you've found your problem  If the points are closed and the ballast gets hot, then you may have a bad coil or the WRONG coil.  If you can research the Ohms value on the coil that's required for your car and then take a reading on the one that's in your car, you'll likely find that the resistance value of the primary side of the coil is NOT correct.  You might simply invest in a new coil.   Hope this h helps you, James

[J. Gomez]

James,

As the title said, sometime when i let my key to "ON" AND the distributor is stoped in "OPEN" position, my resistor wire became so hot that i see smoke and my wire start melting...
 

Assuming from his statement above the issue is when the ignition switch is on the "ON" position and with the engine not started or running.   

When distributor stop in "open" position and my key is "ON" i have this overheating issue, so if i drive the car i will probably have the same issue too?
 

So again reading between the lines he has not starter the engine while having this issue present. 

There is the wire that runs to the starter solenoid that is there to provide extra battery power to the points when the starter is engaged. I suggest that you CHECK that wire --- it's the only OTHER wire that's connected to the outside of the distributor
 

You are correct there is (or should be ) a "yellow wire" from the starter solenoid connected to the "+" side of the coil (same terminal as the ballast/wire resistor), this just provides a +12V while cranking.
Small correction on your statement "to provide extra battery power to the points" – "to provide extra battery power to the coil".

I suggest that you CHECK that wire --- it's the only OTHER wire that's connected to the outside of the distributor-- with the car off and the points open, there should be NOT current flow to ground -- because this wire runs near the hot manifold, it could be in contact to ground...

I totally agree if the "yellow" wire from the starter somehow got shorted to ground, that could explain his condition line one above.   

[Ramses]

Sorry i have not explained correctly: I said "stop in OPEN position" but i mean that my point is closed and let the ground go to the coil.

So in this situation if the keyswitch is "ON" my resistor wire became so hot that it start melting. So 2 days ago i have removed this resistor wire and installed a balast resistor (I was thinking that the issue will be solved this way), but after i installed the resistor when i let my switch "ON" i see smoke coming from the resistor.

[J. Gomez]

Sorry i have not explained correctly: I said "stop in OPEN position" but i mean that my point is closed and let the ground go to the coil.

So in this situation if the keyswitch is "ON" my resistor wire became so hot that it start melting. So 2 days ago i have removed this resistor wire and installed a balast resistor (I was thinking that the issue will be solved this way), but after i installed the resistor when i let my switch "ON" i see smoke coming from the resistor.

The coil primary resistance (ballast resistor required) would/should be around 1.5 ohms range between the + and – side. The ballast resistor/wire should/would be around 1-2 ohms range but capable to handle high load for a very short periods.

The ballast resistor/wire would get "HOT" (as well as the coil) if the points are closed (to ground) and with the ignition switch "on" to +12V left for a long time (1/2min or so) in this stage. So this would be normal under normal conditions and it is not desirable to leave it on more than it is necessary for testing.

While the engine is running the rapid opening/closing of the points (to ground) the ballast resistor/wire would be very warm but should be able to handle the load (heat) since the path to ground is interrupted.   

Again check James' suggestion above in case you may have a shorted wired from the starter solenoid.

Good luck..!

[Ramses]

Thanks for your help, i have verify the yellow cable from my starter and its ok, not grounded.. the issue only happen sometime whem the engine stop with point in closed position.

So if i understand, its normal that my wire became very hot, but if i drive for a long period of time (point open/close repeatly) my wire should not burn as it does when my engine is stopped?

[TJ Hopland]

Yes it would be normal if left in the abnormal condition of key on engine not running for the resistor and the coil to get hot.  Normal operation these parts will usually be getting more heat from being around the engine than they will be generating themselves.       

Note that other than smoke not being a good thing the coil can literally explode and depending on they type can be a pretty unpleasant thing to be around. Sometimes they will just quit working but there is no way of knowing which way its gonna go till it goes.

Why and how long are you leaving the key on with the engine not running?  Are we talking seconds or minutes?  And again I have to ask why?

Is this an all stock setup in a stock car?  There are some coils that have to be oriented a certain direction often vertical. If you lay one of those down they can have issues.               

[Ramses]

Why and how long are you leaving the key on with the engine not running?  Are we talking seconds or minutes?  And again I have to ask why?

Thanks for your reply! I leaved the key ON because i'm restoring this car (i have never drive it on the road). The other days i decided to test all my light, to make sure everything work perfectly, so i turned the keyswitch "ON" and i started testing all my light (cornering light/high and low beam/backup light and so on...) while doing this i see smoke coming from my resistor wire... My switch have stayed in ON position maybe 10-15 minutes before i realized that my wire was melting.

So thats why i leaved the key ON..

I do some more test today, and now there is no longer any smoke coming from my balast resistor, and my volt at the balast resistor is around 6V so its ok for now.. My wire still very hot but it does not melt and i no longer see any smoke.. The balast resistor have make smoke the first time i connected it, and actually it no longer make any smoke, maybe its normal to see smoke first time a balast resistor is used...

In fact i was just affraid to drive this car for a long time (I never drive it!) in case my wire burn. But if you said that in driving mode i should not have this issue, i'm less affraid 

By the way to see my car you can go on http://cadillac1962.com/

[J. Gomez]

Thanks for your reply! I leaved the key ON because i'm restoring this car (i have never drive it on the road). The other days i decided to test all my light, to make sure everything work perfectly, so i turned the keyswitch "ON" and i started testing all my light (cornering light/high and low beam/backup light and so on...) while doing this i see smoke coming from my resistor wire... My switch have stayed in ON position maybe 10-15 minutes before i realized that my wire was melting.

So thats why i leaved the key ON..
 

I would strongly suggest that while you are working on restoring the car either mechanical, body, etc. you can safely remove the wire (resistance wire or the one you have place for the ballast resistor) from the ignition switch which goes to the + side of the coil (and tape it). This way you can check all the electrical functions except starting the engine, you can crank it but it will not start without the wire connected.   

[Ramses]

I would strongly suggest that while you are working on restoring the car either mechanical, body, etc. you can safely remove the wire (resistance wire or the one you have place for the ballast resistor) from the ignition switch which goes to the + side of the coil (and tape it). This way you can check all the electrical functions except starting the engine, you can crank it but it will not start without the wire connected.   

My main concern was: "if i drive the car for few minutes, does its dangerous to see my wire start burning because the key stay on?" but as you said, there is no danger while driving... So thanks for your help, and i will follow your advice and unplug my resistor wire when working on the car, this is a very good idea!

[The Tassie Devil(le)]

My main concern was: "if i drive the car for few minutes, does its dangerous to see my wire start burning because the key stay on?" but as you said, there is no danger while driving... So thanks for your help, and i will follow your advice and unplug my resistor wire when working on the car, this is a very good idea!    

When driving the car, the resistor wire will act as it normally does, that is reducing the 12 volts at the Ignition Switch to 8 volts at the coil.   This is normal.   Plus, notice that the outer covering of the resistor wire is not like normal wiring insulation.   It is designed to "take the heat".

I suppose the biggest thing to note is when working on the car, don't leave the Ignition on, unless you are actually working on that part, and need the ignition on.

Bruce.