TheSamba.com :: View topic - Mallory Uni-Lite Ballast or No Ballast That is the Question

Thu Jul 24, 2008 4:59 pm

I'm using a Mallory Uni-Lite with vacuum advance in conjunction with an MSD Blaster 2 coil. Could you tell me if I need to run a Ballast Resistor with this combination or not? I vaguely remember reading something about ohms has something to do with it but have since lost the instructions. Thought maybe someoen here has used this setup and could answer easily. Thank you

I know it runs this way but do not want to risk burning up the expensive distributor by not running the unsightly ballast.

Thu Jul 24, 2008 5:24 pm

http://www.malloryperformance.com/AskTechResults.aspx?BrandID=6&ID=115008

Thu Jul 24, 2008 6:39 pm

I don't think it is so unsightly. For years I have been using one from a Chrysler. I was a weird triangle shape. I design elevators and this type of resistor is called a burden resistor. It takes the voltage spikes and slow them down to the correct voltage. This keeps the Unlite Module safe from a blast. On elevators it keeps the coils at a constant voltage.

Below is a photo of my T-4 engine. The resistor is hard to see, it is just to the left of my oil pressure gauge and it is fastened with a strap right over my coil. It is the white thing with the bolt thru it. I made the mounting bracket out of aluminum.

Running with out your risking two things. One paying a a nice price for a module and the other is getting stuck in the middle of nowhere and having to pay a heavy towing fee.

http://tunacan.net/t4/owners/joe-cali74/DVC00054.JPG

Fri Jul 25, 2008 9:19 am

Thanks for the replies, I've surfed a bit more And come to the conclusion that I really need to check how many ohms this coil is drawing and in the mean time should run the ballast just to be safe. I do have a ballast but in this show car application that has already been wired did not want to disturb the clean looks or re-route wires to install it. Appreciate the input

Fri Jul 25, 2008 9:24 am

if you don't want to see a ballast just get a pretty coil that has the correct impedance internally and use that one instead. It's not rocket science.

Call me and I'll sell you the one you need if you don't want the headache of figuring it out yourself.

John
Aircooled.Net Inc.

Fri Jul 25, 2008 9:31 am

run a cdi then you dont needone.