5 replies to this topic

[noeman]

I'm looking to replace my dizzy to electronic. So I'm going to get a new coil to go with. I checked to see if my coil is ballast or non ballast. I have the pink/white going to the coil which tells me I have ballast. But when I test my coil for ohm it is 2ohm.
I thought ballast is 1.5 and non ballast is 3 ohm. But mine is 2 with all wires disconnected.
I just want to make sure I replace it with the correct type.
Thanks for any help.

[cal844]

Get rid of the ballast wire, cut the loom and remove the ballast wire in its entirety and fit a normal 12 volt wire in its place, you simply need to renew the connection in the loom

[noeman]

Is non ballast better, if so why? As I thought the advantage of ballast was better starting.

Edited by noeman, 24 March 2019 - 08:11 PM.

[Cooperman]

If you keep the ballast coil what will eventually happen is that 'effing pink wire will burn out and take most of the engine bay wiring loom with it.
There is no apparent improvement with a 9 volt coil and very few Minis have them.
By the way, to repair the front loom takes about 6 hours when it burns out plus the cost of the necessary colour coded cable, connectors and loom tape.

[cal844]

Is non ballast better, if so why? As I thought the advantage of ballast was better starting.

No, all it does is give 9 volts once the engine is running. During cranking the coil is fed a full 12 volts

[KernowCooper]

As already said by Cooperman and Cal the way forward is to get rid of the 9v system and convert to a 12v system with a standard 12v 3ohmn coil with your planned upgrade to a electronic trigger I assume in your current distributor. Guide if you need it in the FAQs electrical section on fitting a Electronic Trigger.

 

The last one I had the misfortune to sort out when the ballast built in the loom burnt up took over 4hrs to sort out x labour costs you do the maths.

 

If you disconnect the white/pink at the fuse box connection, either cut it off/tape back you kill the ignition on power to the ballast wire and then no need to remove it from the loom, cut or tape off at the coil end your safe. just run a new ignition switched feed to your new 12v coil and your sorted.

Edited by KernowCooper, 25 March 2019 - 10:43 PM.