Thread: Ignition Coil 3.9 V8

Thanks to everyone for their input.

I haven't yet checked to see if the balancer has spun, this Rangie is very much a fill in, in between type of job.

It does idle OK at the 12+ degrees of ignition advance, but only for a short while. Then it surges a little and dies. During the surging it won't react to the throttle (ie, it won't rev up and it will die, nothing can be done to prevent it).

Originally Posted by timberwolf_302

Bosch GT40s are around $35-40. Make sure you ask for a GT40, not a GT40R

This is on a Rangie with a Pirahna electronic ignition.

Hmmm I have a Rangie I'm running a GT40r with a CraneCams Fireball electronic ignition, I've been running it like that for about a year-ish and it runs very well.

I'm not sure why using a GT40r would be a bad thing, can you explain in simple terms for me?

Originally Posted by HangOver

Hmmm I have a Rangie I'm running a GT40r with a CraneCams Fireball electronic ignition, I've been running it like that for about a year-ish and it runs very well.

I'm not sure why using a GT40r would be a bad thing, can you explain in simple terms for me?

The GT40R is designed to be used with a ballast resistor.
Basically, it's a 9 volt coil & the ballast resistor drops the 12 volts from the battery down to 9 volts for the coil.

The idea of this being is that when the motor is being cranked over with a full 12 volt system, the battery voltage drops & weakens the spark from the ignition coil, making it harder to start at times.
With the 9 volt coil & ballast resistor system, the resistor is bypassed when cranking giving the coil extra voltage so producing a bigger spark which makes starting easier.

If you fit a GT40R to a non-ballast resistor system, the coil will be receiving this extra voltage all the time & while it will work great, it won't last.
Most electronic ignition systems don't use the ballast resistor so you might find you have the wrong coil fitted to your car.

Originally Posted by Scouse

Tit will work great, it won't last.

So that means my choice is to change to a coil that is designed NOT to work with a ballast resistor OR fit a ballast resistor?

If that's the case it seems the cheaper option would be to fit the resistor.
Is it better to fit a different coil or fit a resistor or does it matter either way??

Most older Rangies have a resisitor wire running from the ignition switch to the coil.
If you have two wires to the coil, one comes from the starter solonoid and is 12 volts for starting, and the other should be a white covered stainless steel looking wire with bands every now and then ( it may have resistor wire written on it). This one drops the volts to 7-8 for normal running. AFAIK no rangies have a ballast resistor but they do have the resisitor wire.
Do not cut and shorten this wire (significantly) as the resistance is dependent on its length.
Regards Philip A

Originally Posted by PhilipA

Most older Rangies have a resisitor wire running from the ignition switch to the coil.
If you have two wires to the coil, one comes from the starter solonoid and is 12 volts for starting, and the other should be a white covered stainless steel looking wire with bands every now and then ( it may have resistor wire written on it). This one drops the volts to 7-8 for normal running. AFAIK no rangies have a ballast resistor but they do have the resisitor wire.
Do not cut and shorten this wire (significantly) as the resistance is dependent on its length.
Regards Philip A

Nope no wire on mine, someone probably removed it at sometime.

OOOps sorry I just realised I think this is what known as a post hijack

Originally Posted by BigJon

Thanks to everyone for their input.

I haven't yet checked to see if the balancer has spun, this Rangie is very much a fill in, in between type of job.

It does idle OK at the 12+ degrees of ignition advance, but only for a short while. Then it surges a little and dies. During the surging it won't react to the throttle (ie, it won't rev up and it will die, nothing can be done to prevent it).

Gday jon
Sounds like you have sum lucas gremlins in the EFI system if its a hack that someone else has done id leave it well alone as im not a fan of the rangie EFI and if i had to sort it id go back to the start and check every wire and every EFI component as the problem sounds more like a fuel problem than an electrical problem .....

Originally Posted by HangOver

Hmmm I have a Rangie I'm running a GT40r with a CraneCams Fireball electronic ignition, I've been running it like that for about a year-ish and it runs very well.

I'm not sure why using a GT40r would be a bad thing, can you explain in simple terms for me?

Gday steve
Wich crane unit are you runing is it the 700 series or the 3000 series unit as if its the 700 you are supose to run a resistor with the coil or you can damage the ignition module ..
Simple terms are that the gt40r coil or the gt40 are both preaty well a crap coil they are just your avarage coil with a flash sticker ...

Originally Posted by HangOver

So that means my choice is to change to a coil that is designed NOT to work with a ballast resistor OR fit a ballast resistor?

If that's the case it seems the cheaper option would be to fit the resistor.
Is it better to fit a different coil or fit a resistor or does it matter either way??

My rangie is runin a crane 3000 series unit which dosent require a resistor coil and im using a MSD blaster coil which is designed to run at 12v and it gives off a spark that could kill a man as it got me once and it was worse than a 240v shock it made me sick in the gut and i had to sit down for a while to get over it ..
IMHO id eiher stick with wat u have if its a 700 series crane unit and fit a balast resistor or if its a 3000 series id get another coil either a MSD blaster like mine or the big crane jobbie and you will get a even better spark and easier starting and better power/economy

Cheers guys

Chris