Quote Originally Posted by PhilipA View Post
I think the question and replies above show some confusion.
The issue of ballasted vs non ballasted is not DIRECTLY relevant to the ignition sytem. It is related to whether the car maker decides to have a boost to the coil for starting to counteract the voltage drop of the starter.
Most if not all cars with ballast resistors wil have 2 wires to the coil, one for starting ( which bypasses the resistor with 12 volts), one for running with 7-8 volts.
All Rangies AFAIk have a ballast resistor coil, and most old ones do not have a big resistor( rectangular pottery thingo, but have a resistor wire from the IGN switch.

The issue of the type of coil to use with an electronic ignition depends on the ignition type.
The simple aftermarket transistor switch like a Luminition needs a points type coil, as the current demand of a points coil is less than a "high Energy" electronic coil.
A High Energy ignition as fitted to 3.9 can run a transistor ignition coil , which drags far more current, and produces more volts.
However The coil must be matched to the ignition.
For example , I was told by Bosch technical assistance that a 727 coil should not be used with the 3.9 amp. I now have aBosch/Mitsubishi amp which I got with my Unichip, and thiscan run a 727 Transformer coil.
however someone on this forum has been running a Disco for years with a 727 so go figgure.
It does not matter whether the coil is aballast resisitor type or not as long as it is matched firstly to the circuitry in the car, and secondly the coil is the correct type( points vs high energy)
PS I have a Bosch electronic coil from a 3.9 .I can give you the number, but they are obsolete from Bosch anyway. I do not know 100% whether the 3.5 and 3.9 ones are the same but I think they are. If you are in Sydney and can pick it up from Avoca Beach , you can have it.
Regards Philip A
Thanks Philip. Unfortuanatley I'm a long way from Sydney. The dissy is a Lucas electronic with remote module. The module is a Bosch BIM024.