Re: Wire, charging, ballast resistors

[Rich Kinsley <rlkinsley@xxxxxxxxx>]

Rich Kinsley '64 Dodge Polara 4dr 318poly w/goodies

I apologize if there is a previous blank message. I must've hit send 
somehow?? 

Anyway, my wire source was a Ron Francis kit, $440. This is not a  
guaranteed simple way to go. It's good quality and everything you need 
but also not original type at all. It winds up with a F*** VR, a GM 
dimmer switch and GM column stuff. The advantage of kits to me is the 
correct wires all marked on both ends and with correct colors and the 
fuse panel is superb! I didn't follow it 100% in some places as there 
are variations with the real application. Particularly in the 
dash/instrument areas. A little Kentucky windage works well sometimes. 
Trying to figure out all the sizes, lengths and get the wires marked 
would be pretty difficult I believe. However you could do just as good a 
job with your own wire and a good diagram. You need the diagram anyway 
when using a kit. The kits are too generic I believe and you have to 
adjust to fit.

I'd be leary of up sizing the alt without a wiring overhaul. I'd be sure 
to get an electronic voltage regulator as they work much better.
Using a smaller pulley on the alt is a great idea but a larger pulley on 
the crank may be even better as it will also jack up water flow and fan 
speed.

Ballast resistors are very interesting. I did a lot of experimenting 
there and found that no resistor works well when racing but it is prone 
to cause the engine to die at slower or idle speeds. Even in racing it 
makes me nervous wondering if it will die at the line then. I bought a 
race resistor which is .25ohms. It works very well on the track and I 
don't remember it ever dying if I drove it slow. I found my stock 
original resistor was .8ohms. It seems a good all around resistor as it 
works well on the street and I can still almost reach the rpm's of the 
1/4ohm. I also got a 1ohm from Summit and the Mopar ign came with a 
1.5ohm. I found the 1.5 not to my liking! It would start running badly 
right around or below 5000rpm's. I couldn't get any decent rpm's with 
that resistor. Currently I have the 1/4ohm and the .8ohm resistors 
mounted on the same bolts, side by side. I marked the 1/4 "race" and the 
.8 "cruz". I just move the leads over for the appropriate use. 
Unfortunately I have forgotten at the track a few times with a very 
slight difference.

Sorry for being so windy but that's what I learned so far.


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