mallory ignition coil wiring

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mshull
Posts: 3
Joined: Mon Sep 20, 2010 9:22 pm

mallory ignition coil wiring

#1 Post by mshull » Mon Sep 20, 2010 10:09 pm

I bought a s-10 that has been comptley stripped and put a sbc 350 in it. It had a mallory oil filled coil and a mallory distributor that came with the truck. I am new to this and not sure if I wired the coil/distributor correctly. The battery is in a box in the back of the truck. The hot wire from the battery runs to the starter and we ran a heavy wire from the starter to a master switch in the cab. We then ran the other side of the switch to a fuse block. We ran a hot wire from the fuse block to a push button start switch to the solenoid on the starter. All of that seems to work fine. We also ran a hot wire to the positive small terminal on the coil. The distributor has 3 wires coming from it (red, green, and brown) The green wire runs to the negative terminal on the coil, the brown goes to a ground on the firewall, and the red runs to a resistor and then to the positive on the coil along with the hot wire from the fuse block. It seemed to work fine at first, but now we have no spark and when we turn on the power switch which sends 12v to the coil, the green ground that runs between the coil and the distributor gets hot (not voltage hot, but tempurature hot) I think the coil may be bad, but not sure if it is wired right and don't want to replace it and then ruin my new coil.

Thanks for any help.

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Bruce69Camaro
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Location: PA

Re: mallory ignition coil wiring

#2 Post by Bruce69Camaro » Wed Sep 22, 2010 5:23 am

From what I found, it appears that you have things wired correctly.

Check out this link: http://www.malloryperformance.com/pdf/609.pdf

One thing I didn't see in your posting, did you install a toggle switch to turn on the ignition or is it hot the minute you turn on the kill switch?

Bruce
Those who think they know it all have no way of finding out they don't......... :scratch:

mshull
Posts: 3
Joined: Mon Sep 20, 2010 9:22 pm

Re: mallory ignition coil wiring

#3 Post by mshull » Wed Sep 22, 2010 7:27 am

It is hot the anytime the switch is on, which I think I will rewire, so I can turn on the electric cooling fan and stuff without the coil being on. I emailed the guys at mallory and they say the power from the switch should run thru a resistor, which means the coil is only getting about 2 volts. I am not sure if this right, but i did it that way and still no fire, so I sent them another question. I may have fried the coil by sending the full 12v to it.

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Bruce69Camaro
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Location: PA

Re: mallory ignition coil wiring

#4 Post by Bruce69Camaro » Wed Sep 22, 2010 7:55 am

Here is a quote from Mallory:

NOTE: The purpose of an ignition ballast resistor between the ignition switch (12V) and the ignition coil
positive terminal is to restrict current flow through the ignition coil. Failure to use an ignition ballast resistor
will eventually destroy the Ignition Module.


You may have damage the module not the coil.

If you want, send me a PM with a email address or post it here and I can send you a copy of how I wired up my racecar
but if I were you, I'd put in a toggle switch so your ignition is not hot all the time.

Bruce
Those who think they know it all have no way of finding out they don't......... :scratch:

sc racing
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Joined: Sun Jun 11, 2006 1:45 pm
Location: Sahuartia Az

Re: mallory ignition coil wiring

#5 Post by sc racing » Wed Sep 22, 2010 8:54 am

Mallory Unilites run on 9 volts if you put 12 volts through them they eventually burn out. Ive sold dozens of those over the years and seen just as many burnt out. Somtimes you need more than one resistor wired inline the only way to know is check voltage at the coil when the car is running.Did you run your pushbutton wire to a neutral safety switch then to your starter, if not your going to want to do it before you try to pass tech.

mshull
Posts: 3
Joined: Mon Sep 20, 2010 9:22 pm

Re: mallory ignition coil wiring

#6 Post by mshull » Wed Sep 22, 2010 9:52 am

Thanks for the info guys. We still have to install the shifter and the neutral safety switch. I went down to auto zone and bought a resistor and put in the line going to the coil and now I am only getting about 1.97 volts to the coil. I think I fried the coil or the ignition module. I am going to replace it this weekend.

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