okayfine wrote:As mentioned above, can the ballast really be reversed? In any case, I'm not working with the EI dizzy/module at the moment. Jason Gray is sending me some EI bits he knows are good, and when they arrive I'll swap them in and see what happens.datzenmike wrote:If the ballast wires are reversed, is it possible that the module is getting it's power through the ballast instead of directly from the ign.? Transistors do weird things when power levels drop.
It would seem that the coil - test above isn't doing what you guys think it should. Progress?
The ballast can't be reversed; it's just a resistor. But, the wires going to it and the coil/ignition can be easily. You have to find the two wires for the ignition. One is hot with the key on; the other is hot only with the key in the "start" position. The "start" wire goes straight to the module (or points) and coil. The "run" wire goes through the ballast.
I have seen it plenty of times where the two wires are accidently reversed. It's easy enough to check which is which by disconnecting the starter relay (so you don't crank the engine) and have an assistant turn the key forward (or by yourself with a test light in a spot you can observe while you turn the key).
lastly, yes, a weak coil can give a lot of weird issues. It would be cheap enough, but I just don't like throwing parts at a problem.