Ballast Resistor
 

Does a 1984 GSL-SE have a ballast resistor? If so where is it located?

i don't believe so. I think that's a points-type dizzy thing to keep too much voltage from frying the points gap.

The GSL-SE's (and every 1st gen after like 1981) use electronic dizzys, magnetic pickups, 12v coils and ignitors. I don't think there's any ballasts. (points type ign's used 6v coils I do believe)

--matt

Check the year of the car on the diagram that you are using. If it is Haynes, then the -SE diagrams are toward the back of the book in the supplement section.

On the older rotaries, with points, the resistors are by-passed during cranking/starting so that you get a hotter spark. But durning normal operation the current will flow through the ballast resistor and reducing the voltage. Don't by-pass it! You'll burn something out since the system isn't designed to handle the higher current for too long.

He's right

The car is a 1984 GSL-SE and has a 13B with no points on the distributor. I can't seem to find it in my Hayes manual. So is it safe to assume there isn't one. The reason I'm asking is I want to put a couple of MSD coils in it to replace the stock ones. No resistor right? can anyone help or tell me where to find it in the manual.

Thanks
Jim

nope, no resistor.

just drop the coils in and hook the wires up just like the stock ones. They're both 12V coils.

I've run MSD blaster 2's for 4 months now. I'm converting to direct fire soon tho, but the Blaster 2's were a nice replacement for the 17yr old stock coils.

If you are still unsure, just call MSD or e-mail them with you car's info and they'll fax a diagram to you. I sent an e-mail once, and they faxed a Rotary diagram to me for the MSD box and or coils.

I had them send it to my eFax number. Then turned it into a *.jpeg.