1987 3.7 resistor wire for coil after conversion to electronic ignition?

[lime4x4]

I recently bought a project boat with a 1987 3.7 liter engine (470 series) The distributor was converted to electronic. I noticed that the resistor wire for the coil is still in stalled. The coil is marked used with external resistor. Since the dist is now electronic shouldn't it use a regular coil with 12 volts on the positive side?

 

[dccordell]

Re: 1987 3.7 resistor wire for coil after conversion to electronic ignition?

As far as I know, the electronic parts inside the dist. don't really know or care what voltage is being supplied to the coil, as long as the coil is putting out the voltage the dist. needs. The required voltage to the coil depends on the coil itself, which in your case it says it needs an external resistor, so you need to keep the resistor wire. Someone correct me if I'm wrong about that...

 

[nola mike]

Re: 1987 3.7 resistor wire for coil after conversion to electronic ignition?

depends on the coil and electronic setup. Mine specified a resistor wire if used with a standard coil, or you fry the electronics...and i'm assuming you mean that just the points were replaced.

 

[lime4x4]

Re: 1987 3.7 resistor wire for coil after conversion to electronic ignition?

it looks like it's pertronix ignitor. operating voltage range is 6 to 16 volts. I have a high output coil that doesn't require an external resistor that i would like to use. Yes the points were replaced with an electronic sensor

 

[dccordell]

Re: 1987 3.7 resistor wire for coil after conversion to electronic ignition?

Guess if you want to use your high output coil instead, then you would just have to run a wire from the ignition switch to the + side of the coil.

Careful, those pertronix ignitors can burn out when left with the ignition on but the engine not running, unless it is the ignitor2 which has the safety built-in to prevent that from happening.