QuestionQUESTION: my wiring diagram shows a white wire going from the ballast resistor and connecting to the starter solenoid opposite the white red wire coming from the ignition. the problem is there is nothing to connect it to.nor can i find a starter solenoid with two conections just one.
ANSWER: Hi Gilbert,
I need to know what kind of Triumph you have.
Howard
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QUESTION: it's a 1968 spitfire MKIII but the wiring is more like a MKIV.
ANSWER: Hi Gilbert,
The MkIII (12v coil)should only have one small lead on the starter solenoid which came from the ignition/starter switch. The MkIV (low voltage coil)had two small leads on the solenoid. The two lead system was to supply a low volt coil with a bypass system.
The way it (MkIV) operated was a wire from the ignition switch, went to a resistor and on to a low volt coil. A second wire came from the starter solenoid directly to the low voltage coil bypassing the resistor.
In the "Start" position (MkIV) the solenoid supplied power directly to the coil which was a low voltage coil. I idea was that when the starter was engaged there was not a full 12v available anyway so the low voltage coil was not harmed. As soon as the starter was not in use (when the engine started) the ignition switch supplied full voltage to the resistor which dropped the voltage to the coil thus not harming the low voltage coil (or ignition system)
Any 43 year old car could have had many changes done to it so you can't count on what year it is for the correct wiring. You first need to look at the coil and the ignition system to see if it is a 12v or low volt system. Most igniter ignition systems were low voltage coils with the solenoid bypass system. Most pointed ignition systems used a full 12v coil without the solenoid by pass system.
Howard
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QUESTION: ok i have a 12 volt battery, a 12 volt coil, alternator, starter solenoid and ballast resitor. the person i got the car from said the car was running before he parked it in the garage for seven years. when i got the car the ballast resitor was wired into the ignition.if i bypass the ballast resitor the engine will not turn, if i leave the wiring as it came the engine will turn, but nospark at distributor. before i get to far i am trying to find out if i should leave wiring as is or try to bypass the ballast resitor since there is a 12 volt coil.
AnswerFirst tell me if your starter solenoid has one or two small wire connectors on it. Then tell me what kind of ignition is inside of the distributor. If it does not have points and condenser and does have an electronic ignition system, tell me how many wires come from the distributor. Also see if there is brand name on the unit inside the distributor if it is electronic.
With that information I may be able to tell you how to wire it.
Howard
