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Coil Need a Resistor?

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86 XT Turbo, engine keeps quitting at low RPMs. Idles smooth as glass and suddenly starts dying and restarting after a little while. Then will backfire some when you try to restart, unless you wait a while. Sounds like the coil to me?? Any ideas??

 

New wires, plugs no difference. Will put new rotor and disty cap tomorrow-had to order. Do these coils have internal/external resistor? Can't find anything in the FSM about it. Above 2k rpm- no problems right now. Problem is getting progressively worse, though.:-\

  • Author
If its the stock coil, there's no ballast resistor needed on it.

 

Looks like the OEM, do you mean it doesn't need an internal resistor type and there is an external resistor somewhere on the car or the coil is OK running full 13 volts to the coil?

 

Also, if there's an external resistor, where is it? My other subes had one near the driver's strut tower.

 

Thanks,

Wayne

I mean, there's no external ballast resistor at all on it. My 86 XT doesn't have one, so I'd assume yours doesn't either.

 

I might be wrong on this, but I don't think any of the stock coils have an external resistor. I've never seen one at least. Perhaps you're thinking of the little black box on the coil bracket, that's the ignitor.

I suggest you try a bosch coil off a saab!

the '79-'80 model coil provides a voltage roughly 30% higher than conventional coils

the 82+ model coil provides 15% more voltage than the coils from eariler models

looks like no resistor needed

my coil is leaking, so I to will have to do something about it..but, by putting in a larger coil..would it not cause the ignitor to work harder thus pre-maturely causeing the ignitor to wear out...are the resistence levels of the VW coils close to the stock subaru

I suggest you try a bosch coil off a saab!

the '79-'80 model coil provides a voltage roughly 30% higher than conventional coils

the 82+ model coil provides 15% more voltage than the coils from eariler models

looks like no resistor needed

  • Author
my coil is leaking, so I to will have to do something about it..but, by putting in a larger coil..would it not cause the ignitor to work harder thus pre-maturely causeing the ignitor to wear out...are the resistence levels of the VW coils close to the stock subaru

 

What are the symptoms of an ailing ignitor??

 

Wayne

the main difference is the turns ratio

 

your ignitor should not "care" what coil it controls

 

haven't said anything about vw

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