12v Conversion and front mount distributor

Now, two years later resistor fried. Tried to replace resistor with 1.4 ohm resistor and started to smoke the resistor. Tried a 2.3 Ohm resistor and also started to smoke. Measured resistance on output of resistor wire and it shows to ground. Wire not grounded to frame anywhere. Removed distributor and coil. Shows short to ground where spring of coil touches pick up screw on distributor. Shows ground whenever points are closed and no ground when points open. Is this correct to show ground on points closed? Since I do not have an original ballast resistor and cant measure the value of the on that worked fine, what do you recommend the replacement circuit and resistor to look like? What else could be going on in this circuit?

If this is obvious, go ahead and poke fun. (but please disclose answer first)

Charlie

Also.. the points got to ground. That's the whole principle of the ignition system.. you carge the magnetic field in the coil by having a completed circuit.. power.. coil, ground. when the points open, is when the field colapses, and then you get a high voltage induced across the secondary of the coil.. fireing the plugs.

Also.. I'm guessing that coil you had that you though was 6v.. was really 12v.. with a reading of 2 ohms,... sounds like it is. The 3 6v coils I've had and tested.. showed 1 ohm on a regular meter. That ceramic resistor was making up the ballance of the primary resistance requirements.

I suggest you either get a new 12v coil and a current limiting resistor of about 1/2 ohms ( radio shack 2 pack of 1 ohm resistors tied in parallel ) Or you find the same ceramic resistor as the old one you had.. the marking on it should be easy for a parts man to look up... especiall if it is a common one with a RU number ( 10, 11, etc.. ) What you are looking for is the primary winding current.. and you want that to be in the 3-4 amp region due to the surface area of the points.

Soundguy