Okay so in fixing one problem I created another...

Whilst repairing an exhaust leak in the c/buggy I took the coil off and a few necessary wires to access the inlet manifold. Fixed that up and put everything back together and now I cant get any power to the coil. I have checked all the wiring three times and it seems fine. When I hotwired the coil, it started first go.

So I went back to start from the switch and power is fine there, but then it goes to that ballist resistor thingy - which is very hot to touch. All of my other dubs are fitted with the inbuilt resistor in the coil so comparisons are not easy. If I had left the key on power whilst working on the car (which I dont think I did but am struggling for answers, could that have cooked it ?)

All the fuses are fine, just the resistor is very hot to touch.

Any ideas ??

Peter

Have you wired all corectly?
Why a balast resistor?
You must have a wrong coil fitted. Balast resistor is for a 9 volt coil in a 12 volt car with the appropriate wiring to suit which an a/c volksie does'nt. Look at the under side of your coil, it should have stamped what voltage, but we'll assume it's 9v.

Black goes to coil +ve, but in your case to one side of the balast resistor and the other side to the coil +ve.
Green from your points/condensor, to the coil -ve.

Thats it.

To test with a test light that a circuit exists, with the points open and ignition on, the test light should light when leads put accross the points gap.
If not poss coil , condensor or wiring problem.

The country buggies never had a resistor coil originally, perhaps the resistor has spat the dummy,if so turf it out and fit a good old original style coil.

Ballast resistors get hot..it's what they do!! If it's hot it's working....as long as the "spring" isn't earthing out to metal where it's mounted.Remove the resistor and put a standard coil on.

I went and confirmed it is a 12 volt coil. The car will start fine if I bypass the original wires - I will investigate some more tomorrow.