Ignition issue

The way it goes is:

'76-'78 had Prestolite ignition. There was no resistance wire.

'79-'86 had Motorcraft ignition. They had a resistance wire from the factory (unless someone removed it)

Those last few years of the '80s saw the CJs with a computer a few sensors and a special "stepper" carburetor to which all of that stuff was supposed to make things all better.

Usually a nutter bypass and dropping back to a '79 carburetor fixed the problems those yeas had.

Back to a "resistance wire"

If you are upgrading (100%)from below the year 1979 to the Motorcraft System (introduced in 1979 for CJs) You will need "Resistance" so the coil will work properly.

The easiest thing to do is install a ballast resistor where the resistance wire would normally have been. (See 1st pic)

If you do upgrade I suggest you do it all to be like a '79, if you ever need an ignition part, if you have a '77 (like mine) or other years. You simply ask for 1979 ignition parts. This cuts down on confusion!

Parts needed for an upgrade are:

A few wires and connectors (I can explain better)

A reman distributor (Usually inexpensive and has a lifetime warranty)

A distributor cap if not supplied with the distributor.

A coil (for external resistor) (a correct 1979 coil will be right) A connector for it.

Spark plug wires

An ignition control module.

Some of the above might be found in an auto salvage yard.

And of course a ballast resistor to imitate the non-existent resistance wire that is not present on the pre-79 CJs.

Does this make things any clearer?

Need more help? Keep on asking!

The Medic

Glad you sent pictures!

The original resistance wire came off of a wire from the ignition switch.

If it is missing (not ran as shown in my 1979 diagram), You will need a ballast resistor to take it's place.

Trying to explain this simple, look at the splice (sort of "tee" configured) at the positive side of the coil.

One side of the "tee" goes to the coil, another side goes to the "I" terminal of the starter solenoid.

The last leg of the "tee" is the power from originating at the ignition switch. This is the wire that the ballast resistor will hook into. I guess it would be best nearer the coil and away from the congestion further down the line. See my pic below.

Got some more to ask you about.

Notice in the diagram below (1979 peak of the CJs in my opinion) Every thing was simple, "nuttering" was unheard of, as there was no substandard computer crap added in that year.

So, basically everybody is trying to duplicate '79-'81s ignition systems since they work so well.

So I was looking at your "picture 3". You did not splice in the mating connector halves to your ignition module, looks like female stake-ons are used in their place. This may work, but they might work loose too!

That above was really no big concern, I was wondering why you had an extra wire on the "4 wire" set, and an extra wire on the "2 wire" set at the module? Notice where the module wires go in my diagram.

I did notice you asked for me at the top, I appreciate the confidence that you bestow in me!

The Medic

Maybe this or similar sites would have the correct fittings. (I searched "Duraspark connectors")

https://www.amazon.com/Harness-Connector-Electronic-Ignition-Module/dp/B07CX3XXSV

When I upgraded from Prestolite to Motorcraft in my 1977, I found all of the wire and connectors I needed in a self serve auto salvage yard, looking through different Ford vehicles.

The Medic