Super hot ballast resistor causes and cures?

1........These DO run "blistering hot." Normally, you would not put your finger there. That is why they are ceramic

2.......If you have a high turns ratio / performance coil, that can be a factor, as they are lower resistance

3........If you have a BAD coil AKA "coil starting to go bad" that might explain both the really too hot? and the sputtering

4.......As mentioned, what pishta was getting at is a charging / over voltage problem. Get a meter run the car. Check your battery running voltage. Should not be over 14V or 14.5 at the absolute most. IS THE battery bubbling over?