need help with electrical part identification

as the title says, I cant get a pic at the moment because the part is in a prick of a spot and i need to remove the gaurd to get a pic.

it normally sits in the engine bay and is some how hooked to the ingnition. It has a cermaic casing with what looks like a spring it the middle but is a coil of some sort. I have broken it in half and my car takes a few trys to turn over. If i wiggle it the car turns over imdeiately but it gets hot and i usely touch the hotest part when i mdo this cause i cant see it. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks

Mike

Sounds like it could be the starter solenoid. Does it have a wire that goes to the starter and another that goes to the battery?

Found out what it is, its a Ignition Coil Ballast Resistors

porcelian not ceramic.