Ballast Resistor and lumpy cold running.. help please

[archie001]

I own a 1966 Sceptre series 2.

I've got two problems which I could do with some advice over.

1 - I have what appears to be a ballast resistor fastened to the coil bracket. It has one black wire coming out of the end, which isn't connected to anything. it looks as though it was linked to the coil. How should this wired up??? Help please???

2 - My Sceptre starts easily first time, however you need to press the accelerator a couple of times first. Once running it seems to run on 2 - 3 cylinders until under load (or just pressing the accelerator). The choke is only needed for a short period, and appears after 30- 60 seconds to be better fully open. I have fiddled a little to set the Solex carb up, but could do with some ideas as to whether this is my problem, and if so how I need to think about adjusting it?

Thanks in advance, and hope the message isn't too long and garbled!!!!!!!!

Emrys.

[rootesmadnick]

its the solex I bet, mine has one on and runs like poo when its cold,
with the weber it was far better

[archie001]

What model weber do I need??? And does anyone have one?

[sceptre511]

As far as i'm aware MK2 Sceptres didn't come with a ballast resistor,happy to be proved wrong tho !.
What you have probably got is an old coil suppressor (capacitor ) .It'll probably have a value like 2uf or 7uf on it .Meaning 2 micro farads .If its a resistor it should have the value in ohms ( with the ohm sign that the computer won't let me write.)

Sounds like its running weak on cold idle ,i presume you have a single carb ?.Due to the manifold design the centre two cylinders will drag the most air/fuel in and theres probably not enough fuel to get 1 and 4 to fire.As you probably know proding the throttle a couple of times opperates the accelarator pump jet and gives it a richer mix to get it to accelarate ,or in your case ,start.
A carb rebuild kit would probably be a good idea if yours has never been done.
Rootesmadmick is right the Weber 28/36 dcd twin choke is a better carb if you can find one.

Best of luck .

[rootesmadnick]

hi im not sure what the carburettor is but if you look at it from the top it has two huge square ports

ill get some pics up of mine at the weekend if I can get eh air filter off (other advantage is you can run pinto airbox and get air filters off the shelf still)

[rootesmadnick]

i should add with eh weber my economy is approaching the 30 to the gallon mark with it even better on a run !!!
(this is calculated by the mileage to litres thing)

did a run last week to reading, according to gauge it used 4 gallons there and back which was 144 miles
but on average on 20 litres I get 110-120 miles round town and commuting.....

this is getting better thoughas I havent had the weber on long and its still in need of a proper setup

[archie001]

This feedback is execellent.

I have recently bought a weber3 2/36 DGV carb. The DGV is latest version which fits, I checker with weber direct, they were extremely helpfulk, if a little too expensive tro buy from! (£300 plus inc postage, VAT and airfilter) I bought a new one from a shop off ebay. Including postage from USA and airfilter it cost £140 inc VAT which I think was excellent. (Yes it is original)

This has now been fitted and runs fantastically. Only issue is that mines an Auto box and the kick down linkage is proving too difficult to fix. This however doesn't matter as the car starts better, more response, quicker and more economical. Would recomend the change of carb to anyone.


Having looked into the ballast resistor question can confirm that UK cars didn't have one, only foreign ones depending on the market. Thereofre mine must be an old coil suppressor, if so how should this be wired in?

Another question for you all if thats ok? My ammeter sits with the TDC slightly to the left. Why and can I centralise it?

[sceptre511]

Glad to here your car is now going well,forgot MK2s were 1725,i had a 28/36 on my old 1600.

The coil suppressor should be wired to the side of the coil that goes to the ignition switch,not the wire to the points,but if your radio does't make a wining noise with it disconnected you may as well take the suppressor off.

The ammeter,do you mean the needle or the face of the guage is off to one side?

[archie001]

The needle is off to the left. No isue starting so presumable the alternator etc is working fine.

[sceptre511]

Strange ,if the battery is keeping a charge.
I'd check the battery voltage with the engine off and again with the engine running ,a 1 - 1.5 volt increase is what you'd hope to see .If it is then i wouldent worry about the ammeter too much ,at least you will know where the guage is reading when it is charging properly and if it changes ,then panic !