Hi all
In a bit of a nutshell, I have a 1985 2.25 petrol 90. It's had a few running issues lately mainly relating to fueling and carb issues. I changed jets, etc. And it started running better, just a bit of bubbling at the exhaust which no end of tuning and adjustment would get rid of. So I bought a new electronic distributor to replace the current one. Prior, I also changed the leads and coil. I've also replaced the fuel pump to try and clear the bubbling. However, whilst driving it the other day I got smoke coming from under the dash and engine bay. Turned out the ballast wire had fried and fried the wire going to the carb solenoids. Probably down to a short as that wire is routed part some hot engine parts.
So, I had an old standard coil so I switched it round, changed the wiring from the distributor to coil. Now, it runs ok in 1st but when picking up speed the engine hesitates quite a bit and is difficult on acceleration. Once you get up to 50-60mph it seems to get a little better but isn't perfect.
Firstly, there isn't a ballast resistor, it was just a ballast wire. It's disconnected from the coil but it's still live. And I can't find where the other end goes to? Does anyone know where a ballast wire goes to as I can only find wiring diagrams that show resistors?
Secondly, the coil I have I bought years ago by mistake and it's been stored in a plastic box in a shed, probably for around 9 years. Could it have got damp and damaged and causing these problems.
Thirdly, is there any additional wiring required in the loom?
The electronic ignition is capable of running on a standard system.
If anyone can offer any advice it would be appreciated as I'm currently stranded with no transport.

Just an update.
I changed the spark plugs to from cooler BPR5ES to BPR6ES and she's running fine at the mo. Still bubbling at the exhaust though but I think that may be a manifold issue.
Still really need to find where the ballast wire runs to from the coil. Can't see it anywhere in the fuse box or behind the binnicle.

the ballast resistor usually has a white purple from starter motor which supplied 12volt to the 6volt coil after the ballast resistor on engine cranking and a ignition (white) feed through the ballast resistor to reduce the 12volt to 6 volt when engine running so the wire should run from the starter solenoid

PK68 said:

Just an update.
I changed the spark plugs to from cooler BPR5ES to BPR6ES and she's running fine at the mo. Still bubbling at the exhaust though but I think that may be a manifold issue.
Still really need to find where the ballast wire runs to from the coil. Can't see it anywhere in the fuse box or behind the binnicle.

Click to expand...

It should run from coil to ballast resistor and then to starter motor and also to fuse box which is supplied from position 2 on ign switch at least that is how mine was wired before I fitted electronic dizzy...

Hi Shippers
Thanks for that. I'll check it out. I just can't find the actual resistor and I understand that it can just be a wire. I wasn't sure if it was wired differently. The wiring diagrams I have are all for standard systems and checked against my wiring I can't find an extra wire where you might think it would be. I'll double check though.
Cheers

PK68 said:

Hi Shippers
Thanks for that. I'll check it out. I just can't find the actual resistor and I understand that it can just be a wire. I wasn't sure if it was wired differently. The wiring diagrams I have are all for standard systems and checked against my wiring I can't find an extra wire where you might think it would be. I'll double check though.
Cheers

Click to expand...

On mine the resistor was a white block about 5cmx2cm..

If it's there it's bloody well hidden. A few years ago I had the whole dash off to refurbish it and couldn't see any sign of it.
I'll have another dig about.
Cheers

was the original coil you changed 6 volts if it was 12volt then no ballast resistor fitted unless the original was a engine V8.any images of the wire and coil in question

Hi
It was a ballasted system when I bought it in 2013. I had no clue about these things back then so I bought the standard coil before I knew any different but it ran like crap. After doing some research I realised it was a ballasted system due to how the wiring was connected to the coil. I bought electronic ignition which also needed wiring between distributor-coil-ignition as per a ballasted system.
As far as I'm aware it was made as a 2.25 Petrol. Whether during its lifetime it's been a V8 and reverted back again I have no idea. Or whether it was converted to a ballasted system as some old vehicles were, again I don't know. I just know up until the wire frying at the weekend it had been run as a ballasted system with a 6 or 9 volt ballast coil.
I have read that some ballasted systems don't have a resistor, just a resistor wire? I just can't trace where the wire goes.