Rover V8, Is there an expert in the house?

[fesuvious]

Hello, everyone. I didn't realise there was a V8 forum until 10 mins ago while trawling the net for a solution;

I have a wierd problem with my 3.5 V8, Its got a Mallory Distributor being fed from a 6v coil with ballast resistor.

I have no spark. I have confirmed I have 12volts from ignition switch to the ballast resistor BUT, as soon as this cable is connected to the BR it immediately drops to 10volts. There is only 4volts coming out of it.

I could swear that for a split second earlier when I was testing I saw 6volts coming out, but only once.

This problem has been intermmitent, and arose on left hand corners (which was wierd). I put it down to a fuel issue and rebuilt all the lines and fitted a new pump. However, after a test run last night where on a hard left turn she would kangaroo she then just died when ticking over. She had no spark.

Everything I have read suggests that a solid 12volts should go into the BR but then 6V should come out to the coil. As Iv said, I have a 12v feed which then drops to 10v on connection and the BR is only sending 4v to the coil.

A few of the readings from the BR have been erratic during my atempts to find the problem. I suspect I have, and its the BR but is there anyone on here with more knowledge than me that has an idea?

Thanks

[Eliot]

Sounds like you are feeding the BR (and therefore the coil also) from the resistance wire already, hence why you see the double drop. As a test feed the BR directly from the battery OR feed the coil directly with the wire you are feeding with the BR.
In other words, some rover looms had resistance built into the loom (I cant remember the name of the type of wire, but when you strip the insulation from it, you can see that it looks and feels different - IIRC, its silver not copper)