Various issues

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Mineralman
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Joined: Thu Jun 30, 2022 1:23 pm
Car(s): Ford Capri 2.0 Laser

Various issues

Post by Mineralman »

Hi all, Owned my Laser for a year now and I am asking for your collective advice on a number of issues that frustrate me with the car. Yesterday both the temp and fuel gauge started registering “max” which I would think will be the voltage stabiliser. Where is the best place to get the correct one please as Fleabay seems to show lots of different items described as a Capri voltage stabiliser?
The car has 2.8i single rear leaf springs. The previous owner had fitted one inch lowering blocks to them. The exhaust kept hitting the rear axle and the axle kept bottoming out, especially four up in the car. I binned the lowering blocks and it is much better but still bottoms out on bumpy roads? It has a Sportex exhaust but I hate the cherry bomb rear silencer. Anyone know if an alternative back box that will fit the Sportex pipe and be quieter? The car has never started well from cold. Two slow presses on the accelerator, turn over for five or so seconds, doesn’t even fire once. I have to hold my foot on the accelerator pedal for around a minute to clear the carb and try again, it will usually go on the first or second time of asking thereafter. It also runs constantly rich. Are these carbs adjustable apart from the tick over speed? Is it worth ditching the carb for a better new one or try fitting a manual choke to it? If preferred to replace it, what with and from who please? The car is an 85 2.0 with 65k miles and is very solid for its age. Would love to sort the annoying issues out. Thanks all.
nemo
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Re: Various issues

Post by nemo »

Re. volt regulator, I just searched and couldn`t find any on ebay, not the right ones anyway. Very surprised.
Try Martin, Caprigear,Tel: +44 (0)1507 343148 (workshop)
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D366Y
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Car(s): 1986 Laser 1.6, daily runaround project
1981 GL Auto 2.0, Barn-Find-Resto, now also a runaround project
1980 3.0S, crash damage resto
1993 Fiesta 1.1

Currently full up and no more space but I still want a 2.8...
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Re: Various issues

Post by D366Y »

Depending on what type of exhaust you have sportex have three options of back box, 2inch, 3inch and 3inch with no back box so it could be possible just to change that one end piece and make it quieter.
Also, there is a lot of fiddling with sportex exhausts to make sure they don't knock on everything so you may just need to adjust the last section of pipework over the axle and adjust the connection to stop it hitting things on bumpy roads.

Alternatively you can replace the whole system with a standard system again which last time I checked was still available and would be much quieter. Think they are Karius or Klarius or something. Not much else available in terms of aftermarket exhausts though really.

Assuming from your message that it is a standard 2.0 and therefore has the 32/36 auto choke on. Conversion to a manual choke is one option, alternative is to rebuild the carb and see if that helps improve the matter.
Yes they are generally very adjustable. You can change the jets in them and there must be loads of combinations, however if the car is stock then you won't need to worry about adjusting jets and just make sure the car is running as it should and it will be fine.
You can also adjust the idle, fast idle, and air/fuel mixture.
If you want to replace the whole carb you can do with a like for like at a cost of around £500 odd, or you can get a rebuild kit for about £20-40.

Again, if totally stock then 32/36 is a perfect carb for daily use and standard driving, if you want to upgrade it then there are several different options available. However, no point putting enormous carbs on it if you aren't ragging it about, and also will be better on fuel with what you have.

If you post roughly what area you live in, there may be a generous forum member who'd be willing to help.
Failing that it would definitely be worth investing in a Haynes manual or similar to help with carb adjustments.

Cheers
Danny
A wise man once said... "you can never have too many capris - buy another" :beer:
It's me, I'm the wise man.
Mineralman
Posts: 14
Joined: Thu Jun 30, 2022 1:23 pm
Car(s): Ford Capri 2.0 Laser

Re: Various issues

Post by Mineralman »

Thanks for the replies and info. Danny, where is the mixture adjustment on the carb please, I can only see the idle speed screw on mine? If I fiddle with the carb it will probably never work again, is there a specialist who can check my carb over and repair as necessary? Don’t want to replace it if it can be made serviceable? Re: the exhaust, I purchased a copy of the original back section. However, it is 50mm diameter and the Sportex system is about 65mm and there is not enough room to fit an adaptor between them. Do you know where I can find info on the back box options please, don’t want to change the rest of the system if I can help it. Cheers
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D366Y
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Car(s): 1986 Laser 1.6, daily runaround project
1981 GL Auto 2.0, Barn-Find-Resto, now also a runaround project
1980 3.0S, crash damage resto
1993 Fiesta 1.1

Currently full up and no more space but I still want a 2.8...
Location: Buckinghamshire

Re: Various issues

Post by D366Y »

I will go out and take pictures of my carbs tomorrow to show where the screws are and some of the Haynes as well. Just realised it may be blanked off as the mix screw on one of mine is blanked off and isn't on the other.

There will undoubtedly be someone who will be able to look at it, they are quite simple carbs really - we rebuilt mine in a field last year on the annual forum camp. Again, if you give a rough area/county you are located you may be able to get a recommendation for someone to do it.

Yes short of replacing the whole system with the 50mm original pipework you are going to struggle with a different backbox unless you get a smaller backbox custom made.
If your exhaust has a 2inch exit then you've already got the smallest option on it and all the aftermarket exhausts are identical. Ashley exhausts are the same as Sportex and it's also what CCI (Capri Club International) will sell to you.
A wise man once said... "you can never have too many capris - buy another" :beer:
It's me, I'm the wise man.
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D366Y
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Joined: Mon Sep 03, 2012 2:26 pm
Car(s): 1986 Laser 1.6, daily runaround project
1981 GL Auto 2.0, Barn-Find-Resto, now also a runaround project
1980 3.0S, crash damage resto
1993 Fiesta 1.1

Currently full up and no more space but I still want a 2.8...
Location: Buckinghamshire

Re: Various issues

Post by D366Y »

As for the carb, here is a picture of my auto choke viewed from the back, and I have circled the idle screw.
IMG-20230606-WA0000.jpg
Here is a picture from the front that shows the fast idle screw
IMG-20230606-WA0004.jpg
My auto choke carb doesn't have a mixture screw and it is blanked off, but on the manual choke carb you can see it circled here
IMG-20230606-WA0002.jpg
Again, a view from the back with the idle screw in blue and the mixture screw in green.
IMG-20230606-WA0001.jpg
A wise man once said... "you can never have too many capris - buy another" :beer:
It's me, I'm the wise man.
Mineralman
Posts: 14
Joined: Thu Jun 30, 2022 1:23 pm
Car(s): Ford Capri 2.0 Laser

Re: Various issues

Post by Mineralman »

Thanks Danny, I have a Haynes but it is not very clear on the carb, I will have a look. Just been out to the car and put the ignition on. The fuel gauge went up to near full but the temp gauge stayed rock bottom, now that confuses me… could it still be the stabiliser if only one gauge is affected? Any time I have had a faulty fuel gauge it has been the sender but they always read empty, not full? I did pull one of the wires off the sender and the gauge still read full. Out of curiosity I just tried starting the car by turning it over and pumping the accelerator at the same time and it started within a few seconds. I am on the Isle of Wight. Thanks for the info.
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D366Y
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Joined: Mon Sep 03, 2012 2:26 pm
Car(s): 1986 Laser 1.6, daily runaround project
1981 GL Auto 2.0, Barn-Find-Resto, now also a runaround project
1980 3.0S, crash damage resto
1993 Fiesta 1.1

Currently full up and no more space but I still want a 2.8...
Location: Buckinghamshire

Re: Various issues

Post by D366Y »

To be honest my fuel and temp gauges have done it intermittently but it's only been for a minute or two at a time and it's never worried me as I've known it's fine.
Could be a poor earth on the PCB (Printed Circuit Board) where the connector goes into the back of it?
Also, assuming that the fuel tank isn't just full and it's actually working fine? :lol:

I usually start mine with two or three pumps, throttle partway open and never have an issue, if you find a method that works then stick with it, but each car has their own niggles and ways of things.


I'm not aware of any specialists down on the South Coast for repairs etc. But someone else who loves down that way may be able to recommend someone for you.
A quick Google suggests there is a specialist called Wight Classics on the IoW who may be worth a call? Obviously can't vouch for them personally - 01983 524216.

Cheers
Danny
A wise man once said... "you can never have too many capris - buy another" :beer:
It's me, I'm the wise man.
Mineralman
Posts: 14
Joined: Thu Jun 30, 2022 1:23 pm
Car(s): Ford Capri 2.0 Laser

Re: Various issues

Post by Mineralman »

Thanks again Danny. I have an excellent auto electrician who owns a few classics who has worked on the car before. I think I will buy a new stabiliser and get him to look at it. If my new method of starting continues to work I will stick with it. Cheers
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Re: Various issues

Post by Peter-S »

If the car is reluctant to start it may just want a basic service. If it hasn't been done then give it new points, plugs, air filter, fuel filter and also clean the little filter under the brass fitting on the carb inlet or, better still, replace it. Make sure the timing is set right too. Only after all of that should you start looking at the carb settings.
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