Recommissioning Woes
Hi All
I haven't been very well lately and my poor car has done very few miles in the last year or so and hasn't been past the end of the drive for the last six months (I did start her up once a week and rolled her in and out of the garage). A couple of weeks ago I got the all clear to start driving again and I went straight to the garage. The first couple of hundred miles were trouble free but then, after a run down the motorway, she cut out. The engine started back up before even coming to a standstill but, after the next run she did the same and struggled to start again. Over the next couple of miles, in light urban traffic, she cut out five or six times and each time it took several seconds to fire up again. She got me to the hospital but on the way home she died again and wouldn't restart. The AA sent a recovery truck and the car went to my local garage.
They decided it was fuel related and changed the air filters, checked the diaphragms and adjusted the carbs but the car only made another half a mile of urban driving before cutting out again. The AA man diagnosed a weak spark and, after much fiddling, we managed to drive her back to the garage. They replaced the points, condenser, dizzy cap, coil and rotor arm and sent her home again. Managed a couple of miles this time before cutting out again! Limped her home and changed the plugs and HT leads for completeness but no joy.
She'll start up easily in the garage and is happy to idle but if you set off for a drive she cuts out at the first junction and takes an age to fire up again. The engine turns over enthusiastically enough but without much sign of starting.
It's all very frustrating after so many months of not being able to do anything and I'm out of my depth now mechanically speaking. Any thoughts on what to try next?
I haven't been very well lately and my poor car has done very few miles in the last year or so and hasn't been past the end of the drive for the last six months (I did start her up once a week and rolled her in and out of the garage). A couple of weeks ago I got the all clear to start driving again and I went straight to the garage. The first couple of hundred miles were trouble free but then, after a run down the motorway, she cut out. The engine started back up before even coming to a standstill but, after the next run she did the same and struggled to start again. Over the next couple of miles, in light urban traffic, she cut out five or six times and each time it took several seconds to fire up again. She got me to the hospital but on the way home she died again and wouldn't restart. The AA sent a recovery truck and the car went to my local garage.
They decided it was fuel related and changed the air filters, checked the diaphragms and adjusted the carbs but the car only made another half a mile of urban driving before cutting out again. The AA man diagnosed a weak spark and, after much fiddling, we managed to drive her back to the garage. They replaced the points, condenser, dizzy cap, coil and rotor arm and sent her home again. Managed a couple of miles this time before cutting out again! Limped her home and changed the plugs and HT leads for completeness but no joy.
She'll start up easily in the garage and is happy to idle but if you set off for a drive she cuts out at the first junction and takes an age to fire up again. The engine turns over enthusiastically enough but without much sign of starting.
It's all very frustrating after so many months of not being able to do anything and I'm out of my depth now mechanically speaking. Any thoughts on what to try next?
- Alan Chatterton
- Senior Member
- Posts:2945
- Joined:Fri Feb 06, 2004 11:18 pm
- Location:Redditch, Worcestershire
Re: Recommissioning Woes
Sounds like the usual rotor arm problem to me.
The standard ones are very poor quality now. Only use red ones from either Chris Witor or Distributor Doctor
I think this will solve it.
The standard ones are very poor quality now. Only use red ones from either Chris Witor or Distributor Doctor
I think this will solve it.
Alan Chatterton
Location; Redditch
DEL 33 1972 Lines Stag Estate Tartan Red
Blog http://vml3m.blogspot.com/
Location; Redditch
DEL 33 1972 Lines Stag Estate Tartan Red
Blog http://vml3m.blogspot.com/
Re: Recommissioning Woes
Thanks Alan!
The garage ordered the rotor arm from Rimmers and I was disappointed to discover it was a black one. I have tried the new one, the old one and another which was retired at the last service. I did order a red one earlier but from Powerspark - are all red ones created equal? I suppose I'll try it anyway as it's on it's way. Would be a huge relief if that would cure it...
The garage ordered the rotor arm from Rimmers and I was disappointed to discover it was a black one. I have tried the new one, the old one and another which was retired at the last service. I did order a red one earlier but from Powerspark - are all red ones created equal? I suppose I'll try it anyway as it's on it's way. Would be a huge relief if that would cure it...
Re: Recommissioning Woes
Rotor arm! Classic problem.
Charles Harrison
Register member 3095
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Register member 3095
Folkestone
Cherry Red Mk1 2000 Rally Car
Mallard Blue 2.5PI
Sapphire Blue GT6 Mk3
Vermillion Red Spitfire 1500
Pimento Red TR6
Inky Blue VW Passat B5.5
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Silver Range Rover Vogue SE
Re: Recommissioning Woes
Thanks Charles!
- Dave B
- Senior Member
- Posts:995
- Joined:Thu Dec 27, 2007 8:37 pm
- Location:Wigan,Home of the mighty Warriors
Re: Recommissioning Woes
Agree with Alan & Charlie. These days, always, always start with a new red rotor arm when tackling a misfire/cutting out problem. As like as not, that'll be the only part you'll need to change.
Club Member 2035
1970 2500 Mk2 in pimento red[/col
Toyota Avensis T4 Tourer
1970 2500 Mk2 in pimento red[/col
Toyota Avensis T4 Tourer
Re: Recommissioning Woes
Thanks Dave!
Kicking myself I didn't pay for special delivery...
Kicking myself I didn't pay for special delivery...
Recommissioning Woes
You do get good quality black rotor arms, although most are rubbish. The secret is the position of the rivit, which is usually too close to the small securing clip on the underside.
Perhaps there is one other possibility which hasn't been mentioned, and plagued me for three years before I discovered the culprit. Check very carefully that the small earth wire inside the distributor, is not broken internally. The wire flexes as the advance mechanism works, and can cause the wire to break down internally. Actually I have electronic ignition, but it's still relevant with points.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Perhaps there is one other possibility which hasn't been mentioned, and plagued me for three years before I discovered the culprit. Check very carefully that the small earth wire inside the distributor, is not broken internally. The wire flexes as the advance mechanism works, and can cause the wire to break down internally. Actually I have electronic ignition, but it's still relevant with points.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Triumph 2000 Mk1 Slate Grey
Triumph 2.5 PI Mk2 Damson
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Landrover Discovery 3.9 V8
Reliant Kitten
MGZS
MGZR
Triumph 2.5 PI Mk2 Damson
Triumph Tr7 V8 Grinnall (Ramstein) Signal Red
Landrover Discovery 3.9 V8
Reliant Kitten
MGZS
MGZR
Re: Recommissioning Woes
Thanks Polly - I'll have a look at that if the rotor arm doesn't cure the problem...
Re: Recommissioning Woes
Good luck with getting it fixed, let us know how you get on.
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