Recommissioning Woes

Other technical Issues with the Triumph 2000 range
Message
Author
Trevan
Senior Member
Senior Member
Posts:285
Joined:Fri Feb 06, 2004 10:18 am
Location:United Kingdom
Contact:
Recommissioning Woes

#1 Post by Trevan » Thu Mar 12, 2015 4:43 pm

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?

User avatar
Alan Chatterton
Senior Member
Senior Member
Posts:2945
Joined:Fri Feb 06, 2004 11:18 pm
Location:Redditch, Worcestershire

Re: Recommissioning Woes

#2 Post by Alan Chatterton » Thu Mar 12, 2015 4:55 pm

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.
Alan Chatterton

Location; Redditch

DEL 33 1972 Lines Stag Estate Tartan Red

Blog http://vml3m.blogspot.com/

Trevan
Senior Member
Senior Member
Posts:285
Joined:Fri Feb 06, 2004 10:18 am
Location:United Kingdom
Contact:

Re: Recommissioning Woes

#3 Post by Trevan » Thu Mar 12, 2015 5:08 pm

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...

Charles H
Senior Member
Senior Member
Posts:1645
Joined:Mon Jan 15, 2007 2:38 pm
Location:Folkestone

Re: Recommissioning Woes

#4 Post by Charles H » Thu Mar 12, 2015 5:17 pm

Rotor arm! Classic problem. 8)
Charles Harrison
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
Arctic Blue Jaguar XJ40
Silver Range Rover Vogue SE

Trevan
Senior Member
Senior Member
Posts:285
Joined:Fri Feb 06, 2004 10:18 am
Location:United Kingdom
Contact:

Re: Recommissioning Woes

#5 Post by Trevan » Thu Mar 12, 2015 5:31 pm

Thanks Charles!

User avatar
Dave B
Senior Member
Senior Member
Posts:995
Joined:Thu Dec 27, 2007 8:37 pm
Location:Wigan,Home of the mighty Warriors

Re: Recommissioning Woes

#6 Post by Dave B » Thu Mar 12, 2015 6:39 pm

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

Trevan
Senior Member
Senior Member
Posts:285
Joined:Fri Feb 06, 2004 10:18 am
Location:United Kingdom
Contact:

Re: Recommissioning Woes

#7 Post by Trevan » Thu Mar 12, 2015 7:01 pm

Thanks Dave!

Kicking myself I didn't pay for special delivery...

Polly
Groupie
Groupie
Posts:88
Joined:Sat Jan 19, 2013 5:08 pm
Location:Peterhead

Recommissioning Woes

#8 Post by Polly » Thu Mar 12, 2015 7:47 pm

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
Triumph 2000 Mk1 Slate Grey
Triumph 2.5 PI Mk2 Damson
Triumph Tr7 V8 Grinnall (Ramstein) Signal Red
Landrover Discovery 3.9 V8
Reliant Kitten
MGZS
MGZR

Trevan
Senior Member
Senior Member
Posts:285
Joined:Fri Feb 06, 2004 10:18 am
Location:United Kingdom
Contact:

Re: Recommissioning Woes

#9 Post by Trevan » Fri Mar 13, 2015 9:42 am

Thanks Polly - I'll have a look at that if the rotor arm doesn't cure the problem...

badger
Senior Member
Senior Member
Posts:273
Joined:Fri Mar 23, 2007 6:33 pm
Location:Winterborne Kingston, Dorset

Re: Recommissioning Woes

#10 Post by badger » Sat Mar 14, 2015 9:09 am

Good luck with getting it fixed, let us know how you get on.

Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 1 guest