Engine Woes

[SteveSpit]

The spit (b@stard as it's now known) was due it's mot this morning. I've been ticking it over and running it around the block without issue since Friday. Started up last night great, so left it on charge overnight. This morning, it fired up, got me to the end of the road and died. It sounded like a Volkswagen beetle. I checked the dizzy, and leads all were fine, checked the fuel (gauge isn't true) fine. It finally started again and got me another hundred yards, coughing, spluttering and back firing the became totally unresponsive to the throttle (engine still firing). As I was going to be late for work, it was abandoned where it died.

I've just gone back to it and it has again fired up, driven the distance back home (coughing and spluttering) and appearing to struggle under load.

So it's rested up in the garage, I've checked the leads and all appear to give good spark, pulled the plugs this morning and nothing untoward there. Popped the rocker cover off and everything is moving as it should be, but still sounds like it's dropped a cylinder (bug like). I did notice small amounts of smoke eminating from the push rod port (second in from the windscreen).

Having had a similar issue when I first purchased the car (couldn't get past 3000rpm) I also checked the rubber fuel hoses for cracks and/or splits, but nothing.

So guys, the question is, where should/what I be looking at?

The only other thing of note is that I mistakenly left the ignition on the other night after pulling it out of the garage to renew the rear lines. It was in the second position for about an hour/hour and a half (burnt out coil?).

[Velocita Rosso]

Could very well have cooked the coil, but I`ve heard of condensers doing the same symptoms as well, nine times out of ten with the coil causing the problem.
If you use the wrong coil (voltage) then it will burn the condenser.
Mechanically? check oil water for head gasket problems  

[SteveSpit]

Hi Valentino, thanks for the reply. Have checked water/oil and all seems ok. No mayo. Gasket was replaced around two years ago with a payen metal type. Getting no pressure blowing in to the expansion bottle either.

[Davemate]

Sounds electrical, I'd start with a new condenser

[SteveSpit]

Coil, Dizzy or both Dave?

[Davemate]

I'd just change the condenser in the dizzy first. If you have to order them in I'd order points and condenser.
Where abouts are you,maybe you could "borrow" a coil to try from a fellow member !

[Alex]

Got any spare plugs?
If you've been just running it up and not driving it they may have drowned in petrol.....they don't like that.

[SteveSpit]

The plugs were now a couple of months ago, were a bit sooty but nothing to be scared of. As for coil I'm Rotherham s.yorks. I'm hoping my neighbour has a spare.

[DougBGT6]

Do you have a compression tester? £12 for a cheap one on Ebay.  It will tell you if your fix is going to be very expensive or, hoprfully, slightly expensive.  ;D

[GTTR6]

Have you checked the rotor arm? I had a similar problem with mine recently, I  changed everything except the rotor arm as it quite new then borrowed a decent red rotor arm from a friends car and solved the problem.  There's so many crap rotor arms on the market at present.

[Tim Bancroft]

Got to agree about the rotor arm and the condensor. Dizzy Doctor is your man for new items.

[lancepar]

I'd try running it with the fuel filler flap open and see if that makes any difference.(think)

8)

[Freebird]

I wouldn't bother changing points and condenser but would fit accuspark electronic ignition. Fit and forget. Cheap too.

[Velocita Rosso]

So if the plugs and each lead fired/sparked
Then the coil sounds OK ,so heading towards condensor

[yorkshire_spam]

My bet would be condensor. I had a similar issue with a 2 month old condensor last year.