SteveSpit

Well I've just fitted a new coil, new points and a new dizzy and still it won't fire. Pulled the plugs and have spark. The only thing left I can do now is some new plugs, leads and try some fresh fuel. After that, I'm stumped. Also does anyone have the link to or a part number for the condenser that connects on to the neutral side of the ignition coil? I've had a look on the Rimmers site but doesn't show or list the coil etc

Pulled the three most accessible plugs. No spark to either plug 2 )right of alternator) wet, plug 3 dry and plug 4 wet

Update. Had another look and found that I'm only getting a 7v output from the coil despite having a 12v feed, traced through and found the points were high resistance at 70ohms. Popped them off and cleaned them up, retested the resistance and now at a perfect 0.1ohm. However, car still will not fire. I can't help but wonder if the high voltage windings on the coil have burnt out?

Well the time of year is approaching again, and again the Spitty is deciding she doesn't want to play. She didn't run much last year at all as on both occasions I took it to be MOT'd it kindly broke down on me after about three hundred yards and required pushing home. It seemed to struggle whilst under load. When I could get it started it would idle over fine, try and drive it and it would just cut out. Not really having the time to look in to it she was put back in the garage and forgotten about. Today, I decided, was the day to have a tinker and get hot MOT ready. I've just fitted a brand new 45A battery and have a new fluids and filters (new plugs were fitted last year). Now, I fitted the battery, checked free movement of the engine and attempted to fire. I'm pulling fuel in to (and out of, another job for tomorrow) the fuel filter and she's turning over lovely, have fuel in the carbs and the float valves don't appear to be stuck and move freely. However, I cannot get her to fire up. I have voltage to the starter solenoid and to the coil and can feel the starter is engaging as it's warm. I tested the voltage output from the coil, which is where I'm non too sure. For the most, it wasting 7v and intermittently reading 17.7v. I pulled the king lead from the dizzy and observed the spark against the chassis (after cleaning up the fuel) and to be honest, it looked a tad pathetic. I don't for a second expect sparks as you would see doing a similar test on a modern car but did expect more than one spark per second and a definitive "arc" sound which was't there. Now, the question is. Do I replace the coil, the starter solenoid or both? Looking at Rimmers they list a 6v and 12v coil for the 1500. I can't see anything that resembles a ballast under the bonnet or near the solenoid so am assuming it's the 12v coil I'm after. as always, help greatly appreciated.

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.

Coil, Dizzy or both Dave?

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.

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?).

How would I confirm that Bainzy?

Right then, after spending one and a half hours last night trying to bleed the clutch I bit the bullet and order a master cylinder refurb kit. I fitted it tonight and started the bleeding process again. Literally within seconds I had pressure back in the system. Took her on a test drive and she ran better than I ever remember. Had a great time and was out for a good couple of hours, felt the familiar grin return! Now all I need do is figure out why the bloody things started to lean! I'm guessing that the lifting and dropping whilst running the car up has goosed the rear spring. Looks like a trip to spitfire graveyard for a replacement. Anything else that could be causing it? Had a bounce around on the back and the shocks appear to be ok.

Ok well I've had some time to investigate today. I loosened the slave cylinder with the intention of pulling it out to check it's operation and prove the hydraulics. Now bear with me as it may get a bit patchy here as it all goes a bit awry. In an earlier post I mentioned packing out the play on the master push rod, I had done this before playing with the slave and it gave no difference. However, for testing purposes I left the packing in situ I couldn't pull the slave out by hand, so to prove the hydraulics I had someone operate the clutch with the pinch bolt undone. The slave moved out of the housing by around 8mm. Thus proving my hydraulics are ok. I reset the slave in it's position and tightened everything back up. Fired the car up, and if I pushed the pedal hard (more than normal, imagine trying to push it through the floor) I could engage first and cycle the box, but still crunching in reverse. This led me to think that perhaps the system needed to be bled. I removed the packing from the master, and sure enough, as I expected, I could not engage or cycle gears (engine running) With the above theory I stripped the g/box tunnel and attempted to bleed. Now this is where it puzzles me. With the bleed nipple open I got nothing through the system (bear in mind that earlier, it had pushed the slave out of it's housing so had to have pressure). I then moved back to the master cylinder, removed the hydraulic feed and operated the clutch. Now, with a full reservoir I got one good spurt of fluid, after that, just spitting. I removed the master cylinder and pulled the piston, cleaned out the reservoir and checked it free of obstruction. The only thing I noticed that have concern was that the push rod would occasionally kink when operated. I found it to flex in the housing that secured it to the spring. I rebuilt and refitted the cylinder after checking the push rod operated freely and gave a good seal when closed and that fluid flowed when operated. Again, I tried to bleed the system, but nothing. No pressure against the pedal and the fluid in the reservoir didn't move at all. No amount of pumping the pedal would offer any resistance or build any pressure in the system. So, what can it be? Apologies if this reply is a tad lengthy, but trying to convey as much info as possible in the vein hope it answers questions and sparks thoughts.

I've also packed out the master cylinder, tried the clutch whilst running and zero improvement. Jacked it up to inspect the slave cylinder, but unsure what to look for to be honest as there are no visible moving parts.

Hi Piman, it was done with the clutch depressed and the brakes on hard enough to lick the car up.

Have ran the car, under both light and heavy acceleration. The car had a new clutch around 5 years ago. Velocita Rosso, I haven't done an over run on it no.

Looking at the replacement clutch cylinders on rimmer bros I've noticed in their master cylinder repair kit there are numerous rubber bushes, a washer and what appears to be a spring washer. Upon inspecting my master cylinder and push rod assy I've noticed there is but one steel washed, held in place with a circlip and a rubber washer that appears to be doing nowt. There also appears to be what I would consider a considerable air gap between the pushrod end and the cylinder actuator. Would I be right in thinking the bibber bushes are used to reduce this free play and keep the pushrod tight against the master cylinder head? I'll attempt to pack it as an investigative measure tomorrow and see if it gives any joy. Now I've calmed down a little and stopped shouting, swearing at it and kicking various heavy and breakable things around the garage I'm able to think a tad more logical!