[spitfire Mk3 won’t start]

Thanks Steve I will try again

julian 

[spitfire Mk3 won’t start]

I can get the car started but cannot maintain an idea, it just coughs and splutters whatever I do

with the  rotor arm pointing to No1 cylinder and the pulley mark set at TDC this is the orientation of the drive lug, is this correct?

[spitfire Mk3 won’t start]

Ok thanks Johny, there  must be something wrong as my understanding is that if the static timing and the points are set correctly it should start

 

[spitfire Mk3 won’t start]

Thanks Johny I’ll try inserting it at 180deg the other way

[spitfire Mk3 won’t start]

The clamp isn’t tightened yet but I just gave the shaft a good push and there is a lot of wobble which is what I found when using the 22v lamp to try and set the static timing 

[spitfire Mk3 won’t start]

I took the distributor out as a unit, by drive gear do you mean the slotted lug in the engine block, if so that didn’t come out 

 

[spitfire Mk3 won’t start]

I think I can see the error of my ways!  By taking the distributor out and turning the shaft I’ve made matters worse.

setting the static timing now with the current position of the distributor in the drive won’t get the car anywhere near starting 

[spitfire Mk3 won’t start]

I did remove the distributor as when I was setting the static timing I could get it switch the light on and off but a light touch on the distributor would make the light gone on again 

I thought removing and replacing the distributor might fix the problem

[spitfire Mk3 won’t start]

How can that be fixed, bearing in mind that the car was running well previously, although on the last road trip it ran rather roughly 

[spitfire Mk3 won’t start]

Also I measured 6deg from TDC on the pulley and set the static timing using a 12v lamp, but the car  was nowhere near starting in that position, I’ve had to turn the distributor clockwise by a considerable amount which is stretching the Speedo cable to get it to start

[spitfire Mk3 won’t start]

Thanks Josef, that will be my first job tomorrow

i was beginning to think I had a distributor problem 

[spitfire Mk3 won’t start]

Thanks Danny I can get it started but it won’t maintain an idle, it just stalls 

[spitfire Mk3 won’t start]

The rotor arm was pointing to No 1 cylinder while I did this 

[spitfire Mk3 won’t start]

Thanks Graham, you may have hit the nail on the head. I simply lined up the point on the timing cover with the dot on the pulley, then turned the distributor anti clockwise to turn on the light and then clockwise to turn it off. All of which I assume doesn’t take into account the 6 deg BTDC, is that right?

Julian 

[spitfire Mk3 won’t start]

Thanks Danny I’ll check it tomorrow

[spitfire Mk3 won’t start]

After a number of projects that the forum have  helped me with, gearbox and overdrive rebuild, stiff steering and brake pipe issues I tried to start the car today unsuccessfully 

the last time I took it out it ran roughly

there is fuel at the carburettor but a weak spark at the spark plug

ive checked electrical connections, points, cool, plugs, condenser etc which were all good

i then looked at static timing with a 12v light, I could turn the distributor to get the light to switch on at No1 cylinder and then turn clockwise to turn off, which I understand should set the timing, however there is movement in the distributor body which makes the light switch on and off erratically and setting the timing difficult 

could this be a problem with the distributor

julian

[Spitfire Mk3 Hood Frame]

Thank you everyone for your help here, it looks as though I do have both a Mk3 hood and frame, perhaps the problem with the poppers not reaching the B post caps is a hood manufacturing flaw

[Spitfire Mk3 Hood Frame]

The only poppers on the hood that wouldn’t reach were the B post ones, all I did with the cappings was to make a resin mould to raise them off the post enough for the popper to work

[Spitfire Mk3 Hood Frame]

The strange thing is that the poppers match except all around except for the ones on the B post caps which is why I had the raise the B post caps to make it fit

if I adjust the frame down the poppers become too slack 

[Spitfire Mk3 Hood Frame]

Scrapman mentioned that I might not be folding the hood properly which is very possible 

I did fold it back onto the boot lid and then in half but it doesn’t seem to sit properly

The hood cover has three elasticated straps with poppers that come down into the car to retain the cover but I can’t see where they attach

heres a photo of the hood ‘stored’ and the cover 

thanks Julian 

[Spitfire Mk3 Hood Frame]

Here are a few more photos that show the drivers side hood hinge and some of the hood in position

i also wondered whether the B posts are from the wrong model requiring them to be raised

hope these help 

julian

[Spitfire Mk3 Hood Frame]

Here are a few more photos that show the drivers side hood hinge and some of the hood in position

i also wondered whether the B posts are from the wrong model requiring them to be raised

hope these help 

julian

[Spitfire Mk3 Hood Frame]

I’ll take some better photos tomorrow morning which might help 

thanks Julian 

[Spitfire Mk3 Hood Frame]

Thanks for letting me know the ‘digging a hole in the seat is normal’

i paid £700 for a Mk3 hood a few years ago , although the car has hardly been used since, I assumed the hood was correct, if that’s right then the frame would be wrong. I’m beginning to think it’s a Mk3 hood on a Mk4 frame

the windscreen capping is for the lever arrangement so I assume I need to find a Mk3 frame with levers, do you think that would be right?

julian 

[Spitfire Mk3 Hood Frame]

Here’s a photo of the frame folded and the drivers seat quite a way forward to avoid rubbing on the cover 

the second photo shows how high I’ve had to raise the B frame caps to secure the hood clip

hope they makes sense

julian