nicrguy1966

I have one of those expensive tools somewhere, but I have no idea where. My garage is like an Aladdin's cave of treasure.

Waiting for the engine to cool so I can replace a hose clip, then I'll need another drive to warm the engine up again! So it's all slipped to tomorrow. I did hear pinking under acceleration on my drive so I probably need to retard it a little.

I went for a drive. To start it was a bit sluggish, but I did a roadside adjustment of the ignition timing (by ear) and it improved. I was only driving to warm up the engine so I could get the strobe out and set the timing, but while adjusting the distributor, I noticed a drip from one of my hoses, so I had to go back to Halfords for a new jubilee clip. Now I can't do anything until the engine has cooled down again and I fit the new hose clip. Final checks and adjustments tomorrow. So far the verdict is that it isn't any worse than before, and I might have a little more power in the mid range (2500 to 3500). Also, one of my tappets is making a lot of noise, so another job for the future

Yes, a nice colour on all plugs.

It started! Without a radiator, so I couldn't run it long enough to push the choke in, but nothing I've done has bricked my car! Very relieved. Now I'm going to clean up the cooling connectors that appear to be caked in limescale, refit the radiator and take a trip to Halfords for some anti freeze.

Bother (I was thinking another word)

I haven't touched the distributor, so hopefully the ignition timing with regard to TDC shouldn't have changed. I do need to reset the rockers on values 1 & 2 before attempting to start.

After lunch if all goes well. I'm thinking of starting it up without a radiator or fan, just for a few seconds. If it doesn't start, I'll try a few times with different ignition timings, and if it still doesn't start, I'll have to consider reversing everything I've done over the last few days!

It's a late Mk3, and I don't think there is any manual adjustment on the carbs. Changing the needles is the only way to change anything (and fixing any possible leaks around the inlet manifold).

I'll be happy if my car starts after I've adjusted the cam timing!

It's amazing how an odd ignition timing can lead in so many different directions! Cam timing, warn distributor and now fuel/air mixture!

That makes a lot more sense now. I did wonder about 0 at 800rpm, it didn't sound like any setting I'd ever seen before.

Yes, lovely and smooth. I can slow it down to about 500rpm without any issues. The problems occur at >3000rpm where it lacks power (probably due to the spark being stupidly advanced). With ignition set to 13 BTDC at idle (the Haynes Manual recommended setting, but very different from the numbers provided above), it lacks power at all revs.

Wow, I'm at 20 BTDC at idle! At higher revs my car changes to over 40 BTDC. My car is crazy!

He only mentioned Lucas distributors on his website. Does he also do Delco?

A bit depressing that before I've even put the car back together everyone's discussing what to try next when this doesn't work.

They aren't stuck, the vacuum advance and centrifugal advance both do something, this was tested. Whether they're doing the right amount of advance at the right time is not possible for me to test at home.

As a last resort, I could buy a new distributor, but best rule out other (cheaper) options first.

Yes, it isn't wasted effort (unless I've done it all wrong and made things worse!)

If this doesn't fix the problem, I'm still very grateful for all the help people have offered.

I had already checked the TDC mark against piston 1 being at it's highest point.

I doubt I turned the engine right round, not deliberately anyway, but it was moving backwards and forwards quite a bit when I was tightening the cam gear bolts and I turned the engine the right direction back to TDC and checked the balance point after tightening. The fan bolts are definitely the right ones. I kept them with the fan. Two fit, two get stuck after 1 turn. Frustrating, but with fresh fingers I'll have another go very soon.

I think it only took me 10 or 11 attempts to set the balance point, set TDC, put the cam gear and chain on, check balance point, check TDC, tighten bolts on cam gear, check balance point, check TDC, remove cam gear and chain, set balance point, set TDC, put cam gear and chain on, check balance point and TDC, etc, etc, etc! Anyway, I'm happy now. In the end I had to flip the cam gear over, but I have no idea if it's 1/4 or 3/4 of a tooth different from when I started. The important thing is that the cam is at the balance point when the crank is at TDC and all the bolts are tightened. Two problem during the reassembly process. First, one of the bolts that holds the timing chain cover on just goes round and round. I don't think I stripped the thread as I never even got as far as tightening it with a wrench, I was just screwing it in by hand and discovered the problem. Even more anoying, it near the bottom so might explain the oil leak my car has always had from the front of the engine. Second, I can't get 2 of the bolts in that hold the fan on. They get stuck after about 1 turn. I tried screwing them in without the fan and all the rubber and steel sleeves to see if they were causing the problem but they weren't. Two screws are just refusing to play ball. I was very tempted to try starting the engine without a fan or radiator just to see what happens, but I thought I'd sleep on that idea and maybe give it a go tomorrow. I also still need to reset the rocker gaps on valves 1 and 2, but overall, excellent progress today (assuming the engine starts!).

With the crank pulley off, I had a very good look at it, and there's no sign of any movement between the pulley and the rim with the timing marks. I'm even more confident now than at the start of the job that the TDC mark is in the right place.

I haven't quite fixed the timing fault yet, but thanks to the help of several TSSC members, I'm well on my way.