Pete Lewis Posted July 21, 2022 Report Share Posted July 21, 2022 yes you do need to re time after swapping the pickup back to points when chasing these erratic problems you know that everything you find wrong never cures the problem ....its a Classic Pete 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quack Posted July 21, 2022 Author Report Share Posted July 21, 2022 Just to check Pete, to test the polarity, I’m connecting a negative pin of voltmeter to the negative side of coil, then the positive pin of voltmeter to the engine block is this correct? when I do this I’m getting a negative reading on the voltmeter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NonMember Posted July 21, 2022 Report Share Posted July 21, 2022 22 minutes ago, Quack said: to test the polarity No need for any volt meters. The coil has two LT terminals marked '+' and '-'. You need to check that the one marked '+' is connected to the +ve supply (usually a white wire) and the one marked '-' is connected to the distributor (the points). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quack Posted July 21, 2022 Author Report Share Posted July 21, 2022 It’s hard for me to tell as my wires go in to a harness on the +, however I can confirm that the distributor lead goes to the - terminal so I’m guessing it is hooked up correctly. Attached video of voltmeter reading anyway just incase IMG_4944.MOV Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted July 21, 2022 Report Share Posted July 21, 2022 yes Snap ! the dizzy lead must be on the neg terminal for a neg earthed car do try disconnecting the rev counter especially when its all playing up. {Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quack Posted July 21, 2022 Author Report Share Posted July 21, 2022 I’ve Detached the Rev counter. Then I’ve just had it sat idling and I revved up a few times. Each time it comes back down after revving it would get a bit jumpy, eventually on the fourth time revving, it came back down, and then turned off. It seems it can survive about 5-10 minutes of driving before it gets tired and turns off. And won’t turn back on again for some time. as I showed in the first video it will try sometimes succeed to catch for a second or two then instantly cuts out. If I keep trying it eventually stops even catching and won’t turn on again until hours later or the next day Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iain T Posted July 21, 2022 Report Share Posted July 21, 2022 The engine runs so let's assume you have a spark and the ignition side is ok or at least acceptable. Could it be the fuel pump and the engine runs until it drains the float chamber? But then why does it start after a period of time as the chamber would be dry? It does sound like fuel starvation. Iain Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve P Posted July 21, 2022 Report Share Posted July 21, 2022 My Herald did the same thing, caused by debris in the tank blocking the pickup and then clearing once stalled. Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quack Posted July 21, 2022 Author Report Share Posted July 21, 2022 Yeah that’s what it feels like; that it’s not getting the appropriate resources it needs or something is interfering with the engine getting fuel, some kind of blockage or debris or even the rubber silvers Pete mentioned that I need to look in to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quack Posted July 21, 2022 Author Report Share Posted July 21, 2022 Saying this, I spray start up fluid in to the carb and this doesn’t make a difference either…should it? I suppose on the electric side it could be the coil overheating however it doesn’t feel hot at all and I’m not sure how else to test this Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve P Posted July 21, 2022 Report Share Posted July 21, 2022 I would get a petrol can in the boot and get a slightly longer rubber hose from the fuel line and test it with the can in place of the tank.Obviously don`t drive it like that. Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iain T Posted July 21, 2022 Report Share Posted July 21, 2022 6 minutes ago, Quack said: Saying this, I spray start up fluid in to the carb and this doesn’t make a difference either…should it? It will just fire for a second due to the spray then cut out as no fuel from carb. Been there with a TR3A I had in the 80s! Iain Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NonMember Posted July 21, 2022 Report Share Posted July 21, 2022 27 minutes ago, Steve P said: I would get a petrol can in the boot and get a slightly longer rubber hose from the fuel line and test it with the can in place of the tank.Obviously don`t drive it like that. **** HEALTH AND SAFETY ALERT **** You can even extend that test by putting half a pint of petrol in a funnel, hung off the bonnet, and plumbed direct to the carb. Block the main fuel line off for this test! If the engine will happily run through that half pint with a mix of idling and blipping, and run clean until the fuel runs out, then you've eliminated the electrics and the carb as problems, and you know you're looking for something in the fuel delivery system - the tank, the pipes, the pump. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iain T Posted July 21, 2022 Report Share Posted July 21, 2022 Have friend stand by with a fire extinguisher! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quack Posted July 21, 2022 Author Report Share Posted July 21, 2022 that sounds like a good plan @NonMember, how would I go about plumbing it in do you think? IMG_4954.MOV Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daverclasper Posted July 21, 2022 Report Share Posted July 21, 2022 8 hours ago, Quack said: That's really interesting about the coil, what a weird situation. I'll be checking that out today, also got the old points ignition unit i can refit to check however i don't have a timing light and as far as im aware i'd have to reset the timing if i change the unit. You can get a good idea of timing setting, by moving the dizzy with engine running at idle speed to the highest idle and backing of to slightly less, or doing a static test with a simple bulb (covered in most DIY car mechanic info and manuals). When running, for fine adjustment, then in a high gear at lower revs, accelerate and if pinking, retard the timing, until the pinking stops. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quack Posted July 21, 2022 Author Report Share Posted July 21, 2022 currently trying to remove my petrol tank to check for debris. But I can’t for my life get the drain plug out which makes it impossible to remove the tank by just an INCH…so frustrating!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johny Posted July 21, 2022 Report Share Posted July 21, 2022 The plug rarely comes out, well not without damaging the tank, but you should still be able to get it out anyway. Does take a bit of wiggling and patience - hope its pretty empty.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quack Posted July 21, 2022 Author Report Share Posted July 21, 2022 Managed to get the tank out with some serious heave ho. Once it was out I was able to get the drain plug out as I could access it better (I jumped on a spanner attached to it!!) abyway I can hear shite rattling around inside of it, but no way to get the actual tank open as far as I can see Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iain T Posted July 21, 2022 Report Share Posted July 21, 2022 Does it have the sender unit on the side. First off empty it of petrol and don't smoke a cigarette! Iain Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josef Posted July 21, 2022 Report Share Posted July 21, 2022 37 minutes ago, Quack said: Managed to get the tank out with some serious heave ho. Once it was out I was able to get the drain plug out as I could access it better (I jumped on a spanner attached to it!!) abyway I can hear shite rattling around inside of it, but no way to get the actual tank open as far as I can see Yeah you can’t open it up! You can remove the sender from the back as Ian says and have a look though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quack Posted July 21, 2022 Author Report Share Posted July 21, 2022 Ah yeah of course, I’ll take the sender off next week. will also try out running some fuel straight from the Jerry can to the fuel pump through a hose and see what happens there. I’m thinking best bet is probably to get all the fuel lines and maybe (if needed), the fuel pump replaced. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted July 21, 2022 Report Share Posted July 21, 2022 it helps if you remove the filler spout grommet then a wiggle and it s out i would remove the sender and look inside taking the tank out doesnt gain much the float hole is the only real access do that on the car the curved suction tube should be about 25mm from the base of the tank and do study the short fuel hose on the tank outlet these go hard , suck air its a regular failure as its hidden up in the boot and they degrade with age any air sucked in will fail the pump output and you stop Pete Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NonMember Posted July 21, 2022 Report Share Posted July 21, 2022 3 hours ago, Quack said: how would I go about plumbing it in do you think? Disconnect the short rubber stub link from the carb and plug it, then plumb the "funnel" to the carb with a length of 1/4" hose. I haven't done the gravity-feed trick for a long time. I did the hose direct from a gallon can to the pump inlet, to fire up the Spitfire's engine when it didn't yet have a tank. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quack Posted July 21, 2022 Author Report Share Posted July 21, 2022 Cheers will give that a try! In terms of forward preparation...if it is down to the lines, i'll be looking to replace them obviously. I'd probably replace all of them, including the line from the tank to the pump. I was looking on rimmer bros but not sure what i'd need https://rimmerbros.com/Item--i-GRID005227 Would the below kit cover all the fuel lines? Seems like it would but i can't tell. It doesn't seem like it includes the line from the tank to the pump. https://rimmerbros.com/Item--i-RH5026R9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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