Pinking and knocking

[daverclasper]

Hi. Car was running well, though I noticed my points gap  had closed some. A bit of a pip on one surface as well, that I gently filed a bit. Reset the gap. Went on a 70 mile trip. Car had what sounded like a bit of knock at certain rpm as well as pinking at certain rpm.

In stages I retarded timing using the vernier wheel. About 30 clicks in total and it was ok. Next day I drove 70 miles back home and still ok.

A few days later I had to go on a longer run. Filled up with E5 at local Tesco. Straight on to to Motorway. Pinking quite a bit. Retarded the timing in stages about another 30 clicks until it had reached the end of its travel on the way there.

Car was not too bad on the trip home, though felt flatter and somehow different and still slight pinking and what sounded like some knock, when I had to climb a kerb to park. I have some new points to fit and can retard the timing more by moving the body. Apart from some dodgy petrol?, any other ideas please?

 

Edited October 13 by daverclasper

[Andrew]

Try fitting electronic ignition. It transformed my Herald it ran better more power and started instantly 

 

Andrew

[johny]

8 hours ago, daverclasper said:

Hi. Car was running well, though I noticed my points gap  had closed some. A bit of a pip on one surface as well, that I gently filed a bit. Reset the gap. Went on a 70 mile trip. Car had what sounded like a bit of knock at certain rpm as well as pinking at certain rpm.

In stages I retarded timing using the vernier wheel. About 30 clicks in total and it was ok. Next day I drove 70 miles back home and still ok.

A few days later I had to go on a longer run. Filled up with E5 at local Tesco. Straight on to to Motorway. Pinking quite a bit. Retarded the timing in stages about another 30 clicks until it had reached the end of its travel on the way there.

Car was not too bad on the trip home, though felt flatter and somehow different and still slight pinking and what sounded like some knock, when I had to climb a kerb to park. I have some new points to fit and can retard the timing more by moving the body. Apart from some dodgy petrol?, any other ideas please?

 

Something has happened Dave as you shouldnt get this change even allowing for variations in fuel. If this appeared after working on the points have a close look at the distributor. Has it moved (check timing), is the advance, centrifugal or vacuum, stuck etc

[Colin Lindsay]

Distributor moving may be a cause as Johny says; if you have the Vernier adjusted as far as it will go then there's no room for vacuum advance as the car drives. Adjust the distributor so that it's in the middle of where the Vernier is now to allow adjustment in either direction, and see if that helps.

[Pete Lewis]

as points wear down the cam follower of the point the timing does advance smaller gap advances  big gap retards

) i think i have that wrong way round )  but not had a coffee yet  lets say the points gap does affect your timing

as this happened un expectantly my guess is you did not get the fuel spec you paid for 

carefully run the tank low and refill from a branded station may help 

Pete