Paul H Posted September 18, 2021 Report Share Posted September 18, 2021 Hi travelled up to the Wirral today from Suffolk 230 miles in my Mk2 Vitesse. Longest straight run for a while. Everything went fine unless I went over 3300 revs then the engine misfires . Doesn’t happen every time but more often than not . Bring the revs down and the engine behaves . Same issue happened on the return from Duxford last Sunday . With overdrive the speedo is wavering 55 to 60 at 3000 revs . The issue could be fuel but all filters are clear and running a Huco electric pump . This leaves electrics with Accuspark electronics and near new Delco distributor , NGKs . I’ve got a good selection of spares to work through and could it even need to retard the ignition a tad . Where should I start ? If your planning a trip make sure you know the stations which sell E5 Premium enroute as finding E5 was difficult . Good job I had a can in the boot . Next Sunday 26th going to Walled Towns rally in North Wales . Any other takers ? Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnD Posted September 18, 2021 Report Share Posted September 18, 2021 Do you have a stroboscopic ignition test light? Something like this: Not only will it show the actual ignition timing (beware the sort that you can preset the advance on!) but vacuume and cebtrifugal advance. Failure of ignition at a certain speed too. OR, plug testers: Look for a set of 6! You can SEE if the plugs are firing or not. Good luck! John 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul H Posted September 18, 2021 Author Report Share Posted September 18, 2021 Hi John got both . With the spark rite I assume I test at 3000 plus . The strobe is a basic version Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted September 18, 2021 Report Share Posted September 18, 2021 whos electronic ign is it ?? is this a general drop in power or a big hic up and cough missfire a plug breaking down occurs when the pressure is on have you tried a 1/2 turn richer ?? Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul H Posted September 18, 2021 Author Report Share Posted September 18, 2021 Hi Pete , no big hic up or cough . Feels like a slight misfire which would get worse if with more pedal . After Duxford I checked the plugs and they were a tad rich so weakened the mixture by 1/4 turn . CDSE’s ignition is Accuspark Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnD Posted September 18, 2021 Report Share Posted September 18, 2021 Electronic ignition, even the halfway type of a sensor in the distributor, should be most reliable. Fit the plug sensors, run the engine, rev it past the point where it misses. Observe the sensors, any sign of missing? If so, check low voltage circuit with a multimeter or just a bulb while you do the same. With the strobe, do the same, watch the pulley, does it advance as it should? If not the centrifugal mechanism in doubt. Good luck, John 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul H Posted September 19, 2021 Author Report Share Posted September 19, 2021 It’s been raining most of the day so haven’t been able to check the plugs with the strobe or sparkrite . A break in the rain allowed me to check the plugs and dizzy Plug no 4 was oiled more than the others . The dizzy cap had small specks of of black dust on the inside Any initial thoughts Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted September 19, 2021 Report Share Posted September 19, 2021 looks a tad rich and make sure the sprung rotor top contact actually touches the carbon centre brush arching makes me think you have a gap and the spark jump makes the carbon debris in the cap as it erodes the brush is the brush all a bit knarled this shows theres is a gap Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Badwolf Posted September 19, 2021 Report Share Posted September 19, 2021 Pete normally has a go about rivetted rotor arms as well!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris A Posted September 19, 2021 Report Share Posted September 19, 2021 4 minutes ago, Badwolf said: Pete normally has a go about rivetted rotor arms as well!! And that they are red ones . . . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted September 19, 2021 Report Share Posted September 19, 2021 only the lucas ones delco types dont seem to suffer from the rivet earthing to the spindle i have a 1500 Spitty locally that dies on the drive you faf and fiddle end up changing the condenser when you find its been backfiring its on its 3rd orange wired one and that lasted 3 miles like between luton and barton theres a force field makes it cough and die , leaves here like clockwork and 3 miles down the road gives an expletive gasp and dies began to think the electronic revcounter was interfering but disconnection didnt help just fitted a yellow wired condenser from Dizzy doc and again runs like dream imeadiate recovery i dont know it this has lasted as yet weve known about oranged wired condensers but this is getting daft doesnt help Paul H though extract Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Badwolf Posted September 19, 2021 Report Share Posted September 19, 2021 5 minutes ago, Chris A said: And that they are red ones . . . Yes, forgot about that. I have an unrivetted red one on the Spitfire. No problems with it (Until now..as the kiss of death kicks in). You see Pete, someone does listen to you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iain T Posted September 19, 2021 Report Share Posted September 19, 2021 when I had my Vitesse rolling road tested the guy said it had a misfire at high revs (higher than I normally go). He tracked it to the rotor arm and replaced it with a red one and all was apparently fixed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Lindsay Posted September 19, 2021 Report Share Posted September 19, 2021 1 minute ago, Iain T said: when I had my Vitesse rolling road tested the guy said it had a misfire at high revs (higher than I normally go). He tracked it to the rotor arm and replaced it with a red one and all was apparently fixed. Must try that as a simple fix; I've got a regular misfire on the newest Herald at idle and whilst I can going to add electronic ignition fairly soon I've a few red rotor arms in the drawer, so must try one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iain T Posted September 19, 2021 Report Share Posted September 19, 2021 4 minutes ago, Colin Lindsay said: Must try that as a simple fix; I had a senior moment yesterday. I took the car out for a successful high speed run to check out mixture and when I returned had a quick peak in the engine bay to make sure all was well and I had forgotten to fit the vacuum hose onto the front carb. I suppose another blast up the road is now in order! Any excuse...... 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted September 19, 2021 Report Share Posted September 19, 2021 there is nothing wrong with the olde genuine Lucas rotors its the naf ebay and aftermarket copies with a rivet where the rivet is so close to the centre the spark takes a short cut and earths via the cam spindle i have not found any delco with a problem being a slightly different design. and to add a good few failures were due to 1.5 ballast coils being bypassed to full 12v and the much higher current and HT burnt points out blew condensers and the HT failed rotors and dizzy caps its never straight forward that it just the rotor Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NonMember Posted September 21, 2021 Report Share Posted September 21, 2021 On 18/09/2021 at 20:54, JohnD said: Electronic ignition, even the halfway type of a sensor in the distributor, should be most reliable. That would be nice if it were true. While I agree that EI should be reliable, it often isn't. There was a Vitesse at the start of an RBRR (quite some years back now) which ran beautifully up to 3000 RPM then just stopped. That was a fault on the Lumenition box, and swapping it to points got him running properly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Lindsay Posted September 21, 2021 Report Share Posted September 21, 2021 I must admit, I've seen more cars switch to EI due to poor running points - possibly more often than not due to incorrect adjustment or worn parts - than ever switched back again. It comes down to whatever a particular owner prefers, especially in light of sub-standard versions of both currently on the market. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul H Posted September 21, 2021 Author Report Share Posted September 21, 2021 Hopefully might have found the issue the positive terminal on the coil was loose . Check out the video . I have corrected this and cleaned up the rotor and weakened the mixture by 1/4 turn . Off for fuel and short test to see if she will behave. The only explanation for the wobbly spade is that the cable is routed and cable tied and perhaps too restrictive so with engine movement the spade got too much pressure Paul IMG_3539.MOV Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul H Posted September 21, 2021 Author Report Share Posted September 21, 2021 2 hours ago, Paul H said: Hopefully might have found the issue the positive terminal on the coil was loose . Check out the video . I have corrected this and cleaned up the rotor and weakened the mixture by 1/4 turn . Off for fuel and short test to see if she will behave. The only explanation for the wobbly spade is that the cable is routed and cable tied and perhaps too restrictive so with engine movement the spade got too much pressure Paul IMG_3539.MOV 12.18 MB · 0 downloads Short test drive and all good . Need to go on a long run which will probably be Sunday with the 5 Walled Towns in North Wales . Fuel consumption is 29 mpg which is what I would expect on a long run . Looking at the wobbly spade it’s surprising I travelled as far as i did 😱 Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Horner Posted September 25, 2021 Report Share Posted September 25, 2021 Hopefully you’ve sorted it. However I had a similar issue, assumed electrical but in the end turned out to be restricted fuel flow near tank. Fine in normal driving but on a motorway with sustained revs the float chambers couldn’t fill fast enough and it was running out if fuel. Seemed like an intermittent electrical issue as went away off motorway but wasn’t. Tank out and some replacement hoses. Fuel filters all looked fine - no bits and all full by the time I’d got back to the garage after a few runs when thought it was sorted. Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Truman Posted September 25, 2021 Report Share Posted September 25, 2021 Bob a friend had a similar fuel problem the electric fuel pump on his Stag wasn't performing, bigger replacement fixed it, well he did have a Leyland 4.4ltr in there! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clive Posted September 26, 2021 Report Share Posted September 26, 2021 On 18/09/2021 at 17:57, Paul H said: Hi travelled up to the Wirral today from Suffolk 230 miles in my Mk2 Vitesse. Longest straight run for a while. Everything went fine unless I went over 3300 revs then the engine misfires . Doesn’t happen every time but more often than not . Bring the revs down and the engine behaves . Same issue happened on the return from Duxford last Sunday . With overdrive the speedo is wavering 55 to 60 at 3000 revs . The issue could be fuel but all filters are clear and running a Huco electric pump . This leaves electrics with Accuspark electronics and near new Delco distributor , NGKs . I’ve got a good selection of spares to work through and could it even need to retard the ignition a tad . Where should I start ? You say a near new distributor. Is that a genuine NOS one or a brand new repro item? I know of a repro one from teh club shop that had very similar issues, refitting the old worn one fixed the issue and the new one was returned. Not heard what happened next (this was early last year, just before everything went pear shaped) Likewise, a mate popped over yesterday with his Stag. It was misfiring over 3k. He had done everything. Now EI, coil, plugs, checked fuel pump, new filters. The new coil was gold, a Lucas sports coil. I suggested he borrowed my 1994 Lucas sports coil, temp fixed in place. Cured the issue straight off. The brand new one even looked poorly made/pressed, and was very hot after a 5 minute test drive. The moral here is to avoid crap repro stuff, not always easy. Any new Lucas stuff is often garbage. Said mate has ordered a new Bosch coil, and is taking mine as back up for the RBRR this weekend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul H Posted September 27, 2021 Author Report Share Posted September 27, 2021 Completed the Wall Towns Run in North Wales yesterday . Stunning scenery . Since tidying up the wiring on the coil 😱. my Vitesse is behaving and 150 mile trip went fine . I can now Rev past the 3k mark and looking at the issue totally surprised I got as far as I did . Now need to get back to Suffolk and more fuel needed before I leave . All local stations are empty . Hopefully they will get the deliveries scheduled for today . I’m working on the theory the numpties can only fill up once . If Im wrong might take a few more days before I can leave . Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul H Posted September 27, 2021 Author Report Share Posted September 27, 2021 On 18/09/2021 at 17:57, Paul H said: Hi travelled up to the Wirral today from Suffolk 230 miles in my Mk2 Vitesse. Longest straight run for a while. Everything went fine unless I went over 3300 revs then the engine misfires . Doesn’t happen every time but more often than not . Bring the revs down and the engine behaves . Same issue happened on the return from Duxford last Sunday . With overdrive the speedo is wavering 55 to 60 at 3000 revs . The issue could be fuel but all filters are clear and running a Huco electric pump . This leaves electrics with Accuspark electronics and near new Delco distributor , NGKs . I’ve got a good selection of spares to work through and could it even need to retard the ignition a tad . Where should I start ? If your planning a trip make sure you know the stations which sell E5 Premium enroute as finding E5 was difficult . Good job I had a can in the boot . Next Sunday 26th going to Walled Towns rally in North Wales . Any other takers ? Paul Here’s a pic of my Vitesse on the Walled Towns Run in North Wales on Sunday Paul 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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