Am I doing something daft that just confIrms I’m new to this
Discussion
Been investigating an occasional hesitation at about 3000 rpm and thought I’d check the ignition components as all appear original. Rotor arm pitted and charred and in the process of removing the dizzy cap managed to ‘uncrimp’ one of the HT leads.
Called one of the well known TVR parts suppliers and talked it all through and purchased new leads, new rotor, dizzy cap, coil and amplifier...... what could go wrong!!!!
Delivered today......Firstly rotor and dizzy cap no where near the quality or fit of the original Lucas ones. Leads have extended spark plug boots and sadly don’t appear to connect with my spark plug extenders ( which are still in good condition) the boots are too long and I don’t seem to be able to push the crimped connectors closer to the end of the boots to ensure a good connection.
Result .... turns over a couple of times ....doesn’t take....makes a funny noise and I scratch my head.
Ok remove the plug extenders and connect the leads direct to plugs..... all extenders out save for #3 which is a pig ...... connect the leads to the plugs (still not sure I’m getting the connection to the plugs I want)
.
Result .... turns over a couple of times ....doesn’t take....makes a funny noise and I scratch my head.......check the dizzy , firing order etc....do the same ...same result.
Don’t want to stress anything so I leave it for the night, have a stiff gin and pick up the iPad.
Sooooo is it me ...am I doing something daft or is it simply that the trusted supplier has sent me the wrong leads or I’ve got a duff set
My only conclusion is the spark plug boots are too long and I’m not getting a decent connection
Has anyone else suffered similar issues or am I being a bit daft?
Ps ...haven’t even taken the coil and amplifier out of the packaging as testing progress in phases
Called one of the well known TVR parts suppliers and talked it all through and purchased new leads, new rotor, dizzy cap, coil and amplifier...... what could go wrong!!!!
Delivered today......Firstly rotor and dizzy cap no where near the quality or fit of the original Lucas ones. Leads have extended spark plug boots and sadly don’t appear to connect with my spark plug extenders ( which are still in good condition) the boots are too long and I don’t seem to be able to push the crimped connectors closer to the end of the boots to ensure a good connection.
Result .... turns over a couple of times ....doesn’t take....makes a funny noise and I scratch my head.
Ok remove the plug extenders and connect the leads direct to plugs..... all extenders out save for #3 which is a pig ...... connect the leads to the plugs (still not sure I’m getting the connection to the plugs I want)
.
Result .... turns over a couple of times ....doesn’t take....makes a funny noise and I scratch my head.......check the dizzy , firing order etc....do the same ...same result.
Don’t want to stress anything so I leave it for the night, have a stiff gin and pick up the iPad.
Sooooo is it me ...am I doing something daft or is it simply that the trusted supplier has sent me the wrong leads or I’ve got a duff set
My only conclusion is the spark plug boots are too long and I’m not getting a decent connection
Has anyone else suffered similar issues or am I being a bit daft?
Ps ...haven’t even taken the coil and amplifier out of the packaging as testing progress in phases
Not sure if I understand this correctly but try lubricating the leads ( spittle ) and push through caps further, hopefully they will connect properly.
My silicone leads are very tight getting plug cap onto plug, I often lube them with a bit of spit to ease them into place otherwise it feels like a fight!
My silicone leads are very tight getting plug cap onto plug, I often lube them with a bit of spit to ease them into place otherwise it feels like a fight!
A few hints that might help.....
Do as classichimi suggests use spit.
To get extenders off use a slip knot loop of string around them and pull on that with gloves on to protect your hands.
Fit the leads to the extenders first then on to the plugs.
Check you have a spark at the king lead first by fitting a spare plug to it and earth it to the engine.
Then do the same to the plug leads.
Do as classichimi suggests use spit.
To get extenders off use a slip knot loop of string around them and pull on that with gloves on to protect your hands.
Fit the leads to the extenders first then on to the plugs.
Check you have a spark at the king lead first by fitting a spare plug to it and earth it to the engine.
Then do the same to the plug leads.
I'm afraid you are correct about the poor quality of replacement parts, even from reputable TVR suppliers. I have lost count of how many rotor arms, distributor caps, coils and ignition amplifiers I have changed over the years. I ended up fitting a Emerald system and have had trouble free motoring since.
I have a box of bits that are known good used working parts.
They are a couple of sets of plug leads, distributor, coil, distributor cap, rotor arm, lambda sensors.
If you would like me to send you this box full, just email me your address via my profile and it will be in the post
I have changed my car, like Trev4, to Emerald ECU and coil packs, so no distributor, coil, standard narrow band lambdas (mine has a single wideband lambda), and mine now has ceramic capped plug leads with no extenders. Hence these are all spares that I won't use again, so take your time, sort it out, and send me back what you don't need.
I am pretty sure the distributor bits are original TVR supplied from way back when. My car always ran fine on them, I made the change when i went to farcical induction. I can also chuck a few used, and I believe original working, plug extenders into the box too.
Beware of new plug extenders - there has been a lot of trouble with new sets, which turn out to be fakes. I had 6 out of 8 fail when my TVR guru decided to fit me a nice shiny new set a couple of years ago.
They are a couple of sets of plug leads, distributor, coil, distributor cap, rotor arm, lambda sensors.
If you would like me to send you this box full, just email me your address via my profile and it will be in the post
I have changed my car, like Trev4, to Emerald ECU and coil packs, so no distributor, coil, standard narrow band lambdas (mine has a single wideband lambda), and mine now has ceramic capped plug leads with no extenders. Hence these are all spares that I won't use again, so take your time, sort it out, and send me back what you don't need.
I am pretty sure the distributor bits are original TVR supplied from way back when. My car always ran fine on them, I made the change when i went to farcical induction. I can also chuck a few used, and I believe original working, plug extenders into the box too.
Beware of new plug extenders - there has been a lot of trouble with new sets, which turn out to be fakes. I had 6 out of 8 fail when my TVR guru decided to fit me a nice shiny new set a couple of years ago.
This is where I’d bite the bullet and buy from Tvr parts dealers who actually repair the cars. Powers Performance always supplied working parts that actually worked when I had the CUX, if it worked out a few quid more I’d rather that than parts that cause more trouble than they are worth.
I’ve used QBee parts when helping another great Tvr owner diagnose a number of issues, the known working parts including distributor saved a lot of head scratching.
Take up his offer if your struggling, just remember this is a pure act of kindness so send them back when your all done, jobs a good un
I’ve used QBee parts when helping another great Tvr owner diagnose a number of issues, the known working parts including distributor saved a lot of head scratching.
Take up his offer if your struggling, just remember this is a pure act of kindness so send them back when your all done, jobs a good un
Thank you for all your offers of help and assistance....gives faith in humanity while in very uncertain times.
QBee - a very very generous offer and subject to how I get on this weekend one I may take you up on.
Rd001 - yes TVR Parts so do what I now intend to do i.e. work with the best individual comments irrespective of whether they are the originals or the new poorer quality components.
My plan for this evening is to bring the plug extenders and new HT leads into the kitchen and over a cup of tea and a few digestives use some good old spit to slide the plug boots along until I have a good contact with the extenders. Frustratingly the cylinder numbers are immediately adjacent to the foot of the boot and therefore after adjusting them I'll loose the reference point......sharpie pen should do the trick.
Subject to how long it takes I'll going to fit hem to the old dizzy and rotor then see if she runs ok.
If all ok I will ditch the new dizzy and rotor but still fit the new coil. Not sure whether I will fit the new amplifier module as it's clearly not oem. Pal of mine says if you change the coil you should really change the amp as well. Will probably do so but will make sure I keep the original in my growing box of bits.
All good fun but frustrating when you buy new bits that really aren't as good as they should be. I'll try powers next time
I'll report back
QBee - a very very generous offer and subject to how I get on this weekend one I may take you up on.
Rd001 - yes TVR Parts so do what I now intend to do i.e. work with the best individual comments irrespective of whether they are the originals or the new poorer quality components.
My plan for this evening is to bring the plug extenders and new HT leads into the kitchen and over a cup of tea and a few digestives use some good old spit to slide the plug boots along until I have a good contact with the extenders. Frustratingly the cylinder numbers are immediately adjacent to the foot of the boot and therefore after adjusting them I'll loose the reference point......sharpie pen should do the trick.
Subject to how long it takes I'll going to fit hem to the old dizzy and rotor then see if she runs ok.
If all ok I will ditch the new dizzy and rotor but still fit the new coil. Not sure whether I will fit the new amplifier module as it's clearly not oem. Pal of mine says if you change the coil you should really change the amp as well. Will probably do so but will make sure I keep the original in my growing box of bits.
All good fun but frustrating when you buy new bits that really aren't as good as they should be. I'll try powers next time
I'll report back
Ok there is no way on earth to slide the boots along the leads so that the connectors are closer to the open end without potentially damaging the leads.
Tried everything spit, wd40, silicone spray, heating the boots with a hairdryer etc. In the first hour I only managed to slide a boot the other way....which in fact is quite easy!
Adopted a simpler solution given the boots are quite long....I measured how much each was too long and cut off the excess with a junior hacksaw. The pureists won’t like it but the connections to the plug extenders are now solid as a rock..... had to cut off between say 3mm to just over 10mm which shows how inconsistently the leads were made.
All connected up and she seems to be ticking over fine. Next ....replacement of the coil and amplifier and then tidy up the leads.
Tried everything spit, wd40, silicone spray, heating the boots with a hairdryer etc. In the first hour I only managed to slide a boot the other way....which in fact is quite easy!
Adopted a simpler solution given the boots are quite long....I measured how much each was too long and cut off the excess with a junior hacksaw. The pureists won’t like it but the connections to the plug extenders are now solid as a rock..... had to cut off between say 3mm to just over 10mm which shows how inconsistently the leads were made.
All connected up and she seems to be ticking over fine. Next ....replacement of the coil and amplifier and then tidy up the leads.
Classic Chim said:
This is where I’d bite the bullet and buy from Tvr parts dealers who actually repair the cars. Powers Performance always supplied working parts that actually worked when I had the CUX, if it worked out a few quid more I’d rather that than parts that cause more trouble than they are worth.
I’ve used QBee parts when helping another great Tvr owner diagnose a number of issues, the known working parts including distributor saved a lot of head scratching.
Take up his offer if your struggling, just remember this is a pure act of kindness so send them back when your all done, jobs a good un
But Powers do not make all the components they sell; the difference is they will bend over backwards for you when an item they have sold fails.I’ve used QBee parts when helping another great Tvr owner diagnose a number of issues, the known working parts including distributor saved a lot of head scratching.
Take up his offer if your struggling, just remember this is a pure act of kindness so send them back when your all done, jobs a good un
Oldred_V8S said:
But Powers do not make all the components they sell; the difference is they will bend over backwards for you when an item they have sold fails.
Obviously, they do fit these parts to cars they service and repair so there’s very little junk sold via the parts department but they too are constantly having to dismiss so called pattern parts that simply let you down as it’s to much hassle to bother even stocking the crap and then having all the Aggro that comes from unhappy customers. All done..... I stuck with the original dizzy cap and rotor and renewed the leads, coil and amplifier. Haven’t been out for a drive yet but she seems to be running very well .....fingers crossed.
rdl001 How did you get on with your parts…? I spoke to TVR parts and wasn’t overly impressed with their response think I’ll try powers next time.
Thanks for all the help and advice offered.
rdl001 How did you get on with your parts…? I spoke to TVR parts and wasn’t overly impressed with their response think I’ll try powers next time.
Thanks for all the help and advice offered.
I have fitted a new Bosch Coil and a 'copy' ignition module. Although these came from TVR Parts, I spoke to Dom at Powers today who confirms that an original new Lucas module is no longer available, so only copies. Started up just fine.
Anyway, I will give this a go on Sunday when it stops raining before I change anything else.
Anyway, I will give this a go on Sunday when it stops raining before I change anything else.
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