I've done a silly thing!

[Franky boy]

Hi all,

Schoolboy error I'm afraid, I took the distributor out to prime the oil pump, (pre serp) I marked the distributor in relationship to the block, but not the rotor arm in relationship to the distributor.


Whats the easiest way out of this self made problem, find tdc and point the rotor arm at lead one and start timing from scratch?

Any help greatly appreciated

Frank

[Franky boy]

It must be my lucky day, lined up TDC on bottom pulley, re fitted distributer with rota arm at lead one and bingo she runs. is there an ideal timing setting for a pre serp or can I just do it by ear?


Cheers

Frank

[mach2]

The recommended setting is 28deg btdc at 4000rpm. I recently set mine at this and it runs fine although others have suggested slightly higher values but not beyond 32deg.

[Franky boy]

Hi, thanks for the info.

I'm guessing that the 28 - 32 degrees takes into account the vacuum advance?

Cheers

Frank

[QBee]

My bad info then - I thought the rotor arm only fitted in one position.
What's a distributor? (he said smugly, having changed to coil packs last year )

[mach2]

Franky boy said:

Hi, thanks for the info.

I'm guessing that the 28 - 32 degrees takes into account the vacuum advance?

Cheers

Frank

Yes, those values are set with the vac advance disconnected

[Franky boy]

Thanks for the info, but now have a strange issues if anyone can shed some light,.


As said, the car started, great ran for a minute or so then stopped, now it wont start.


If I had got the timing 180 out when putting the distributer back in, would it run? is wasn't running that smoothly.

When the car gets warm does the timing change in any way, advance/retard that could move the spark away from the HT lead pick up?

I have checked there is a spark at the end of the coil to distributer cap, distributer end, but cant see one at plug end of HT lead.

Any help welcome, I really want the car on the road for the rest of the summer.

Many thanks

Frank

[Belle427]

Check the rotor arm is on correctly, it should only fit in one position.

[Franky boy]

Thanks, I think I may of found the problem, removed the dizzy cap and low an behold the spring loaded button that pushes down on the top of the rota arm is missing, brand new cap put on less than 20 miles ago! just the spring showing. cant get a new cap until Tuesday so fingers crossed.

Cheers

Frank

[Belle427]

Sadly the quality of some of these parts is very poor.

[Franky boy]

I'm getting there!

Changed the cap and It ran, then stopped! no spark, changed the coil and all seems ok, apart from it was running really rich.

Rovergauge indicated a faulty Lamba sensor, confirmed this by swapping the leads and the fault followed and then found a loose connection, sorted.

Still seems to be running rich, so I am waiting for the car to cool down and do an ECU re set.

The engine tem sensor seems to be fine, reading pretty much the same as the in car temp gauge, its not missing, used an IR thermometer on each manifold outlet, great tip for locating a misfire, less than a tenner from fleabay.

For good measure just changed the air filter, the old one looks terrible.

This brings me on to my next question.

I have removed the grill to get to the air filter, on the RHS just above the air filter duct is a plastic unit with a multi plug hanging off it, I also have the corresponding plug loose, it goes into a loom but its not connected, does anyone know what this unit is/what it does?

Thanks for all the advice help you all have given me, hoping to be enjoying the car soon.

Frank