Thought I’d share a positive end to an annoying misfire that my 1974 S3 has been suffering from for probably a year or more...
I had focussed on the distributor, as this seemed the most likely culprit. Checked and set points gap (many times), put in a new condenser, checked and set static timing (after some difficulty working out how to do it!), and checked plugs including gaps. All of this had no real effect on the misfire, which was most noticeable on the overrun - lots of quite loud popping noises. The was also a more worrying unidentified noise on overrun, more mechanical.
Anyway, I decided that after two years of ownership and doing everything myself, I would take the car to a specialist for a check up and hopefully solve the engine woes.
I chose Howe Engineering, near Buntingford in Hertfordshire. A friend had used them for their S3, they were local and the guy on the phone seemed well versed in Series engine issues...
After a quick review of the problem, I left the car with them in the morning. By 2.30pm they called to say it was ready to collect. They had done the following: check and reset points gap using dwell meter, set timing using a strobe light, removed head of carburettor, cleaned thoroughly and reset everything, tightened the exhaust manifold which was blowing, replaced a LV connection from the coil which was loose. Straightforward perhaps, but they had the equipment experience and confidence to do all this, as of course they should.
After all that, the engine’s running really well, with no misfire.
I’ve learned the lesson that there are limits to what a first time Series owner can do. We all need an experienced Land Rover specialist to tend to our trucks now and again!
Hopefully I won’t need their help for another two years...
I had focussed on the distributor, as this seemed the most likely culprit. Checked and set points gap (many times), put in a new condenser, checked and set static timing (after some difficulty working out how to do it!), and checked plugs including gaps. All of this had no real effect on the misfire, which was most noticeable on the overrun - lots of quite loud popping noises. The was also a more worrying unidentified noise on overrun, more mechanical.
Anyway, I decided that after two years of ownership and doing everything myself, I would take the car to a specialist for a check up and hopefully solve the engine woes.
I chose Howe Engineering, near Buntingford in Hertfordshire. A friend had used them for their S3, they were local and the guy on the phone seemed well versed in Series engine issues...
After a quick review of the problem, I left the car with them in the morning. By 2.30pm they called to say it was ready to collect. They had done the following: check and reset points gap using dwell meter, set timing using a strobe light, removed head of carburettor, cleaned thoroughly and reset everything, tightened the exhaust manifold which was blowing, replaced a LV connection from the coil which was loose. Straightforward perhaps, but they had the equipment experience and confidence to do all this, as of course they should.
After all that, the engine’s running really well, with no misfire.
I’ve learned the lesson that there are limits to what a first time Series owner can do. We all need an experienced Land Rover specialist to tend to our trucks now and again!
Hopefully I won’t need their help for another two years...
.
