Timing

mbeeken · Jan 24, 2013

Hello all, any help gratefully received.

I have recently replaced my head gasket, fitted new HT leads and an electronic distributor. Checked the valve clearance and timing and all was running really well. After about 10 mile (ish) when decelerating for a junction, something happened and it felt like it was running on 3 cyclinders (coughing and sluttering and occasionall back-firing/popping). I was stuggling to pick-up speed.

The next morning, in a bit of a hurry I took each of the HT leads off in turn...it didn't seem to make any difference. I also checked the timing with a strobe light and it seemed to be off, so I turned the distributor to get it about right. It ran better, and I was able to accelerate, but it still sounded like it was running on 3 cyclinders, and very occasional knocked back into 4 for a very short time.

I checked the timing again that night - again without much time - and found if I set it to the mark it would stall. If I turned it until the it sounded right, the notch would be well to the left of the mark. If I rev the engine the notch moves further to the left.

I will have more time at the week-end to do a proper check, but wondered if anyone knew why it would run better with the notch to the left of the mark? Does that suggest anything/give any clues?

Any help/advice/thoughts/suggestions gratefully received,

Mark

jamesmartin · Jan 24, 2013

it will advance as you rev it ,mark may not be a 100 % cam timing may not be too etc what was reading on strobe at idle when running at its best ?

landrover11019 · Jan 24, 2013

New distributor knackered?

ronsealdeath · Jan 25, 2013

If its running on 3 cyl it will sound like a vw beetle. One of my ht leads failed after getting leccy ign, check they are all firing ok.
Timing should be ok around 6deg btdc, make sure your dizzy pinch bolt is tight after setting timing, they need to be nipped up well or they may drift or be knocked out of time when fiddling with engine bits.

Wesley Pegden · Jan 26, 2013

I once had a distributor pinch bolt clamp that had stretched just enough to bugger my timing after reset as it wouldn't quite tighten fully on the clamp (as the faces had met) but it had tightened on the nut and bolt fully.

Worth considering perhaps.

mbeeken · Jan 27, 2013

It turned out to be a loose wire in the electronic distributor. It was shorting on the wire each revolution. I tucked it in and it's now working a treat again.

Thanks for your help, advice and suggestions.

Wesley Pegden · Jan 27, 2013

mbeeken said:
It turned out to be a loose wire in the electronic distributor. It was shorting on the wire each revolution. I tucked it in and it's now working a treat again.

Thanks for your help, advice and suggestions.

Glad you're sorted

Timing

mbeeken

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jamesmartin

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landrover11019

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ronsealdeath

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Wesley Pegden

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mbeeken

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Wesley Pegden

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