This morning I got the ignition behaving a bit better and have a blue spark from the HT lead from the coil. I wouldn't call it a strong blue spark but it is consistent, blue (as oppose to orange) and is quite visible. So I removed a plug again (different from yesterday) and tested that by...

I seem to have fixed this problem by changing the wiring on the ignition switch. Through trial and error I got the following configuration for my Series 3, 2.25 Petrol to work properly:

I've had no end of ignition problems with this but thought they had gone! I had checked ht leads and dizzy cap for moisture but they were all sound. Anyway, I took your advice to check the spark as hadn't done that this time and there was a spark but only orange as oppose to a strong blue. I...

There's anther video showing the problem again with the rocker cover off in case it helps at all:VID 00001-20110829-1201.3GP - YouTube As it stalls this time it doesn't give the puff back through the carb as it sometimes does but I think you can hear a bit more how it's struggling. Also...

Thanks James, before I throw myself into this (it's the first time I've ever had a rocker cover off), are the things you're suggesting possible causes of my initial problem with the funny running and engine not revving? In time I'd like to think I'll revisit all work that's needed but right now...

One other thing I've noted is it often gives a 'puff' backwards out from the carb to the air filter when the engine is stalling. Does that happen often when an engine stalls or is it sympetmatic of my problems?? Ask if you need elaboration on quite what I mean. Thanks.

I've removed the rocker cover and turned the engine by hand and the rockers do all go up and down though some look as though they are not rising as much as others and some of the pairs look slightly out of sync with each other. I have no idea how they are meant to be/look so does this sound...

Searching threw up this: http://www.landyzone.co.uk/lz/f47/popping-noise-air-intake-plus-no-power-146376.html . Any chance my problem is related to a problem with the valves? I am in totally new territory if so but need to roll up the sleeves and learn at some point :)

As per title my engine sounds and runs terribly suddenly. It was fine all day then pulled into the woods to let my friend have a go and had some fun myself so the engine was used a very little bit harder than normal but hardly much and only for 10 minutes. Driving back it begun okay then...

As per the title. My engine won't start ..until I release the ignition key. Can anyone explain this symptom to me? There's a video here VID 00000-20110815-1748.3GP - YouTube which shows it. P.S. Forget me revving the engine, that's to do with another post/problem which is here...

FWIW it passed it's MOT today (after I did a whole load of work to it). Though at no point did the chassis get any kind of attention from the tester. The holes (which I found to be more occurring than I first realised) were not immediately obvious but if anyone started having a poke around...

I have all 4 wheels done now and started on the roof. It's enough that I thought it was worth sharing in case anyone was interested so here's a quick snap:

Thanks (again) James. Just set with TDC whilst firing 4 and it seems okay.

It says 1,3,4,2 on the manifold and that's the sequence they've been wired in. Just that it seems that when the timing marks were lined up it was firing 4. I certainly don't fully understand all this. Is it right that the crank only lines up with the timing marks once per revolution of the...

I have turned crank until the timing mark is level with 6BTDC (for a 88" 2.25 Petrol running on unleaded with 7:1 compression) - is 6 BTDC right? So anyway, with it lined up I look at the dizzy (with the top off) and I have twisted it slightly that the points are open. However, it looks like...

:D DONE! Thank you!! It has gone right in now and the collar of the yoke sits right back in the swivel housing. All I did was knock the chamfered oil seal collar right down. Perhaps that helped or perhaps not but it definitely went through a lot more now. Shame I can't be more certain on...

Makes sense, I'll go and check.. and if they do, does the edge of the yoke protrude at all from beyond the swivel housing or should it be flush or recessed when in all the way? I just noticed the chamfered oil seal collar thingy that slips on the half shaft was not entirely down on the race...

Thanks James. Do you mean the half shaft may be catching on a bearing in the chrome ball thus stopping it from going any further in the diff? I guess it could be as I have replaced the bearings and the collars on the half shaft. I was trying to avoid taking the chrome ball off again but guess...

I've stripped back to the swivel housing and can see that the collar of the UJ protrudes slightly out of the swivel housing. On the back of the stub axle there is circular scoring that looks fresh so I guess my UJ is rubbing the back of the stub axle - makes sense as it gets harder to turn the...

The side of the problem I've noticed has flat leaf springs. The result appears to be that the axle is significantly higher on that side. I guess that explains why the good side seems to have such a pronounced positive camber and the bad side appeared vertical. I'm guessing when I replace the...