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Car stalling and not firing once it gets hot under a load...


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So I had to have her towed this weekend after the 2nd mishap. It starts fine, runs fine - at least - for the first 15 minutes. I can rev it in the garage until it is hot - no problem. BUT, once I put a load and accelerate and temperature is hot, it starts to sputter until it dies. Then it won't restart until a while later. Thought initially fuel flow, but took the line off in front of my filter and it flowed w/o a problem. Coil or Wires were up next, but put another coil on and the same problem. I checked the battery and it was 12.9 at a rest and while it was running. Decided to put a charge on it over night and got up to 13.94, though it has dropped back to 12.9 range. Weak battery and/or failing generator to blame? It is a positive earth set up if it matters much. I did take the plugs out and they didn't look 1/2 bad - a little black and oily, but on the electrode nice and dry with a clean brownish hue on the part that bends over.

 

Was thinking about switching to a Pertronix system as well. Put one my old Willys and it's like electronic ignition this days - turn the key and it goes.

 

 

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A bit more info at lunch:

 

Took off the two leads to the dynamo at the regulator box (now converted to solid state), put them together and ran the car. Reading 17+v. Plugged it all in, and ran it. Battery voltage goes up to 13.4v at 2K+ rev, which would lead me to think the dynamo/battery are ok?

 

Managed to get hot and it actually died in the garage for the first time.

 

Seems b/c of the "hot" condition and "load" frequency, culprit would be wires, points/condensor and/or coil?

 

Pertronix is looking better and better...

Edited by F1loco
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When it fails, take out a plug, check for sparking. If there's a spark look for carb issues.

 

I suspect an over-rich condition that is fine with engine cold but kills combustion on the faulty carb.

Strombergs? check diaphragms. SUs - ignore above !!

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Will do. Hooked up a test light before I left to the coil. When I crank, I can't see it go off at all, it just drops in brightness from the Key On position. Not sure if I would have to manually turn the engine with my hand to get to where the flashes (i.e., motor turning too fast to make a difference in the light/circuit or if that may indicate a problem as is?

 

Lucas wires also show resistance b/w 4.9 (coil to cap), and 4.2 (#4) to 3.6 (#1)

 

Not sure of what their resistance should be?

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Check the flexible earth wire from the contacts base plate to distributor body. If that's sound change the condenser then the coil.

He's already on the second coil.

 

Check for sparks. Theres nothing in the ignition thats load sensitive (except for the vac-adv diaphragm)

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Will do. Hooked up a test light before I left to the coil. When I crank, I can't see it go off at all, it just drops in brightness from the Key On position. Not sure if I would have to manually turn the engine with my hand to get to where the flashes (i.e., motor turning too fast to make a difference in the light/circuit or if that may indicate a problem as is?

 

Lucas wires also show resistance b/w 4.9 (coil to cap), and 4.2 (#4) to 3.6 (#1)

 

Not sure of what their resistance should be?

With ignition on turn engine by hand with disy cap removed and a light bulb from the points live terminal to earth. When the points open the bulb lights up. That should correspond to static timing (on number 1).

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F1loco - I had exactly the symptoms you describe and tried everything to find it.

Replacing the condenser (which was nearly new) fixed the problem immediately.

(Actually, I found the old condenser in my spares bag, which just goes to show that newer is most definitely not always better.)

 

I have subsequently fitted electronic ignition, but for other reasons,

Edited by Paul Harvey
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i had the same problem on my Herald. Dodgy condenser, in fact several new ones only lasted a very short time. Electronic now.

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I have a racing condenser, for mini racing, which cost £32.00 and now my car starts like any modern car. It is mounted outside the distributor.

 

Speak to Distributor Doctor about very poor quality new condensers.

 

Good luck

Richard & H

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Well the good is I think it did the trick. The bad is I decided to do a static timing and in the process of turning the crank with the crappy plastic blades, the snapped as I got near the top of #1. Light is on, but I can't get any torque on the crank to manually move to a point where it goes out.

 

1.So, is there a trick? Can't get the front of the crank as it is right up against the radiator?

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Well the good is I think it did the trick. The bad is I decided to do a static timing and in the process of turning the crank with the crappy plastic blades, they snapped as I got near the top of #1. Light is on, but I can't get any torque on the crank to manually move to a point where it goes out.

 

1. So, is there a trick? Can't get to the front of the crank as it is right up against the radiator?

2. Can I use the old 4 blade metal one it had on it and it still functionally cool with updated radiator/pump, etc. I now have in it? Other options?

 

To be honest, one of the plastic blades that I can't get a grip on was already fraying from the plastic center?

Edited by F1loco
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Hi Loco,

when trying to rotate the engine for the timing did you have the plugs out. If not, take them out.

 

Put it in gear and move the car back/forward.

 

Don't run the enigne with a blade missing - it will cause bigger problem.

If desperate remove the associated opposite blade (if there is one).

 

Roger

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So will a TR6 yellow 8 blade bolt up to my TR4 hub extension? Actually it is probably a TR4A as the previous owner did an engine swap, apparently... I've read that some can, some can't get them to fit, and others can but they have to invert it which seems like it would be counter productive as it would then be pushing instead of pulling??

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And final inquiry of the day, if I bought a 16" electric fan (which I believe can only be had for 12V negative ground systems) would it work with a positive ground set up if I merely swapped -/+?

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Yes, those 2-wire fans can easily be switched to run the wrong way or with the positive earth setup....but beware those big fans suck a lot of power, do you have enough amps?

http://www.a1electric.com/catalog/cat_spal.htm look at the bottom of the list, the 16 inch fans are drawing 8/20/45 Amps @ 12V depending on spec.

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