Series engine problems - won't rev up

A

Alex

Guest

• Dec 5, 2005

• #1

Anyone got any ideas on this?

2.25 3brg 8:1 Series IIa/III engine, Weber carb, Lucas dizzy (late
type)

All of a sudden, it rev limits itself to about 3500rpm. No problems
with pulling power, accelleration etc etc, just cannot get the engine
to rev above. Increased throttle just produces a bit more noise,
together with occasionall sputtering back through the carb. Just been
out today to check points/gap/coil etc. Coil seemed to be earthing a
bit, so i've changed it for another one, seems to run a little better,
but still rev limiting. Can't find any other faults with the igition
system, advance, fuel supply fine - it doesn't jump and stutter like
it's fuel starvation, I've had that before and it isn't like this.

It's like someone's fitted a rev limiter overnight while i wasn't
looking. I havn't done plugs/compressions yet, but i suspect these
will turn up normal too. Apart from it's customary regular cough at
the exhaust pipe at idle (it's had this for ages, like it's missing
every now and then) it seems to be absolutly fine.

Alex

 

T

Tom Woods

Guest

• Dec 5, 2005

• #2

On Mon, 05 Dec 2005 00:53:35 +0000, Alex <[email protected]>
wrote:

>Anyone got any ideas on this?
>
My car was feeling dead and unwilling to rev much last week. This
weekend I did the points (as you have) and regapped my plugs (which
were well over spec) and cleaned up the rotor arm.

This seems to have bought it back to life. I think that you might as
well check your plugs since youve done everything else!.

Other times that i've had trouble revving it have been down to the
timing being out and carb issues (its on LPG now so i've just removed
the whole of the carb innards..)

 

E

EMB

Guest

• Dec 5, 2005

• #3

Alex wrote:
> Anyone got any ideas on this?

Blocked exhaust?

--
EMB

 

J

Jeff

Guest

• Dec 5, 2005

• #4

I.d check the distributor advance/retard with a timing light.
If not , then possible fuel blockage.

Regards
Jeff

 

G

glencoyne

Guest

• Dec 5, 2005

• #5

I had one like that in the workshop over the weekend - a Series 2A with
a Weber carb. After replacing plugs, points, condensor, distributor
cap and rotor arm (they all needed doing anyway), and blowing through
all the carb jets with compressed air, all with very little
improvement, I swapped the carb for an old Zenith I had lying around,
and the problem was fixed. My guess is that there is a big lump of
crud somewhere in the carb body, between the main jet and the venturi.
You might have the same problem.

Richard

 

A

Alex

Guest

• Dec 5, 2005

• #6

On Mon, 5 Dec 2005 08:04:38 -0000, "Jeff" <[email protected]> wrote:

>I.d check the distributor advance/retard with a timing light.
>If not , then possible fuel blockage.
>

I wish I could do the timing with a light, but it's a IIa block and it
doesn't have the pointers on the front, only the markings on the
flywheel.....

Alex

 

L

Lee_D

Guest

• Dec 5, 2005

• #7

glencoyne <[email protected]> uttered summat worrerz funny about:
> I had one like that in the workshop over the weekend - a Series 2A
> with a Weber carb. After replacing plugs, points, condensor,
> distributor cap and rotor arm (they all needed doing anyway), and
> blowing through all the carb jets with compressed air, all with very
> little improvement, I swapped the carb for an old Zenith I had lying
> around, and the problem was fixed. My guess is that there is a big
> lump of crud somewhere in the carb body, between the main jet and the
> venturi. You might have the same problem.
>
> Richard

If that doesn't sort it check your mat hasn't got jammed under the pedal.
BTDTGTTS.

Lee D

 

D

Dave Liquorice

Guest

• Dec 5, 2005

• #8

On Mon, 05 Dec 2005 21:43:03 +0000, Alex wrote:

> I wish I could do the timing with a light, but it's a IIa block and
> it doesn't have the pointers on the front, only the markings on the
> flywheel.....

Can't you statically set the engine to the correct position (say TDC
and the static timing) and put suitable and convient marks at the
front somewhere?

--
Cheers [email protected]
Dave. pam is missing e-mail

 

E

EMB

Guest

• Dec 6, 2005

• #9

Alex wrote:
> I wish I could do the timing with a light, but it's a IIa block and it
> doesn't have the pointers on the front, only the markings on the
> flywheel.....

Paint on the marks, timing light, and strategically placed mirror then.

--
EMB

 

A

Austin Shackles

Guest

• Dec 6, 2005

• #10

On or around 5 Dec 2005 11:42:13 -0800, "glencoyne"
<[email protected]> enlightened us thusly:

>I had one like that in the workshop over the weekend - a Series 2A with
>a Weber carb. After replacing plugs, points, condensor, distributor
>cap and rotor arm (they all needed doing anyway), and blowing through
>all the carb jets with compressed air, all with very little
>improvement, I swapped the carb for an old Zenith I had lying around,
>and the problem was fixed. My guess is that there is a big lump of
>crud somewhere in the carb body, between the main jet and the venturi.
>You might have the same problem.

I had loads of fun once with an apparently perfectly clean carb from a 2.5
petrol. eventually found that there was solidified crud right at the very
bottom of the float chambers, in a bit where you can't see it easily, under
the bit where the feed to the main jets goes.
--
Austin Shackles. www.ddol-las.net my opinions are just that
"Would to God that we might spend a single day really well!"
Thomas À Kempis (1380 - 1471) Imitation of Christ, I.xxiii.

 

L

Lee_D

Guest

• Dec 6, 2005

• #11

"Dave Liquorice" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> On Mon, 05 Dec 2005 21:43:03 +0000, Alex wrote:
>
>> I wish I could do the timing with a light, but it's a IIa block and
>> it doesn't have the pointers on the front, only the markings on the
>> flywheel.....
>
> Can't you statically set the engine to the correct position (say TDC
> and the static timing) and put suitable and convient marks at the
> front somewhere?
>
> --
> Cheers [email protected]
> Dave. pam is missing e-mail


I don't get it.. why would this stop you using a lamp?

Lee D

 

A

Alex

Guest

• Dec 6, 2005

• #12

On Tue, 6 Dec 2005 10:55:56 -0000, "Lee_D"
<[email protected]> wrote:

>"Dave Liquorice" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>news:[email protected]...
>> On Mon, 05 Dec 2005 21:43:03 +0000, Alex wrote:
>>
>>> I wish I could do the timing with a light, but it's a IIa block and
>>> it doesn't have the pointers on the front, only the markings on the
>>> flywheel.....
>>
>> Can't you statically set the engine to the correct position (say TDC
>> and the static timing) and put suitable and convient marks at the
>> front somewhere?
>>
>> --
>> Cheers [email protected]
>> Dave. pam is missing e-mail
>
>
>I don't get it.. why would this stop you using a lamp?
>

Partly because the timing marks on the flywheel are designed for
static use, not dynamic use, and partly because you can't even see the
marks with the bulkhead in place.

Alex

 

L

Lee_D

Guest

• Dec 6, 2005

• #13

"Alex" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...

>>I don't get it.. why would this stop you using a lamp?
>>
>
> Partly because the timing marks on the flywheel are designed for
> static use, not dynamic use, and partly because you can't even see the
> marks with the bulkhead in place.
>
> Alex

Yup, recall seeing the plate on Percy now all those years ago. Is is not
feasible to cut an inspection hole in the footwell?

Simple enough to replate it after.

Lee D

 

S

slob

Well-Known Member

Posts

22,488

Location

Harrogate or London

• Dec 6, 2005

• #14

why not do it by ear??? get it running then turn the dizzy anti clockwise a bit then go clockwise until it just starts to speed up...doing it this way set the timing to YOUR particular engine, ...**** having thought about it now i can't remeber if it anti clockwise first or if it clockwise first..i'd need to out and do it to check, but then as its quick to do you could do it yer self and if its crap try the other way..

 

GRUNT

Well-Known Member

Posts

8,911

Location

On the lake Geneva shoreline.

• Dec 6, 2005

• #15

I set my Astra up by ear, just rotated the distributor 'till the engine ran at its fastest, then took it to a garage to get them to set it up electronically, it was cock on.

Where are you getting those pictures from Slob, as they say round these parts that and a sack of spuds would last me all winter!!!!!!!!!!!

 

E

EMB

Guest

• Dec 6, 2005

• #16

Alex wrote:
>
> Partly because the timing marks on the flywheel are designed for
> static use, not dynamic use, and partly because you can't even see the
> marks with the bulkhead in place.

And how pray tell is a mark for static timing different from a mark for
dynamic timing? If I static time my IIa then check it dynamically it's
still reading the same!

--
EMB

 

S

slob

Well-Known Member

Posts

22,488

Location

Harrogate or London

• Dec 6, 2005

• #17

EMB said:

Alex wrote:
>


And how pray tell is a mark for static timing different from a mark for
dynamic timing? If I static time my IIa then check it dynamically it's
still reading the same!

--
EMB

Click to expand...

it all depends on yer engine..some static marks are the same as dynamic....on some engine when you set the timing you have to disconect the vacum advance on some engines you don't got no vacumm advance . on the jag xj40 for example you don't get no timing marks atall. you can only set it by a special tool or by using the mark 2 ear.
as for the pics i get them from me camera after i have my mechanic working on one or more of me vee-hick-lls

 

A

Austin Shackles

Guest

• Dec 6, 2005

• #18

On or around Wed, 07 Dec 2005 07:30:38 +1300, EMB <[email protected]>
enlightened us thusly:

>Alex wrote:
>>
>> Partly because the timing marks on the flywheel are designed for
>> static use, not dynamic use, and partly because you can't even see the
>> marks with the bulkhead in place.
>
>And how pray tell is a mark for static timing different from a mark for
>dynamic timing? If I static time my IIa then check it dynamically it's
>still reading the same!

probably is on a IIA, at idle. some engines have different timing settings
for static and dynamic, of course.
--
Austin Shackles. www.ddol-las.net my opinions are just that
In Touch: Get in touch with yourself by touching yourself.
If somebody is watching, stop touching yourself.
from the Little Book of Complete B***ocks by Alistair Beaton.

 

S

Simon Isaacs

Guest

• Dec 6, 2005

• #19

On Mon, 05 Dec 2005 00:53:35 +0000, Alex <[email protected]>
scribbled the following nonsense:

>Anyone got any ideas on this?
>
>2.25 3brg 8:1 Series IIa/III engine, Weber carb, Lucas dizzy (late
>type)
>
>All of a sudden, it rev limits itself to about 3500rpm. No problems
>with pulling power, accelleration etc etc, just cannot get the engine
>to rev above. Increased throttle just produces a bit more noise,
>together with occasionall sputtering back through the carb. Just been
>out today to check points/gap/coil etc. Coil seemed to be earthing a
>bit, so i've changed it for another one, seems to run a little better,
>but still rev limiting. Can't find any other faults with the igition
>system, advance, fuel supply fine - it doesn't jump and stutter like
>it's fuel starvation, I've had that before and it isn't like this.
>
>It's like someone's fitted a rev limiter overnight while i wasn't
>looking. I havn't done plugs/compressions yet, but i suspect these
>will turn up normal too. Apart from it's customary regular cough at
>the exhaust pipe at idle (it's had this for ages, like it's missing
>every now and then) it seems to be absolutly fine.
>
>Alex

had this on my old S3, changed the points and condenser and it went
away
--

Simon Isaacs

Peterborough 4x4 Club Newsletter Editor and Webmaster
Green Lane Association (GLASS) Financial Director
101 Ambi, undergoing camper conversion www.simoni.co.uk
1976 S3 LWT, Fully restored, ready for sale! Make me an offer!
Suzuki SJ410 (Wife's) 3" lift kit fitted, body shell now restored and mounted on chassis, waiting on a windscreen and MOT
Series 3 88" Rolling chassis...what to do next
1993 200 TDi Discovery
1994 200 TDi Discovery body sheel, being bobbed and modded.....

 

K

Karen Gallagher

Guest

• Dec 7, 2005

• #20

Alex wrote:
> On Mon, 5 Dec 2005 08:04:38 -0000, "Jeff" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> I.d check the distributor advance/retard with a timing light.
>> If not , then possible fuel blockage.
>>
>
> I wish I could do the timing with a light, but it's a IIa block and it
> doesn't have the pointers on the front, only the markings on the
> flywheel.....
>
> Alex

I had this problem once, tried for ages, put a new engine in even. Turned
out to be jammed linkage, it would only move so far ...

Karen


--
"I'd far rather be happy than right any day."
- Slartibartfast