Thread: What do you thinks wrong?

hows the exhaust, aircleaner and the static timing?

Years ago my father had a RR with a similar problem. JRA at the time replaced everything , plugs, points , carby's, fuel pump & filters & dist without a fix. I had worked for BMC / Leyland & we had had a problem with Mini's with the coils mounted on there side like the RR's , if the oil in the coil got low they would short internally & the engine would cut out when going around corners & misfire. I fitted a new coil on my dad's RR & mounted it vertical & problem fixed. Coils can leak there insulation oil when laying on there side , they are better mounted vertical. I have seen a photo of a Mini that had the coil that blew the bonnet , grill & windscreen off after the vapours in the coil exploded . The latter Mini's mounted the coils vertical so the oil couldn't leak.

I'm not sure that the dizzy is meant to be hard against the water pump. Have you had a timing light on it while it is idling recently? Has it still got that ****ty Lucas 2CE ignition amplifier? Bee-utey's Bosch conversion is your friend! Have you checked the condition of the dizzy rotor arm?

Compression test? With the problems I have had recently with my 1985 RRC, I couldn't work out why the motor was so hesitant to do anything, even idle or run for longer than 15 seconds. I rewired the fuel pump and cleared all of the fuel lines out, checked the fuel filters and made sure it was getting enough fuel delivery/pressure at the carb, checked and cleaned the guts of the carb, did the Bosch ignition conversion, new plugs, new rotor arm, good dizzy, good leads, got the static timing dead on.

Long story short I got it to the point that it was idling brilliantly, starting immediately and not being so argumentative about being changed into any gear but park. It would idle indefinitely as opposed to only running for 10 seconds before stalling. It was still, however, shaking a bit when idling, so being the amateur that I am, I then decided to do the compression test and I found it really was running brilliantly - on all 7 cylinders.

Could be worth a shot...

Have you checked the throttle linkage between the carbs? I've experienced a couple of failures and the symptoms are similar to yours. The plastic ends become brittle and crack/break.

Pete

^^^^ What Pete said!

They run pretty ordinary on 1 carb....

JC

1. Linkage fault

2. Holed carby diaphragm.

Remove the air cleaner assembly and undo the two cast ally elbows and rev the engine, observe the two plungers in turn.

Originally Posted by Baggy

Hi All,

I have a 3.5 v8 engine with std CD175 carbies and this has been baffelling me for about 4 weeks and I'm hoping that the excellent brain trusts here can help me through this.

The problem started with a minor misfire and has increased to the point where the car is undrivable .....engine feels very flat and will not accelerate off. The engine has a very
noticable misfire when you rev it but at idle runs smoothly.....solid as a rock.

1) I've cleaned plugs - only fairly new
2) Checked diaphrams on carbies - they are new
3) Checked dashpots filled with light oil.
4) Checked plugleads.
5) Checked coil - has a very good spark
6) Leads and Distributor cap look visibly OK.

Add to the mix about two weeks ago took my brother for a spin so he could experience the lack of power first hand and naturally we broke down and could'nt get her started ..... bugger.

During the mamy failed attempts at starting her my brother noticed he could'nt hear electric fuel pump when you turned on the ignition so we abandoned all hope of starting her and arranged
a vehicle to tow her home.

Checking underneath she has been fitted with an aftermarket electric fuel pump and since I've had her nearly 10 years the pump has done well.
I Googled the name and model and it came up ....its a Fuel flow 20 Pump made in NZ 5 - 6 psi, for carbie or diesel vehicles suitable for V8 with fuel flo of 2.0 litres per minute.
Removed pump and on closer inspection there was a hair line crack around the pipe body out of pump which caused its failure.
Attached wires from pump to battery resulted in no signs of life in pump.
Not being one to reinvent the wheel I reordered a new pump from Queensland and awaited its arrival.

I replaced the large fuel filter (between fuel tank to pump) and all the associated hoses underneath including clips.

Thought that must have been the source of my problem with engine being starved for fuel by intermittently faulty fuel pump
Restarted engine .....runs beautifully smooth at idle, but still has slight misfire ......reverse out of drive very sluggish and take off no acceleration misfire very noticable ....
being an auto she limps slowly down street, my foot flat to board but getting nowhere, won't rev and I turn into driveway three houses down and limp vehicle home.

I haven't touched/ removed distributor, could it be timing .....Ive noticed can't advance distibutor any more the circular bit on the distributor is hitting the water pump housing......
although while I was in Supercheap (buying fuel hose) I did buy new vacum hose and added a "T" piece and connected additional vacum hose to both carbies where there was only one.

Any thoughts appreciated.

Cheers

Baggy

I'm thinking carby diaphram given you have replaced the pump and filter. There only a few $$ each to buy, so why not rule them out either way

seeya,
shane L.

Hi All,

Unfortunately don't have timing light or compression tester but I will go over each of your suggestions on the weekend.
Will check TDC and position of rotor button to see if its pointing to no1 spark plug on distributor

Now here's something for a twist .....at work we have a old forklift with 4 cylinder petrol engine ....runs on LPG.
He normally starts first turn of key and runs well for an old engine, but yesterday nothing it turned over but no firing.
The local mechanic two unts up was called over, after about 1/2 hour he said it looks like your distributor. He said there was rust and you advance / retard not working.
Anyway he pulled out distributor took it back to his workshop fiddled with it and returned later.
He refitted and it started like it was running on two cylinders ....he asked me to drive it round to workshop to time it.
It was like driving the Rangie, foot flat to board and it would hardly move and as I got round to the front of his office it wouldn't go as there was a slight incline and it stopped .....
(its an auto) would'nt rev enough motor still running but (misfiring)....the other mechanic came out and said has to be retimed properly needs more advanced.

My ears pricked up at this so I'm just throwing it out there.

I've also I read .... correct me if I'm wrong that you can move each plug lead over one spot on the distributor to increase your advance? is that correct?
It concerns me like Chilvary that the distributor is turned hard against the water pump so I can't advance timing any further.

Appreciate everyones imput, we do have some excellent brains on this forum

Cheers

Baggy