Thread: Possible Distributer problem

Originally Posted by Scouse

Shooting flames is an indication that it's losing spark intermittently & igniting the unburnt fuel in the exhaust when the spark returns.

I had a similar problem with the wifes Gemini. It would break down under load & it wasn't until I drove it at night & saw the flames shooting out the back that I sorted it out. Unfortunately, I also caused the muffler to explode on the freeway while doing this .

It ended up being a break in the wiring inside the dizzy (electronic ign). When the base plate moved with the vacuum advance, the break would cut the spark. Cutting the spark reduced the revs which allowed the plate to move back slightly & the break closed up again.

That sounds very possible too. The way the engine behaves up to when it cuts off doesnt feel like its struggling to get there. Its like it hits a wall. We'll see anyway.

Originally Posted by byron

But on another note....do others get their Rangies revving to 5500-6000rpm???
Mine doesnt like going over 4000 ever and I usually never let it go over 3500.

SAME HERE!!!!.....those cars/engines MUST! be ahem, "improved"......all the RR's I've ever owned have never had the revs go above 4500 and in my city driving it NEVER goes above 3000, usually under 2500....generally I take off @ 1500 - a trafic light sprint is 2300.....highway is about 3000 with what passes for flat out overtaking limited to 4000-4500......what do others get/do?????

I'll tell you what though. At 6000 they sound great! Its all in the cam. I can't wait to swap over that engine.

Anyway, I think i've found the problem. Last night I washed the engine...and the usual problem I get with it not starting occured.

In the process of trying to get it going i sprayed some WD-40 down the guts of the distributer, where all the mecanical advance junk is...and a bit on the pushrod from the vacuum advance diaphragm.

Engine still didnt start, but soon found I got the plug that goes into the ignition module very wet. I took it out and hit it with some compressed air, plugged it in and it went first turn.

Anyway I took it for a drive and it revved out to 5000 easy. At this stage I can't tell if it fixed it properly (only got to test it twice), but I have a good feeling its done it.

I'm buggered if I know why I didnt think of spraying stuff down it before. Fuel for thought anyway.

Thanks for your input guys.