Thread: Possible Distributer problem

Originally Posted by timberwolf_302

When driving the Rangie aggressively, it usually won't rev beyond 4000...it misfires and pops, kinda behaving like a rev limiter, but alot more rough.

Occasionally it will rev right out to 5500, like it normally should. Then next time I rev it out it will revert back to cutting out at 4000. Sometimes it won't even get past 3000!

Needless to say, its giving me the sh*ts, especially when off road.

Its an electronic ignition (Pirahna fired). If I was to guess what the problem was I'd say it was a mechanical issue in the distributer...but I dunno.

I am wondering if anyone else here has had this kind of problem..and of course how do I rectify it?

Ok bear with me . had this problem on a rangie and found out after alot of changing stuff. It was the air filters. So have a look at them first


second point why do you have (what us poms call ) the flying ar**hole as a logo

I would start at checking your vac advance unit and the mechanical advance springs and weights in your dizzy. See how that goes. Could be a few other things as well, but its a start.
Do you still run the twin strombergs??? Check the diaphrams for splits too.

Originally Posted by Reads90

Ok bear with me . had this problem on a rangie and found out after alot of changing stuff. It was the air filters. So have a look at them first


second point why do you have (what us poms call ) the flying ar**hole as a logo

Well, it shouldnt be the Air filters, as they are only 500km old.

And as for the logo, (I am familiar with the flying ar**hole nickname) Im just showing my liking for Leyland products...in spite of their sometimes sh*tful quality. I quite like the Leyland logo anyway...ignoring its comparason to an ar**hole.

I'll probably update my avatar when i get bored with it one day.

Originally Posted by V8Hybrid

I would start at checking your vac advance unit and the mechanical advance springs and weights in your dizzy. See how that goes. Could be a few other things as well, but its a start.
Do you still run the twin strombergs??? Check the diaphrams for splits too.

Yeah, Im running the twin Strombergs. I do plan to put a new kit in them soon (they keep running out of oil in the pots every 500km or so)...but a few months ago when they were on my other Rangie, they allowed the engine to rev to 6500(thanks to cam), before valve bouncing. So I'm pretty sure I can isolate this problem to the distributer.

I'll definitely be looking at the advance devices then.

Thanks guys.

Check dizzy cap(cracks/worn), rotor button (worn), plugs and leads etc
Proberbly something simple like that, if that fails maybe carbs and just a thought fuel pump or filter could even be half blocked pickup in fuel tank.

You had the sender out not long ago, was it cleanish inside no rust or anything??

Originally Posted by rangie83

Check dizzy cap(cracks/worn), rotor button (worn), plugs and leads etc
Proberbly something simple like that, if that fails maybe carbs and just a thought fuel pump or filter could even be half blocked pickup in fuel tank.

You had the sender out not long ago, was it cleanish inside no rust or anything??

The cap is good. I swapped it also from the other car to check that. Rotor button appears to be good also, its clean and doesnt look worn. I'll check plugs and leads today.

The fuel filter is brand new...one of the things I changed to try to solve this problem...made no difference. The sender pickup is also clean, and no rust in tank.

I can't imagine it being the carbs, as when they were on the other car, in the same condition as they are now, the engine was able to rev to 6500 everytime.

When it is being driven now, at around 4000 (usually) it sounds like its dumping plenty of fuel in but its not keeping up with the spark. It shoots out flames from exhaust (according to witnesses) and backfires.

What I don't understand is why it occasionally revs right out to 5500...what changes in it to allow it.

I'll be checking the plugs and leads anyway...eliminate it from my enquirys.

Originally Posted by timberwolf_302

When it is being driven now, at around 4000 (usually) it sounds like its dumping plenty of fuel in but its not keeping up with the spark. It shoots out flames from exhaust (according to witnesses) and backfires.

What I don't understand is why it occasionally revs right out to 5500...what changes in it to allow it.

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.

I had a similar problem with the Rangie when I first got it. I to the distributor into a Performance Ignition (I think thats what they are called) and the eventually found that it was the weights on the mechanical advance that had worn and had almost fallen off. This is why I was getting inconsitent results.
Maybe check you timing because another symptom of this is that the car will only run with massive advanced timing.
It ended up a cheap fix at only $100 for a fix and recondition.

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.