My engine started to pop in the exhaust and lost power over a week ago.
its a single port 1600 engine with a BOSCH SVDA distributor with Pertronix points replacement which has been in the car for about 2-3 years..
I pulled the single carby down and found nothing, put it back on.. the same thing..
took the inlet manifold/heat risers off [along with fan shroud etc] and found nothing, replaced gaskets etc..
put it back together but the battery was Dead, not unexpected as its been connected to a battery charger for many months when not driving it.. lol

Now New battery, starts, idles first kick every time...
checked the fuel mixture etc... spark plug leads and rotor and coil all checked but replaced the coil anyway..

checked the timing with strobe timing lamp..
and number one only fires randomly at idle ..
fires once every 3-4 seconds - slower idle- worse it is..
strobe light works every time on no 2 cylinder lead.

I took the centre magnetic ring off the distributor shaft and fitted it back on [not sure whether its back where it was??]
still doing the same thing at idle, but its better.. nearly firing correctly at revs [about 90%+] of the time..

Do these magnetic rings lose some of their magnetic strength? or am I looking for something else??
maybe the pick up is now faulty??

anyway, its back to ignition points tomorrow.. lol
and see How I go...

OTHERWISE ITS SOMETHING ELSE????

LEE



screwdriver has been taken out of breather hose... lol

sorted lee.
you did have the power to sort this your self you know.

Thanks Barls

I knew You could do it but wasn't sure how.
I didn't want to have to rewrite this post

thanks

LEE

well

I took the spark plug out of number one and cleaned it
and put it back in...
was still missing at idle but perfect at revs

so, I tightened the distributor clamp and its idling OK Now

I had also wiped out the inside of the distributor cap with
CRC electrical cleaner

so it looks like the distributor clamp was at fault ???
when it was loose??

Yet it has to be loose to be able to time the distributor..

never ever had that problem before..

LEE

but did you clean the dizzy cap at the same time? tracking in the cap is more likely an explanation as a wobbly dizzy would just give uneven idle and not a miss.

Hi
the missing at idle still occurred after I cleaned the distributor cap
I cannot see any reason why it would miss on number one cylinder ONLY at idle.. but at 8 degrees BTDC
move it to 15 -20 degrees BTDC and it was OK.. ???

talk about strange??

I haven't been game enough to take it for a drive as yet...

but its idling fine now with the clamp tightened..?

LEE

I MUST drive it... I MUST drive it... lol

As I said in the email reply, REPLACE the sparkplug with a NEW one

OK Matt
I don't have any new plugs but will try an old Bosch plug

I have replaced the Pertronix kit with a condenser and New points .. I can't time it as the timing light doesn't work at all on Number one cylinder

also Have fitted a New Dizzy cap and rotor
and tried another spark plug lead on number one...
still nothing...

thanks Matt... if its simple as another spark plug...

I should have guessed as I know a new plug always fixes a lawn mower..
and cleaning the old plug is usually not worth the effort...

cheers

LEE - this one really has Me stumped..??

Engine still starts easily and idles but pops now and then at revs.. it doesn't sound like its going on 3 cylinders
More like 3 1/2 cylinders... but it does vary... LEE

and as My timing light is not working at all on number one...
was ready to throw it away but I couldn't find My spare timing light, so I tried number 2 and it worked perfectly..
LEE