David,
Sounds to me like a timing problem. Could be in the timing chain or cam
setup. Distributor could also play a roll. Have you checked the
obvious "Broken distributor cap" possibility?
Joe
David Gates wrote:
>
> List,
>
> In the last week or two I finally found some time to work on my second
> Spitfire ('78). I'm starting to find myself rather stuck on this one
> though. It starts but is extreemly rough, then usually quits within 5-10
> seconds. It appears that only the number 1 cylinder is firing. The other
> three exhaust pipes are cold and the plugs are wet. All 4 plugs are
> sparking according to the little spark tester (looks like a sparkplug with
> a clear body so you can see the spark). The engine I pulled from a
> different car ('76) and has not been running (correctly) in the '78 yet,
> but it did run in the '76. Sometimes when it quits a port on the front of
> the ZS carb angled at a 45 degree angle upward shoots a small burst of
> exhaust smoke. This really tripped me out. I have never seen a carb do
> that. I know that my manifold gasket needs replacement bacause there is
> some exhaust leakage comming from there. I just don't see how a small leak
> in this gasket could cause 3 cylinders not to fire at all.
>
> Despite the fact that I have spark on all four wires, I am a little suspect
> of the distributor. Mainly because it is different from the one originaly
> on the engine. It is electronic, the original was points. I think I will
> get a kit for it (rotor, cap, wires) and see if that helps any. I will
> also put a new manifold gasket on. Apart from that does anyone have any
> other ideas that might help out?
>
> Thanks as always,
> David Gates
> Hawaii
--
"If you can't excel with talent, triumph with effort."
-- Dave Weinbaum in National Enquirer
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