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Re: Rough idle

To: Ben Bacon <Ben@HEI-KC.com>
Subject: Re: Rough idle
From: Vic Whitmore <vicwhit@home.com>
Date: Wed, 03 Nov 1999 09:40:16 -0500
Re: engine missing

Is there any wear in the distributor? If the shaft wobbles, the point gap will
change. If so, you have two choices: fix/replace the distributor or change to
electronic (e.g. Pertronix Ignitor or Crane).

Vic Whitmore
76 Spitfire
Thornhill, Ontario

Ben Bacon wrote:
> 
> Greetings All
> My engine has had a slight rough idle ever sense it was brought back to
> life.  It acted like a burnt valve.  I did a tissue test at the tail pipe
> and observed it being pulled in during the miss.  Well, I did a compression
> test last night.  Turns out the engine is tight.  All cylinders were reading
> at 115-118 PSIG.  #1 was 115, #2,3 &4 were 118.  So it does not appear to be
> a burnt valve after all.  The PO had removed all the emission stuff some
> time in the past.  The air rail tubes were cut and brazed at the head.  I
> want to replace the air rail nuts at the cylinder head with plugs.  Anyone
> have the thread data and or source.
> 
> I'm going to check the manifolds for leaks.  Carb mixture appears to be dead
> on based on spark plug conditions.  Now the spitfire is a 79  federal but
> the engine is an 80 California model.  Timing is set for 10 degrees BTDC  I
> tried setting the timing for 2 degrees ATDC per CA standards, but the engine
> ran rough, so I set it back to 10 BTDC.  Any other ideas on whats causing
> the miss.  Could the timing gears be off a tooth.  I have not replaced the
> spark plug wires yet, but was planing on it.  Any ideas.
> 
> Also, when I let up on the gas I get some noise from the rear end.  This
> only happens when there's no load on the drive shaft and after the car is
> running for 15 -20 minutes. The drive shaft is an 80 model with the CV joint
> at the front.  When I first started driving the car I had some noise from
> the rear, when going around a turn at speed, generally from the un-weighted
> wheel.  After I replaced the half shaft differential oil seals and outer
> diff bearing the noise went away.  The rack and pinion gear has about 10-15
> degrees of play in it. I assume that the noise  is probably the U-joints
> talking to me. Or do I need to think about a Diff. Overhaul.
> 
> Your Thoughts?
> 
> Thanks
> 
> Ben Bacon
> 79 spitfire (Daily Driver and primary means of transportation).

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