Have you checked for spark on all the leads? Maybe I missed that part of
the message, I'm not sure. I have a 64 Spit that was stored for 25 years
and wouldn't start due to ignition problems, had to replace the coil because
it was missing ($18), checked for spark coming out of the coil and moved on
from there. Still no spark on the plug end, checked the distributor and
internals, found a bad condenser and replaced the points as a precaution.
The thing fired up less than 30 seconds later! Pep Boys (and I assume just
about any car parts place) sells this great spark tester that you just
cradle the plug wires in and crank the motor (gas or not is up to you), the
tester has an ultra-low voltage LED that will light from the millivolts that
leak through the casing in the plug wires, I was skeptcal about it at first,
but the thing works amazingly well...I recommend getting one.
Check your individual wires for spark before you go nuts here, you could
waste alot of money chasing your tail, if you buy the tester and everything
is ok, then you have wasted about $5 on a very useful tool and can move on,
certain that you are getting spark into the combustion chanber.
Is your fuel pump pulling gas?
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-spitfires@autox.team.net
[mailto:owner-spitfires@autox.team.net]On Behalf Of Craig Smith
Sent: Wednesday, September 06, 2000 11:38 AM
To: 'Flinthoof Ponypal'; spitfires
Subject: RE: Fuel. Check. Fire. Fire. Hello, Fire?
Ok my guess.
Check the button in the center of the cap, I had a new cap that the center
carbon thingy broke.
Then check the gap on the rotor button metal piece. I don't remember the
exact gap maybe .95 or .095.
-----Original Message-----
From: Flinthoof Ponypal [mailto:Flinters@picarefy.com]
Sent: Wednesday, September 06, 2000 10:11 AM
To: spitfires
Subject: Re: Fuel. Check. Fire. Fire. Hello, Fire?
At 07:37 AM 9/6/2000 -0500, Richard B Gosling wrote:
>
>Stupid question - you've tried replacing the plug wires - have you tried
> replacing the spark plugs themselves? If no current passes along the HT
lead,
> the timing light won't light, even if the HT lead is live (I think).
Although
> if it was dud plugs, then you shouldn't get a spark between the HT lead
and
> the cap when you hold them close (which you have tried if I read your
message
> right).
>
Replaced plugs. I also have extras that I can plug into a lead to check
the intensity of a spark at the end of the plug wire itself.
>If you simply had the leads connected wrongly, the timing light would still
> function, since the plugs would still spark, just at a rather useless
moment.
> Cylinder no.1 is the one at the front (nearest the radiator) - the only
> confusion I've ever come across on labelling convention is on V engines
(some
> do one bank, then the other, some count from front to rear back and forth
> between the banks - working for an engine design consultancy we get all
sorts
> of customers!). All 4-cyl engines I've ever seen fire 1-3-4-2.
>
Double checked and confirmed it's hooked up correctly. Even took a
picture:
http://jarmac.picarefy.com/spitfire/projects.html
>My knee-jerk reaction in this sort of situation is to go down to Halfords
(UK
> equivalent of Pep Boys, I would guess), and spend 20 quid (30 bucks) on
brand
> new plugs, HT leads, rotor, cap, and maybe even points and condenser.
Then
> you KNOW, for sure, that everything is good. It just removes some of the
> uncertaincy from the process - it will either cure it, or rule out all
those
> possibilities, either way worth the money, and all those parts should be
> replaced on a regular basis anyway.
Money's tight right now, but I know how tempting it is to do exactly
that.
So I used used parts from my stock pile of components, but test each one
before installation. Some items like cap and rotor had less than 10
minutes running time on them on a previous engine so they are doing well.
My next step is to confirm the timing is set correctly- it's always
possible something got bumped and it's now off on the distributor.
-Vegaman Dan
-68 Spitui!
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