My 74 TR6 recently died by the roadside and was towed to reputedly one of the
best TR mechanics in the area ( recommended by a list member who shall remain
unnamed, though all other work I had done there was excellent-25 years in the
LBC/exotic Foreign car business). Symptoms were sudden rough running, no power
then finally engine died. Got it started, and it did it again a couple of
hundred yards down the road. Did it again for the final time. Lots of fuel odor.
( couldn't check under the hood real time for odor source because the @*&*%$@
bonnet latch cable broke during this episode.)
Diagnosis was filthy disigusting gas tank, which was sent out to be boiled, all
new filters, cleaned the pump out and the Weber DGV's ( only about 1,000 miles
on them at best) disassembled, cleaned out, reassembled. They got it all back
together and it runs terribly, it will idle but as RPMs gain, it comes apart
getting rougher. Running so rich it puts the Hydrocarbon thingie right off the
meter. They've replaced plugs, points, condenser, coil and put it on a scope and
report a perfect charge and the spark going off at correct timing point. They've
bypassed the gas tank altogether and have it on a gas IV to be sure the fuel is
pure and clean. They tore down, cleaned and reassembled and tuned the carbs
again and still can't get the rich and rough problem to go away. Its been
compression tested at about 85-90% of book. They claim that distributor gear etc
checks out as OK .BTW it was running beautifully just prior to the incident-a
little rich but strong and smooth.
Their theories: Carbs have a blockage so deep no one can find it or get it out,
or , coincidentally, the cam timing went out in a freak cascade of events. They
look to the excessive richness as the symptom of the problem, whatever it is.
They admit to being about as stumped as they have ever been.
Here's the questions ( sorry it took so long to get to this point):
1. Does anyone in the Boston area have a set of carbs. Webers or ZS's or any
others known to be in good working order that could be loaned to them or me to
test if the problem is truly being caused by fuel/carburation system. ( their
idea to save the mounting costs to me by avoiding the cost of looking for cam
timing problem). As a recently initated LBC owner, I have no immediate personal
network for such things but am learning the fast of its value. Will make a deal
as needed.
2. Any secrets to determining if cam timing has slipped other than tearing off
the front of the engine to have a look-see.
3. Any other ideas?
This has been going on for longer than it should.. It's dragged on further as
they got stiffed by a promised TR6 loaner for a carb swap that never
materialized. I'm in great pain!
Spring is here and I don't have my baby....please help ( whine).
Thanks, listers.
Keith Ehrlich
74 TR6 CF21812U trying to become a daily driver
|