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[TR] TR4A - First Breakdown Update - Need Help Badly

To: triumphs@autox.team.net
Subject: [TR] TR4A - First Breakdown Update - Need Help Badly
From: "G.D. Huggins" <guy@genfiniti.com>
Date: Fri, 27 Jan 2012 18:05:07 -0600
All,

Last week I reported that I experienced my very first on the road breakdown.
While driving along one day I came behind some slow traffic, turned off the
OD, and changed lanes.
When I got back on the gas I heard a loud noise, and the car would not rev.
I could not troubleshoot then because my starter was shorted.

The engine was rebuilt by yours truly, and had run well for the first 1100
miles.

I ordered a new starter from British Starters and got in installed last night.
I am very impressed with it.
This afternoon I set about getting the engine back up, and it still will not
rev.
Here's my list of tasks and observations..

1. I am running a new Pertronix drop-in dizzy
2. Spark plugs, coil and wires are all new.  I replaced the spark plugs and
coil out of hope they might be the cause of weak spark.
3. Fuel pump is working..well
4. I turned over on the starter, no bad or strange noises (clanging or
banging) heard.  Fuel pressure shoots up.
5. Camshaft is turning, actuating everything (dizzy turns, push-rods going up
and down, etc.)
6. Valves are opening and closing just fine
7. I have spark at the plugs
8. I have compression in the cylinders (150 psi), although #4 was 10 psi
higher than the others
9. It will start.. barely.  It idles very weakly, very rough for a bit and
just dies.
10. I'll give it a little bit of throttle.  It does not rev.. mainly just
kills the engine
11. When it dies, I can hear the sound of pressure escaping a cylinder
12. I pull the plugs, all are wet with oil, but they have been from the
beginning.  A couple of times I had exhaust follow the plug on #1
13. Twice I got backfire through a carb
14. Exhaust has what looks to be wet soot shooting out the back, but they have
been doing this from the beginning

I figured it dies when I give it gas because it is flooding, because there is
not a strong enough spark to ignite the mixture.
I figure the plugs are wet with oil because the rings have not yet set, and
the "wet soot" is just a mixture of exhaust soot with condensation that
collect in the pipes.

For all my life I want this to be a spark issue, because that is what makes
the most sense.  But the spark test (pull a plug and hold it against the block
while cranking) looks good, so that casts spark into doubt.

Does anyone have any wisdom to offer?

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