Engine troubles

[Asa-James]

Having loads of trouble with this car. Had a massive misfire after fitting a 1300 carb and cam, and after checking found the headgasket gone. Changed the headgasket, even put a new head on it, and it's still misfiring, but less than before. It's not a continuous misfire, and I've swapped spare plugs, leads and dizzy cap and it's made no diferrence. The engine is timed up, ignition timing is 6 degrees advance, and adding an extra earth to the engine makes no difference.

There's a complete lack of power, you can feel it holding back, and at low constant speed it stutters (seems to be ok ish at 40-50 +)

if I can't get it running right tonight to run it to work tomorrow, there's no way I'm going to take it to national weekend, so all help appreciated


1.2 8v carb'd

[Damo]

Are all the vachum pipes on etc.
With the engine running pull each lead off in turn an see which cylinder it is.

[Asa-James]

Pulling leads off makes no difference, and I've triple checked all vac lines

[Damo]

Pulling leads off makes no difference, and I've triple checked all vac lines

Hmm thats weird then what engine is it 1.2with 1.3carb and cam?

[Adam]

Give it more timing at idle.
6deg is fook all

DO you know anyone with a spare coil/dizzy you can try??

[Asa-James]

I've got a spare coil and dizzy(with fooked advance) might give them a quick go

[Adam]

Try coil first

[garyc]

check your cam timing marks line up properly.

[Asa-James]

Coil and dizzy no different, cam timing marks 150% line up

[mowgli]

stick the 1200 bits back on. cos the 1300 carb & cam won't do sod all except waste fuel

[Adam]

The 1300 cam is better, and the carb/inlet is a twin choke, so it will do SOMETHING

[mowgli]

The 1300 cam is better, and the carb/inlet is a twin choke, so it will do SOMETHING

the improvement will be almost a horsepower. and a carb set up to dump more fuel in & tbh is almost too big for a 1300 is a waste on a roadgoing 1.2

[Asa-James]

No time to stick the 1200 gubbins back on, added to the fact the cam has been launched and the carb butchered. Any other suggestions? Kinda desparate (and I was kinda hoping Guru Mowgli would post :))

[mowgli]

1. new plugs
2. leads on properly
3. rotor arm
4. coils do fail on these engines & cause loads of trouble
5. choke not set up
6. timing is way out??
7. advance retard is knackered, usually massively advancing the dizzy masks this..

i take it you still have the 1.2 dizzy on.
and pulling random leads off it doesn't alter the running..

[l1nuxxx]

Sorry if this is a **** suggestion but are the carbs set up properly? Could that cause this?

[Asa-James]

I'm running a 1.3 dizzy, have been for some time(before bit swap) and ran fine, using spare set of good codition plugs, tried spare leads and coil, only thing on your list was choke set up. I've taken the auto choke off and have it running a manual choke conversion kit, does his matter?

[mowgli]

if the choke is set up wrong, it will run flat.
was the carb off a runner?

is the carb gasket on tight, as a leak on the inlet makes it run shyte too

[mowgli]

heres a big question i forgot to ask, did it ever run right on this spec?

[burgo]

deffinetly wind more advance on. my 1.2 runs properly **** timed up "correctly", im about 10 degrees advanced of "correct"

[Asa-James]

No, it's only been up and running like this for a week or so. Carb is off my old engine, had a full strip and rebuild back end of last year and appears to be fuctioning fine (both butterflys open under load etc)

doesn't help my timing light has given up before me, might risk running it to work tomorrow and using decent quality timing light/co meters there

[mowgli]

get it there & get some fresh eyes on it.

[John]

Used the same lifters? if so i'd say a weak lifter.

[Asa-James]

old lifters and thrust pads with brand new rockers

[aaronc190]

would it be fouling it self up with to much fuel??