Rough running under load

[normanff1]

I bought a minor 1000 Traveller in January, 45 years after selling my first one, have enjoyed getting re-acquainted with the breed, and meeting fellow enthusiasts. All had been going well until about a week ago when I ran into deepish water late at night. once the car was on dry land the electrics were dried out, but with a dead battery the services of the AA were needed to get started again. The car then ran happily six miles home. Next day I started up again with no problem and drove into the garage. Three days later it was a pig to start and then misfired.

As further drying out failed to improve matters, I replaced the contact set, condensor and rotor arm (red) and also fitted a new battery. The car started immediately and appears to tick over with no problem, when attempting to drive and accelerate there is a lack of power and a misfire.

Any suggestions please?

[bmcecosse]

Plug leads on wrong order? .... 1342 anti-clock around the dizzy cap.

[normanff1]

Thanks for the suggestion, all appears OK there, took them off and replaced them one at a time and tick over is smooth.

[JOWETTJAVELIN]

How deep was the water? Perhaps some got into the fuel or something?

I would also be wary of water having possibly distorted some of the hot metal parts - hopefully unlikely but I've known a Jowett that cracked its block by going through a ford.

[bmcecosse]

If water was deep - it may have entered the cylinders - and bent the con-rods or damaged the pistons/rings...... Ask me how I know........

[tysonn]

How do you know?

[bmcecosse]

Head off - and if the pistons don't come to the tops of the bores...... But a compression test will tell all....

[normanff1]

The water was about 7inches deep,enough to surge and drown the electrics. The engine didn't hydraulic and turned over easily on the handle. Since replacing the dizzy bits it starts and ticks over with no problems, I can increase or decrease the idle speed with the adjusting screw, the misfire comes when I try to rev the engine on the throttle. I have a filter in the fuel line between the pump and carb, the fuel looks clear with no sign of water contamination.

[bmcecosse]

At 7" it 'could' get sucked up the exhaust pipe..but I doubt that's the problem. Try moving the dizzy while idling to get the best/smoothest setting. Also - remove the paper air filter, maybe it's saturated with water!

[normanff1]

The air filter is dry. I'll try moving the dizzy in the morning. Thanks

[bmcecosse]

Carb piston moving easily?

[normanff1]

Mystery solved! The misfire became worse and the car would not tick over. Nos. 3 & 4 cylinders were not firing at all and had no compression. Head off showed the gasket had failed between 3 & 4. new gasket, reset valve clearances and it sounds and performs like a Morris Minor again.

The problem had nothing to do with the water and was going to happen anyway.

Thanks for all your suggestions.[frame][/frame]

[bmcecosse]

Perhaps water found it's way in - and the 'weakest link' was the gasket. Better that than bent con rod. So be happy! I'm not a believer in coincidence....