April Fool Gremlin. Advice please.

[mickeytwonames]

My birthday is on April 1 and inanimate objects have played as many tricks on me a animate ones. Yesterday was no exception. I was trundling long at 50 MPH when the engine grumphed and humphed and backfired several times- then all Ok for 10 miles or so and a repeat of the misfiring/backfiring which continued every so often all the way back home. The car never stopped but just lost a bit of power and them pulled away. The explosive/reports from the exhaust frightened the heck out of my dog who usually sleeps calmly on the back seat. Does anyone have any ideas? I have not taken her out since.

[bmcecosse]

Happy birthday.... The fact that it backfired tells us that raw fuel was pumped into the exhaust - and then the ignition came back to life, and ignited it! So - you are looking for a loose connection at the coil or dizzy - or perhaps inside the dizzy - the little 'low volts wire' - or if it's not anything simple like that - then full ignition inspection and perhaps overhaul is required. This is where a complete 'known good' dizzy is handy - just drop it in to check that fixes the problem - and then check/overhaul the one removed 'at leisure'. but DO in time put the original back on the engine - and keep the 'known good' one safe in the boot - for the next time!

[GBond]

As Roy said ignition is either failing or maybe if you're very lucky the distributor just came loose and the ignition is very retarded. Under partial acceleration the vacuum advance might get the engine to run seemingly OK but then when it falls back again you could be getting pre-ignition. (Have been having similar problems of my own lately)

[mickeytwonames]

Many thanks - will have a go - will get a replacement Dizzy and check the timing.

[bigease]

This is very similar to what mine did a couple of weeks back. Mine turned out to be the condenser.

[bmcecosse]

Yes - it's the 'usual suspect' if no loose connections found.

[katy]

Had that same problem once (on a Ford) and it was the coil. Imagine that!!

[bmcecosse]

But.......it's NEVER the coil ! May well have been dirty/loose connections at the coil...unwittingly resolved when fitting the new coil..