Basically the car had developed a misfire (prior to which it was fine) and the electronic ignition was suspect, so it was put back to points and condenser.
Since then it seems to run and sound pretty good up to around 35/40mph. Beyond that is when the problems start.
Under any kind of load (i.e. even a slight uphill gradient) there is just no power beyond 40mph, and if going faster than that it’s an effort just to try and maintain speed. On anything more than a slight gradient it loses speed. It will pick up speed from a low speed going uphill, but not particularly well.
Furthermore. It sounds tappetty over 40mph under acceleration. Trying to go uphill at all over this speed and the engine sounds clatty. Best way I can describe it is like an old clatty diesel engine sound. It sounds pretty healthy to me at idle and when revved, and also pretty healthy and normal at low speeds.
On a flat motorway it’ll struggle to go beyond 50mph. It should be capable of cruising at 65/70mph.
I should add it’s a 1098cc engine mated to a Ford Type 9 ‘box. Both of which were professionally reconditioned and installed during an extensive restoration. They’ve done around 3,000 miles since (all of them until this issue trouble free).
So far...compression test was carried out and all cylinders had consistent and healthy pressure. If I remember correctly it was 20 bar, 190PSI. I’ve also checked no water is getting into the fuel system and all seems good.
The points have been replaced, the condenser has been replaced with a better quality one and the rotor arm has been replaced. The timing was then reset (unfortunately the marking teeth underneath are missing, making it more difficult). Despite trying several different dizzy angles around the Haynes given one the problem persists. It’s definitely a little advanced at the moment as it’s running on sometimes when switched off. It’s currently set to 12 degrees.
So I intend checking the valve clearances under the rocker cover (separate post, thanks for the help with that). I will set them to 12 thou initially and see how it goes (and perhaps then try 15 thou to compare performance and noise).
I’ve also ordered a new dizzy (25D), with the vacuum, from accuspark to eliminate the possibility of sticky advance weights or faulty vacuum. Once that’s on the timing will be done again and fingers crossed it’s solved.
Is there anything else that I could be missing here? If these measures don’t fix it, what next? Carburettor needle?
I’m new to all this and I’m learning as I go, any advice in layman’s terms would be appreciated.
Thanks
