First time the TR3 has failed me! And it was something very unexpected.
My in-laws were visiting last weekend, so I took my father-in-law for a ride
in our TR3. Cruised about ten miles along the coast to Santa Barbara, along
the harbor, up State Street - when the engine starts not idling very well.
Thought maybe I had fouled a plug (we had been just idling along in traffic
at the beach and State Street.) Headed home along a back route past the
Mission where I could open it up and blow out what ever was causing the
problems.
Part way up the hill it was three cylinders, then two, then instantly -----
nothing. After checking fuel then finding no spark, ask to use the phone at
a house ("why, we used to have a '57 TR3 way back.........you meet the
nicest people!) After a flatbed tow home, started looking into the problem
this week.
After thinking it was the coil, then the dizzy cap, found the problem:
IT WAS THE ROTOR!!! I measured the rotor from the metal contact to the
spring that holds the rotor to the shaft, and found about 75Kohms of
resistance, which is enough to ground out your spark. It had developed a
crack or something from the metal contact on top which carries the high
voltage to the distributor shaft, which of course is grounded to the engine.
That is what killed my spark.
Car running great again.
Frank
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