Hi Fred,
That's great info, I didn't realize that..... I have push started the healey
in the past, when it didn't have enough juice... but it must have taken a 12
volt charge once it started.
Unfortunately, for this problem, the battery is new, and fully charged. I
have some other suggestions I have not checked yet, and will let the list
know...
David W. Jones
'62 Mk II BT7 tricarb
Cumberland, RI USA
----- Original Message -----
From: Fred Wescoe
To: davidwjones ; Blue One Hundred
Cc: healeys@autox.team.net
Sent: Tuesday, June 07, 2005 10:35 AM
Subject: Re: Breaking down under load
David,
You have gotten a lot of good advice from knowledgeable people, on this
list, on this subject. I have also gained a lot from their knowledge over
the past years.
I had many of your same symptoms several years ago. Particularly breakdown
under load. After working on the car all day and getting no where, I had
trouble restarting the car, the starter cranked slowly. I decided to put
the car on the battery charger and call it quites for the day.
The next day, the car started instantly and ran beautifully. It ran
beautifully for a day or so and then the same symptoms again. Just out of
curiosity, I checked the battery and sure enough, it was low (9 volts). I
returned it to the charger and once again things were fine.
I had the battery checked and found that it was not holding a full charge
and I replaced it. Things were and have been fine since then.
I know this is going to sound too easy but check your battery before going
further. Unless the battery is at full charge, and maintaining a full
charge, the ignition will not receive full electrical power, even after you
have it running. This is true whether you have a generator or alternator.
I have an alternator and thought that once the car started, everything was
getting full power. Not so. I am told that the battery is given the full
charge of the alternator/generator to maintain a full level of charge. The
alternator/generator charges the battery and the battery actually supplies
the voltage to the car. If the battery will not maintain a full charge, the
battery, via the regulator, continues to accept the full charge of the
alternator/generator. When this condition exists, there is less than full
voltage available, thru the battery, to the rest of car.
With lower voltage, the car has a reduced voltage thru the coil and thus a
reduce spark. At lower speeds this doesn't matter much and is OK. At
higher speeds or under load, the strength of the spark is still the same as
at the lower level and you have a misfire. You need a battery at full
charge to have a full spark at the coil. You problem might be a low
battery.
This might be an answer for your problem.
Fred
63 BJ7
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