spridgets
[Top] [All Lists]

Re: No power

To: spritenut@Exit109.com
Subject: Re: No power
From: pasgeirsson@juno.com (Paul A Asgeirsson)
Date: Sun, 13 Sep 1998 22:51:39 EDT
Cc: spridgets@Autox.Team.Net
References: <35FC75AC.D2378CB4@exit109.com>
Reply-to: pasgeirsson@juno.com (Paul A Asgeirsson)
Sender: owner-spridgets@Autox.Team.Net
One often overlooked area is the distributor advance mechanism.  It
frequently freezes up on cars or distributors that haven't been run
recently.  Take off the distributor cap and try to move the rotor counter
clockwise.  It should move and feel springy.  If it does, it's likely OK.
If it is, go look for other problems.  If it feels stuck, then pull off
the rotor and remove the screw underneath where it was.  Put in some
solvent, WD-40 or some similar penetrating, let it set a while then refit
the rotor and try rotating counter clockwise again.  Try to work it loose
without breaking the rotor.  If you're unable to break it loose, then
pull the distributor and remove the breaker plate, remove the slotted
drive assembly pin and drive, push out the distributor shaft assembly. 
Now take careful notes about which spring and which centrifugal weight on
the pins goes where and then work off the part that hold the rotor from
the main shaft.  Clean out the rust there and oil lightly.  Now, as all
the British manuals say, "assembly is the reverse of dis-assembly.

That screw under the rotor is where you are supposed to put ONE drop of
light oil every 1000 miles according to the service manual. Normally,
don't remove the screw. In reality, ONE drop every year or 10,000 mile is
more than adequate.  Just put the oil drop by the screw when the engine
is warm and it gets to where it should go just fine.

This is a little akin to Bill Cosby's approach to adding oil to the
engine.  "Just pour it all over the top of the thing, it's bound to get
someplace it's needed."

Paul Asgeirsson
Morriservice
9123 N Clarendon Ave
Portland OR 97213-2750
503-978-3998
PAsgeirsson@juno.com

On Sun, 13 Sep 1998 21:47:24 -0400 Frank Clarici <spritenut@Exit109.com>
writes:
>Motor heads and especially Racers
>
>I recently rebuilt a 1275, stock for the most part.
>This particular engine just does not seem to have the power of most
>1275s. I have had numerous 1275s and have rebuilt quite a few in the
>past. 
>After driving my Bugeye yesterday with the engine in question then
>driving my wife's Sprite today, both with stock 1275s only I do have a
>Weber DCOE on the Bugeye (I know it is not the carb since I swapped 
>out
>SUs trying to give the car more oomph)
>For some reason this engine just doesn't have what it should.
>Carb, timing, ignition, valves etc. are all in tune.
>My only thought would be cam timing. 
>Would a tooth off cam timing be really noticeable? or would it just 
>make
>the car feel like mine does? Just not quite right.
>Any thoughts, comments, or ideas?
>
>Not too critical as this engine is just a temp while the new 
>performance
>engine is STILL in the machine shop!
>-- 
>Frank Clarici
>Toms River, NJ
>Lots of LBCs
>http://www.exit109.com/~spritenut
>


<Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread>