OK - I'll try to take the prize for asking a very silly question:
Are you ABSOLUTELY sure that the spark plug wires are connected to the
correct cylinders ???
I beat my head against a wall for 3 months with a TR3 engine with no balls
at all. It seemed to run OK but it just had no power at all and it
overheated. I tried timing, carbs, compression, etc etc etc.....
Turned out I had two spark plug wires switched.
Or... if that doesn't pan out...
Any chance that they got your rebuild 180" out ???
Date: Mon, 1 Aug 2005 11:06:10 -0400
> From: "Randy Joles" <rjoles@ameritech.net>
> Subject: Spit Running Problem - Help!
>
> Hello,
> My '65 Spit is having problems. A little history first.....I
> originally had a Herald 1147 engine in the car. Thought it would be a good
> idea to have an actual Spit engine, so I had one rebuilt that I just had
> sitting around. When I first put it in the car, it didn't run great, but I
> put that down to the 'newness' of the engine and it was drivable. Now,
> about 2000 miles later, it is getting worse and worse. It had NO power
> going up hills but would pull OK on flat roads. Then it got to the point
> that it was difficult to get to speed on flat roads.
> Yesterday, I started with a compression check (115 across the
> board). Since 90% of carb problems are ignition, I set my sights on the
> ignition system. First, I put in new plugs (no change). Then, new points
> and condenser (no change). Next, new cap and rotor (no change). Then, new
> coil (no change). Set timing at each of the three different settings I
> found in various books (no change) (17btc, 13btc, 8btc).
> Well, it seemed that the ignition was not the problem, so I moved on
> to the carbs. First, I thought that there might be a leak in the intake,
> so
> I put in a new manifold gasket, new gaskets on the carb spacers (both
> sides)
> (no change). Next, I re-centered the jets (no change). When I would try to
> set the mixture, no matter what I did, the front carb seemed to be spewing
> fuel and the rear had very little. I checked the bowls and there was an
> equal amount of fuel in each. These carbs were purchased (new) as being
> for
> the Spit, but they were actually for a Midget when I received them. They
> worked fine on the Herald engine. I took a set of Spitfire carbs (from the
> engine originally), put in new needles and throttle shafts and installed
> them (no change).
> Now when I drive the car, anything over about 1/4 throttle has no
> effect. As you can imagine, this gets me nowhere fast. The mixture setting
> on the carbs seems to have no effect. I'm at my wits end - maybe the car
> would make a good planter?
> One more thing is that it seems to be running hotter than normal.
> When the guy re-built it he was unsure of the cam timing, but I set it by
> the factory book so I think that's OK. Does anybody have any ideas to save
> me before my wife kills me?
>
> Thanks,
> Randy Joles
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