Series IIA Engine Woes

[ArlowCT]

Remember the distributor rotates "anti-clockwise". I have fallen victim to this before.

[fbnksrover]

Okay.

Checked out the spark plug gaps. They seem to be properly gapped. Checked out the points gap on the distributor. It appears to be properly spaced. I have the CB Earth Connector grounded to the base plate screw. I think that is correct. Checked the carbon brush spring. It's there and working. I'm still convinved the plug wires from the distributor are not correctly set to the proper spark plug? The engine starts now, but fires a loud pop regularly, a lot like a backfire or loud, close gunshot. I attached a link to a video if anyone is following the drama.

Here's the result.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u3GSj...ature=youtu.be

[busboy]

As Arlow mentioned the distrib rotates anticlockwise it sounds like there is a couple of leads switched 1342 clockwise gives 1243 anticlockwise.

[fbnksrover]

Okay.

Had the leads all out of order. I rearranged them I believe in the right order. The engine started right up, idled for 3-4 minutes, and cut off. I tried to restart, no luck, waited a couple of minutes, and it started up again. I've been through this same cycle twice now. Any suggestions?

[SafeAirOne]

Set the plug gap to between .75 and .80, so should be okay?

Without consulting the book, .75-.80 seems a bit...enormous...for a spark plug gap to me.

EDIT: Nevermind--There was another whole page of posts I missed.

[fbnksrover]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u3GSj0ZN43Q

Getting better, but still not quite right.

[SafeAirOne]

The engine started right up, idled for 3-4 minutes, and cut off. I tried to restart, no luck, waited a couple of minutes, and it started up again.

When it's NOT starting back up, will it start for a second or two if you squirt a tiny bit of starting fluid down the carb? If so, you have a fuel problem. If not, you have an ignition problem.

[fbnksrover]

Okay. Started right up and idled or about 5 minutes. I did not add anything to it, and it did not seem as if it was going to cut off. I had to turn off the engine before the carbon monoxide alarm activated. One thing though: I had a brand new battery in the rover (less than 30 days old) and it's already discharged. I swapped it out with an older one (maybe 6 months old) and the vehicle started running. Any thoughts on what could have drawn the power from the new battery? It's been kept in a heated garage with the vehicle.

[SafeAirOne]

A bad alternator or regulator (battery not recharging)?

It's time to get a multi-meter and do some basic electrical troubleshooting--Nobody is going to be able to tell you what's wrong with your electrical system over the internet. It'll just be a bunch of guesses, like mine above.

[busboy]

If you have a spare coil try that as a bad coil would do what you are saying and could be your problem, if you don't have one it's always nice to carry a couple of spark plugs and leads even old ones, a coil and condenser. Also some years ago I chased a no start problem on mine, there was no rime or reason to it not starting, I eventually changed the fuel pump and it never did it again.