Firing on 4 cylinders

[rbonnett]

I learned today how well my 2.25 petrol will run on 3 cylinders! Pulling the plug wires, #3 popped right off the distributor after I pulled the other end off and was moving it out of my way. At least the rubber boot popped off - the metal connector was still in the distributor. These are some after market wires the PO put in. It looks to me like the connector was never even crimped down onto the wire!

I pulled the plugs - sure enough #3 was dripping wet with gas. I don't think it was ever firing. I 'borrowed' the wires from the 109 project engine. One of the other after market wires came apart taking it off the dizzy as well.

Other than a rough idle for the first 5 mins or so on a cold start, I've not noticed any running problems. I had been thinking maybe dirty/misadjusted carb issues. now that it has 4 good wires, even that has gone away. Just to see, I tried pulling the #3 wire off; my roughness came back and I lost about 100 RPMs - put it back and idle improved again.

I'm amazed how well it ran on 3 cylinders! I'm hoping for 25% better MPG now ;)

I'm not sure what I learned except to not take things for granted.

Oh yeah - the plugs are Bosch - they have two little ears instead of the normal L-shaped electrode. I'm replacing them cuz I have no idea if they are correct or how to gap them.

[scott]

i had a similar experience. a couple of years ago i notice that my 88 wasn't running as zippy as usual. i was busy and didn't bother lifting the bonnet for about 3 days. i just put up with it as it was. then after heading up a bit of a hill and pulling into a parking lot i leave it running get out and take a look. no 3 was disconnected at the plug and just throwing a spark against the block. running on 3 amazed me too.

[Nium]

I learned the hard way about 15+ years ago how not to adjust the valves. I adjusted the valves in Key West, Fla. drove Ronnie across country to Tempe, AZ noticed the rig seemed to lose power going thru Texas and would tend towards overheating, I chalked it up to all the butterflies coating the radiator. I swear I drove thru flocks of wee little butterflies I had to stop at one point to scrap them off the radiator. Months later in Tempe I finally did a compression check and found # 3 really low. Pulled the head and the exhaust valve was burned in half.

I finally did the compression check cause I couldn't get to the ski hill in Flagstaff, AZ from Tempe during a particularly heavy snowstorm and I didn't want to miss out on a skiing opportunity like that again.

It was a little advantageous I ended up putting in hardened valve seats along with new valves and all the fixings. Glad your problems could be fixed without having to do a valve job.

Just, it's odd that you guys problem was with # 3 too.

Cheers