Help. Can't get the engine in my Hood to run for more than 5 miles without breaking down. Its a Pinto engine & I've been trying to fix
this for ages. Fitted a new ignition coil & amplifier over the winter, but no joy...
Big Dave
Far to vague, what’s the symptoms?
que hellfire & co
sounds like a fueling problem from your description.
or carb icing
Chaps, Starts to run really rough,will only accelerate, then with a big puff of smoke from the carb stalls. Will usually restart after a few mins,
but will only do this 2 or 3 times before a tow home is required.
Engine is a 2.1 Pinto Vulcan unit 38 Dgas carb
Coil, fuel pump, fuel filter are all new
Should have said that engine had these symptoms before new parts were fitted.
How do I check for card icing?
it is likley to be one of two things:
1. ignition
2. fuel.
by doing simple tests when engine has stopped running can narrow it down - see any haynes manaul for trouble shooting electrics and fuel - too much
for me to go over.
have you checked you have a spark when broken down?
will engine stop runing when not driven?
is fuel getting to the engine?
if you remove fule filler, does it hiss? (would indicate not vented thus preventing fuel getting to carbs)
and so on etc.
It wont be carb icing. I have a very similar set up and even in the coldest weather this year (and last) have not experienced icing. Mine starts
easily even with the choke unit removed from my 38DGAS.
Have you checked the timing advance? I have also experienced a puff from the carb when i was messing with advance settings. IIRC it happened when i
advanced it too much at idle. Try 10deg at 900rpm or so and see if that makes it better.
Is your head modified? If so how and what cam?
Was the carb from a RS2000 or V6? Do you know if it was jetted properly for a 2.0?
Last year i did have terrible problems with the ignition. Was a real b@st@rd to trace. It turned out to be the ignition amplifier, a brand new
intermotor unit failed, since swapped for 2nd hand motorcraft and no more troubles (i also mounted on large ali panel for heatsink). More recently i
have had a suspected coil break down. Ive now switched to MJLJ. My ignition was the early sierra electronic (inductive).
Just out of curiosity - you arent using a hall effect electronic dizzy are you? Has the car ever ran right or just started its troubles?
mate if you put a location in your profile
someone close by mite pop round a lend a hand
The more i read your posts the more it sounds like the same that happened to me with ignition amp. Of course i dont know yet what ignition system you
are using.
Mine first started to fail on way to Stoneleigh last year. I wrongly diagnosed the problem as heat soak evaporating the fuel. I always had to wait a
few minutes with bonnet off, once cooled down car would start and run. Eventually it stopped after shorter and shorter distances then nothing at all.
Changed the amp - sorted.
Im assuming you have enjoyed your car on the road for some time and this is a new fault - ie not something that has never been fixed.
quote:
Originally posted by d mac2b7
Chaps, Starts to run really rough,will only accelerate, then with a big puff of smoke from the carb stalls. Will usually restart after a few mins, but will only do this 2 or 3 times before a tow home is required.
Engine is a 2.1 Pinto Vulcan unit 38 Dgas carb
Thanks for the prompt replies
This is not a recent problem. Have only managed 870miles since finished build in 2003!! I have the Sierra inductive ignition and have changed the amp
and the coil, but no joy. The amp in on a large alum plate, with heatsink paste, so hopefully its not it. The only thing I have not changed is the
dissy. Could it be the bob weights sticking? The cap and rotor arm were new in 2003! The lead were new last year!!
Oh I'm in Glasgow, South Side
DarrenW, Read your post a while a go about changing the amp. Thought I was sorted!!
I am also running a 2.1 pinto with 38 dgas i had problems with mine found that 1 of the mixture screws was wrong, changed it and play with the mixture
didn't use anything to set it up did it by ear.
Think i turned both screws right in then out by a 1 and half turns each, then try and start it if it won't start another quarter turn on each
keep doing this process then when it starts try reving it if it miss then turn another quarter eventually it should rev smoothly, well it worked for
me.
Richard
Here is a good guide on setting the 38DGAS if it helps.
http://www.redlineweber.com/html/Tech/38_dgas_tunning.htm
While I suspect this is fuel related before doing anything next time it cuts out check you have a spark --- work out was wrong using logic not the
change everything in sight approach.
Is the fuel tank properly vented ? -- try removing the pertol cap when it stalls.
Also have you checked there is no free floating debris in the tank that could block the tank suction. ?
[Edited on 11/4/07 by britishtrident]
Tank has a vent fitted,(cant get any fuel in without the vent!!) although I have not removed the cap after it stops, there is always fuel in the filter before the carb when it stops. Have emptied the tank recently and have fitted a new gauge sender and filler pipe over the winter , so had a check for debris.
quote:
Originally posted by d mac2b7
Coil, fuel pump, fuel filter are all new
from what I have read it sounds like a temperature or fuel tank problem.
Drive around near home so its not far to tow back, until it stops, then remove the fuel cap and try it again.
If that doesn't work, carry a spare ignition amp out with you, when it stops, plug the other one in, and do the same with the coil.
both coil and amp are common temperature related intermittent problems, especially coil.
NEVER assume that any new bits are good, I have fitted new but faulty plug leads (Bosch at that) several times, and it doesn't help fualt finding
one bit!
Discovered that the ign amp was not sitting flush against an alum plate being used as a heat sink. I have moved the amp altogether, but had to
lenghthen the 6 wires that connect it. Now I've made it worse. Much worse. Managed to nearly weld the +ve coil connector to the body when I
turned the ignition on( checking out continuity).
Now it won't start at all. Engine turns over. I get a spark. Engine only "pop pops" but does not fire. I seem to be getting all the
volts required at the amp. Worried I have damaged something else now. Help
quote:
Originally posted by d mac2b7
Discovered that the ign amp was not sitting flush against an alum plate being used as a heat sink. I have moved the amp altogether, but had to lenghthen the 6 wires that connect it. Now I've made it worse. Much worse. Managed to nearly weld the +ve coil connector to the body when I turned the ignition on( checking out continuity).
Now it won't start at all. Engine turns over. I get a spark. Engine only "pop pops" but does not fire. I seem to be getting all the volts required at the amp. Worried I have damaged something else now. Help
I've only had the dissy cap off. Not the actual leads. Can the cap go on 180degs out?
The cap is keyed to fit one way only.
What is very easy to do is to line up the TDC markers on the crank pulley on the wrong stroke, thus when you refit the dizzy etc to align the rotor
arm to the notch you have the timing 180 deg out.
To rectify you get the cam sprocket almost aligned, rotate crank pulley to correct timing mark (eg 8deg or so BTDC) and then check rotor arm is
aligned correctly. If it is pointing wrong direction (ie 180deg out), pull the dizzy out and replace half a turn round.
Cap is on the right way. Compression on no1 spark plug hole lines up with notch on dissy/no1 lead and 12° btdc mark on bottom pulley. Dizzy has not
been moved since it ran last week. Plugs are wet with petrol. Its got to be something to do with the ignition amp!!( or wiring of )
quote:
Originally posted by d mac2b7
Cap is on the right way. Compression on no1 spark plug hole lines up with notch on dissy/no1 lead and 12° btdc mark on bottom pulley. Dizzy has not been moved since it ran last week. Plugs are wet with petrol. Its got to be something to do with the ignition amp!!( or wiring of )
1) Do you have points? Guessing not if you have an amp but if you do then this is a typical symptom of the points gap closing up...
Andy,
If the 4legged thing has moved, is it easy to move it back???? How do i know its in the correct position??
quote:
Originally posted by d mac2b7
Andy,
If the 4legged thing has moved, is it easy to move it back???? How do i know its in the correct position??
Cheers Andy, will check it out.