There I am trundling home last night from Driffield, about 30 miles from home, and burrt starts missing, popping, farting and backfiring, so switch from LPG to petrol, thinking it could be the LPG. No.... Petrol just as bad, and nicew flames out the back which scared a few drivers....
Pull over into a lay by and he dies. Whip the top off, check the dashpots on the carbs, fine, plenty of oil. Check for petrol and gas to the carbs, fine, fuel getting there, so must be ignition fault.
HT lead from the coil nice bright spark, but at the plugs getting a weak spark that is not firing every revolution. Dizzy cap off, all looks fine with the cap, so check the dual points in the dizzy, Gaps fine, and no pitting of the faces.
Phone the AA....
Some one will be with in the next 90 minutes. Great.... fewer patrols in the evening and at night, hence the longer wait. We'll put the vehicle down as a Series because we cant find 101 in our database....
Chuck the kettle on the hob, and set up the TV on the inverter and settle down.
AA Man turns up about 70 minutes later. I walk back to his vehicle and get in, explaining the symptoms. He cannot see burrt because of the show trailer behind him. I explain that the vehcile is the same engine as an early Rangie, so is nice and easy despite the vehicle unique.
He walks down, asks me to start it, agrees it is rough running. He locates the coil instantly, and then identifies the dizzy as not being the original one. Seems impressed with the dual points thing. Walks bac to his truck and gets a spare condenser. Temporaily fits it to the coil, instant improvement. Secures it with a self tapper and then asks me to come back to fill out the paperwork.
Hands over the book for me to sign, and I notice he has written "1 ton FC" in the model area. Ask him how he knew that it was known as the 1 ton. "I had 20 years of fixing these in the Army" 20 minutes of chatting later he seems mightily impressed with the camper conversion and the idea of comfort. He also shows the back boxes he is used to fitting because he can't remember the last time he fitted a condenser!!!!
me much impressed that he fixed it, as I thought it would be "I aint fixing that, I'll send for a flatbed"
There are some knowledgeable AA men out there, and I cant believe I got an ex squaddie to fix an ex MOD vehicle!!! Restored my faith in the AA ready for the 14th June when it is renewal day!