Getting sparks to the spark plugs

Is this a wind-up?

Yes, probably.

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The overall view is tending towards the trolly not wally end of the spectrum

...and how about this bit:

???

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Actually - that's about the first bit of sense he's talked. I had trouble with a Maestro not running properly some years ago and it was only as night fell along with my hair that I could see the blue glow from along two of the leads.

No it's not! This really is happening!

On which planet?

After a long damp windy MGP week on the dockside at Heysham my Bluebird was reluctant to start so we towed it until it was running on

1 or 2. Popped the bonnet and my mate got out. My mate reported "there were sparks everywhere" so he zapped one with a can of WD40! Lit up like the gas flare on Morecambe bay gas platform. His face was a picture of startled horror.

-- Peter Hill Spamtrap reply domain as per NNTP-Posting-Host in header Can of worms - what every fisherman wants. Can of worms - what every PC owner gets!

New leads?

LOL!

I can imagine :-)

With my previous leads and plugs the sparks were going along ALL of the leads and there were rings of sparks around the sparkplugs, going to the engine! If it looks the same tonight then I think I'll order some Magnecor leads. I just had a look and tried moving the leads (with a wooden stick!) with the engine running, but it didn't make any difference. I think the plugs may be dead :-( If they are then this is going to be expensive.

The misfiring is a lot louder now, but it's not as frequent under load (ie. it almost stopped when my cooling fan came on). The car's really gutless though. The misfiring sounds like somebody's covering up the end of the exhaust for about half a second and then releasing it. The noise is probably identical to that and it happens about once every second.

This is happening and it's causing me a lot of grief. It's not funny!

Why?

You do realise that if you hadn't bought an underpowered shopping trolley in the first place you wouldn't be having nearly as many problems, don't you?

Peter

I don't think anyone's actually laughing or thinking this is funny Peter, but you're coming out with some strange shit my man. And even now you seem reluctant to throw this car at a competent recommended mechanic to sort it out?

Top tip: car ownership costs money.

Another top tip: there's no need to buy really expensive spark plug leads - just get some decent ones that actually work. You're not tuning the engine to the limit where each fraction of a bhp helps, you just need the car to work on spec, as it left the factory - Fiat certainly didn't fit Magnecor leads. You didn't buy some of these DIY plug lead kits did you?

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Fixed it at once.

It's going to be expensive because the plugs are brand new. I can't aford new plugs every few weeks (it's been less than a month). My leads are also the same age as my plugs.

You're probably right. They are very nice cars when they work though.

Yeah, just remind us why you wanted to buy something relatively new with low mileage? Reliability? ROFL.

Peter

But why would you replace plugs unless they're worn out?

Coil?