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V8 Ignition Poser

Sunday I decided to treat the Landy by fitting the new Distributor cap, rotor arm, plugs, and leads. After getting plugs 6 and 8 the right way round she stopped being lumpy and ran like a dream. This morning she started up first turn (she normally takes two) and ran superbly until I filled her up on the way home. As I pulled away she was lumpy as hell, and had virtually no power. Fortunately it's only about 1/2 mile home and I just about made it, having to rev the small round objects off her to get her over the kerb. Leaving her for a while in case I was getting fuel vaporisation, when I tried to restart her she would fire but not last long enough to get to the front to see what was going on.

First thought was crap or water in the fuel blocking the filter, but the filter was clean and the fuel was at the carbs. Next I checked the spark from the coil and it was fine, the cap and arm looked OK, but the spark at the plug was poor. Put the old cap on and no better, put the old arm back on and it started OK, and I ended up with all the new parts but the old rotor arm. She now runs OK, but only as well as before I started, and not nearly as well as before I filled up.

I can see no difference between the rotors, other than the old one is eroded, and measures about 0.7mm shorter from the centre to the tip. Any thoughts before I risk putting another new arm on?

Reply to
Bob Miller
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On or around Mon, 25 Apr 2005 20:41:00 GMT, "Bob Miller" enlightened us thusly:

make sure it's the right rotor arm, there are 2 sorts: one sits higher than the other. ISTR that the points one won't fit an electronic distributor, due to sitting higher and fouling the cap. Therefore the electronic type one will sit lower and not reach the cap.

Apart from that, I have had a rotor arm that shorted into the middle. Mind, it weren't a new one, but it is possible - no visible fault on it, either.

Reply to
Austin Shackles

You did top it up with petrol and not diesel, yes?

Steve

Reply to
Steve

In message , Steve writes

Stupid question but did you adjust the points? If so check the fixing screw, the timing and the condenser which is my favourite for all such strange ignition problems!

Reply to
AJG

Thanks for the replies chaps: I measured the height of the arm and it's identical to the original so I suspect it's not the wrong one. I live in constant fear of the wrong fuel, having once taken the P out of someone at work who filled a petrol motor with diesel. I didn't change the timing, but I did check tat the dizzy was tight and that the timing hadn't slipped because of that. I'm not so certain about the condensor, but that hasn't changed so I think not, but I might change it anyway. I'll see if I can get a Megger and check the arm - that seems the most likely.

Ta Muchly

Bob Miller

1990 ex-RAF 110 3.5 V8 17KJ83 1967 3/4 ton Sankey 09ES17
Reply to
Bob Miller

I treated my V8 to a host of new electrical bits recently & it promptly started running worse than ever.After much pratting around & gnashing of teeth I started to replace things again one at a time - it was a brand new duff rotor arm made by Intermotor that was causing the problems. I bought a very expensive arm from the main dealer & all runs sweetly again. A friend told me that he had suffered the same fate with the same make 2 years ago. I'm still in recovery after paying £17.50 for a new arm. [should have got a leg too for that money].

Kevin.

1990 110 gas guzzler.
Reply to
Kevin W

Exact same thing happened to one of my mates a couple of months ago, the fault was the new genuine Lucas rotor arm! One wallet extrication, rape and pillage exercise later, courtesy of the main dealer, and all was well.

Reply to
Badger

So Badger was, like

Same here on the S2a. Replaced all the ignition bits prior to a long trip and wondered why the damn thing wouldn't start. Turned out that the rotor arm (unknown make) had broken up on the first turn of the engine.

Reply to
Richard Brookman

Just had the same problem on my 3.9 Range Rover, which began with the engine cutting out, the engine would just about start and would run if you held it at 2-3K revs but would not idle, I changed the ecu temp sensor to no effect and did just about every ecu check I could find in the book. As a last resort I put my old rotor arm back in and the engines running fine again. The rotor that was causing the problems was an Intermotor that I fitted it during the last service and it had run for about a thousand miles with no problems.

Matt

Reply to
Matt

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