-
Hi Guest!
If you appreciate British Car Forum and our 25 years of supporting British car enthusiasts with technical and anicdotal information, collected from our thousands of great members, please support us with a low-cost subscription. You can become a supporting member for less than the dues of most car clubs.
There are some perks with a member upgrade!**Upgrade Now**
(PS: Subscribers don't see this gawd-aweful banner
Hey - did you know if you click on the title of a thread it will take you to the first unread post since you last visited that thread?
but were afraid to ask: 
STOP!! Never post your email address in open forums. Bots can "harvest" your email! If you must share your email use a Private Message or use the 
smilie in place of the real @
Pretty Please - add it to our Events forum(s) and add to the calendar! >> 
new engine BN2
- Thread starter danBN2
- Start date
Share this page
Bob_Spidell
Yoda
Offline
Are the plug wires correct with firing order? Did you rebuilt the engine yourself? Are you sure the cam is timed properly?
BoyRacer
Jedi Warrior
Offline
Did the shop that assembled your engine know about British engines?
If engine won't turn over, or turns over grudgingly, they may have installed the timing chain incorrrectly. The marks on the gears do not align the same way as American engines do. There must be a full 13 links between the timing marks on the cam and crank sprockets when the keyways on both cam and crank are in the 12 O'clock position. But wait, I'm only 99% sure it's 13 links so you better check the picture in the manual and count them. The original chains had "bright links" and you used them as a reference to get the cam timing right. New chains do not have master links.
If engine won't turn over, or turns over grudgingly, they may have installed the timing chain incorrrectly. The marks on the gears do not align the same way as American engines do. There must be a full 13 links between the timing marks on the cam and crank sprockets when the keyways on both cam and crank are in the 12 O'clock position. But wait, I'm only 99% sure it's 13 links so you better check the picture in the manual and count them. The original chains had "bright links" and you used them as a reference to get the cam timing right. New chains do not have master links.
Offline
I'd worry about iginition timing before cam timing, just because there is a lot less involved in fixing it. Are you timing based upon the timing marks? they can be off after a rebuild, check to see if the rotor is pointing to the no. 1 wire when no. 1 piston is at or close to TDC on compression (valves closed) stroke, if you haven't done that already.
Bob_Spidell
Yoda
Offline
Sorry, don't have the firing order for a 4-cyl handy--my shop manual is at my parents' house. I'm sure someone will provide it soon.
Also, have heard of distributors being installed 180deg 'out of phase.' If you're sure valve timing is correct it pretty much has to be ignition.
re: "... won't turnover ..."
This is confusing; to me, "won't turn over" means the starter can't/won't crank the engine. Is this the problem you're having?
Black soot could mean terribly rich, though spitting back through the carbs is usually a lean-running indication.
Also, have heard of distributors being installed 180deg 'out of phase.' If you're sure valve timing is correct it pretty much has to be ignition.
re: "... won't turnover ..."
This is confusing; to me, "won't turn over" means the starter can't/won't crank the engine. Is this the problem you're having?
Black soot could mean terribly rich, though spitting back through the carbs is usually a lean-running indication.
Offline
On 6cyl distributors, it is possible the drive dog can be pinned to the shaft 180 degrees out. Am assuming there's a similar setup on the 4 cyl. Since it runs with the wires swapped, remove the distributor and rotate the dog. With the engine at TDC on the compression stroke the rotor should point in the general direction of #1 spark plug.