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TR2/3/3A Engine stalling and backfiring

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Redoakboo

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I have just finished a total restoration of my 54 TR-2. I went to a car show last weekend and the engine backfired and stalled several times. I made it to the show. On the way home I drove about two blocks and the engine quit all together. I cranked for awhile and got it running and out of the intersection. It died again and would not start. I had to call AAA for a tow. The plugs looked good, I could see no leaks around the carbs. While trying to restart it the choke cable became disconnected.Good oil pressure 50-60 when started. Dropped when it got warm to about 20. I have not checked the timing recently, ran good when I first drove it; could have slipped? No smoke out the back when starting?

Dick
 
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DavidApp said:
+ 1 for the condenser.
My TR3A did exactly the same thing a while ago. Re set the points and got a couple of miles then the back firing again. Changed the points and got another couple of miles. Had a spare condenser so I changed that out. It has done 1500 miles since. I did get a condenser and rotor from the Distributer Dr. In the UK as a spare.

David
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Thanks David, I have a new condenser and coil on the way. Dick
 
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I just rebuilt carb linkages and jets (I can’t believe how sensitive they are to a flat or 2 adjustment in the jet holder) so was leaning towards fuel until I read David’s comments above. Now I’m not sure.
 
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The distributor Dr has a fantastic reputation here in the uk both got reliable parts including his dizzy red rota arm. But he will also tune your dizzy to match a performance engine.
www.distributordoctor.com

Distributor Doctor

We rebuild Lucas distributors and sell related ignition parts including coils, leads, ignitors.
www.distributordoctor.com www.distributordoctor.com
Surprised but please he is known in the US.
 
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Points, condenser, coil and timing are good suspects, but I'd also check the distributor cap, plug wires and plugs. A bad distributor cap may be rare, but I once did have a bad one, and I wasted a mountain of time on everything else. The symptoms were crazy--stalling, spurting, chugging, everything. It was just the contacts inside the cap.
 
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