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Just couldn't get through the summer.. GRRRR

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KLUTZ

KLUTZ

Luke Skywalker
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Comming home from work tonight on the Hwy, I felt the car, 78 TR7,losing power, so I pulled over the the shoulder, where it eventually stopped running. I opened the hood, and checked it out the best I could with cars and transports flying by me at 130 Kph. I could not see anything odd or different. All wires were on, all hoses, the electrics looked OK, but no luck restarting it. I also could not hear much with the traffic.
I had it towed home, (Saturday night, all the neibours outside) and tried to figure it out. The car turns over no problem. There is spark from all the spark plugs. cleaned the Dist., It is getting lots of gas. When I keep the gas peddle right to the floor, the engine keeps running, but very slowly, then will spit out some gas from the rear ZS carb. There is no rattle, and no other weird noises; it just will not go.
Anyone have an idea of what I may have missed? I hope the timing didn't shift.

Thanks in advance for any advice. I don't want the summer to end the same as the last one. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cryin.gif

Thanks
Paul
 
Are you sure you're getting plenty of gas at the carbs? What you're describing sounds like a fuel starvaton from either a plugged filter or failed/failing pump. Also, are the chokes manual or automatic? If it runs with the gas floored, it could be a flooding problem.
 
Man. choke, and havn't used it in two months since it has started and warmed up beautifully this summer. There is gas going to the rear Carb. for sure, because it spits it out when the engine stops turning over; I am not sure about the front Carb though. All the plugs were dry when I pulled them when I got home. I will take the Buick to work tomorow, and I guess spend Monday with my Baby. I thought of the Man. fuel pump too... but I will have to find the time.
Thanks though.

Paul
 
Some ideas and guesswork from one who doesn't know wedges...

If fuel and spark seem to be present you might try a bit of starting fluid in the intake -- if it runs on that stuff then suspect fuel, if not then look elsewhere.

If TR7s have a cat converter these can collapse internally and cause a blockage with symptoms similar to what you describe. When this occurs it is usually quite sudden -- a speedbump or chuckhole can be enough for the final collapse. This is easy to check on a car that runs a bit with a partially blocked converter -- only test I know for it if the engine won;t run at all is to try and shake/ bang on the converter and see if something is rattling around in there.
 
Hummm ! I have put a call to the house for my wife to look under the car. I believe there is Cat. Conv there on the exhaust. What you say is quite possible if there is, or perhaps another part of the exhaust is the problem. I was going after a vacuum problem last night, but that would sure do it too. Makes sence too for the backfire from the rear Carb and the spitting out of the gas.
I have a Monza exhaust on the car which was there when I bought it, and I did say to myself before the car started acting up, that it sounded different then usual. When I get home tonight, that is my first chore. The TBone steaks can wait.
Thanks for the suggestion.
Paul
 
I would guess from the symtoms you have jumped time at the cam, run a compression test there will be little or none.
Good luck
MD(mad dog)
 
[ QUOTE ]
I would guess from the symtoms you have jumped time at the cam, run a compression test there will be little or none.
Good luck
MD(mad dog)

[/ QUOTE ]

That was my origional thought when I first posted last night.
 
Well, I did a quick compression test when I got home before it got dark. The engine, of course, was cold since it wouldn't start. I did it by taking out one plug at a time and testing that spot. I have since read that it is better to have them all out, but I can do that in the morning. With 8 revolutions on each cylinder test, starting from the rear of the engine, I got readings of 105, 110, 105, 100. Are these low for a dry test like I did, for a stock 2L?
What else I have determined is.. There is no Cat. converter, gas is pumping to the carbs, I have a gas leak comming from the rear carb, there is spark at all the plugs, all vacuum lines are connected. I sprayed fuel into the front carb, but it still would not start, but it still turns over like it wants to.
Could it be a relay, or fuse related? I am at a loss.
Please let me know about my compression findings.

Thanks again
Paul
 
Compression testers can vary so widely that the best use of the readings is often to just compare the cylinders. From that stand point your readings are pretty consistent.

Yes, you should have all the plugs out and the throttle wide open to get a valid compression test. Best to do this to be sure, though from the results you got I doubt it is a cam timing problem.

You said you sprayed fuel. That tells you something but I would still try some starting fluid as a test.

You said there is spark from all the plugs -- do you mean you pulled the plugs and saw them spark, or just that the pulled ignition wires sparked? I'm reaching here -- plug failure would make it run poor but not keep it from running at all.

Last thought -- make sure the distributor is secure & hasn't moved in it's mount and check to make sure you still have the ignition wires connected in the firing order (I realize that would not have been what caused your original problem but since they have been disconnected I would double check they are still right).
 
I think I have the problem pin pointed. I believe Obie was correct with the flooding problem and starving problem. Seems that the gas is going to, but not into the front carb. making it run dry. There is so much pressure, that it is forcing its way into the rear carb, causing it to flood. When I took off the top and diaphram of the rear ZS, there was a big pool of gas all the way into the manifold, just sitting there, and running backward out of the intake. When I disconnected the fuel from the rear carb, and opened the throttle, the pool went away. The front carb was still dry. I guess there is a float problem. Time to take them apart I guess.
The thing that really ticks me off is that my MGB GT sitting next to it runs like a charm, but I don't have it licenced and insured yet, because of the rail and sill work it is going to have done.
OH Well... The joys of this "Hobby."

Paul
 
Sorry, Paul, this is probably my fault since you let me drive it on the weekend!
Now its "running" like my Spitfire..
Simon.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Sorry, Paul, this is probably my fault since you let me drive it on the weekend!
Now its "running" like my Spitfire..
Simon.

[/ QUOTE ] /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/lol.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/lol.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/lol.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/lol.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/lol.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/lol.gif
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/iagree.gif
 
Ends up that the electronic ignition is kaput. I would get spark at the plugs one time, then nothing again. Eventually, not even a spark from the coil. Also, adjusting the float fixed the flooding problem.
Now, the bad thing is I have to wait longer for the module to come up from the States to my mechanic. I think he said he is putting on a pertronix. Crane was a LOT more.
 
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