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New exhaust, it's running great and then.....

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Colin_D

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So I hand a Monza exhaust installed on my TR6 it's running great then a sputter, backfire, stalled, then I start pushing.......

It stalled started back up ran really rough for a mile or so and then gave up. The starter works but I can't get it running again. Where should I start looking for possible causes???

It has a Pertronix electronic ignition, if it failed would it cause this?

At least I got a work out in.

Colin
 
Colin:

My Petronix failed in my garage (thankfully)

The engine sputtered a bit, quit, started again,
real rough idle, and then quit for good, after a few more
attempts.

Points and a condenser brought the car back to life.

good luck.
 
I thought I was out of fuel but I ran home and got a gas can and the truck to push the TR6 home.

It could be electrical since I did replace the dash, but what would cause the roughness and then sudden death?

Colin
 
You need to check to see if you are getting both fuel and spark.
If you have a spare spark plug, pull the wire that goes from the coil to the dizzy, at the dizzy. Insulate yourself and with the plug inserted into the wire press the tip of the plug onto the engine block while someone works the starter.If you get spark there, check the condition of the rotor and the contacts in the dizzy cap, for any obvious problems. Then with the coil wire reconnected to the dizzy, see if you are getting fire to each spark plug, by removing the wire to each plug one at a time and ground the spare plug to the block like you did with the coil wire.
To check for fuel supply, remove the rubber gas line near the carbs and spin the starter. Be prepared to, hopefully, catch the gas coming out with each stroke of the fuel pump.
What you do next depends upon what your tests reveal.
 
Thanks for the ideas on where to start, I'll have to try those tomorrow.

How do you guys deal with having to fix something before or after each drive?
 
As long as I don't break down on the road, I don't mind making little adjustments.
 
I got the car from my Dad and it seems that every time I fix something, something else calls it quits. Sooner or later it will all be new but it's tough to keep fixing it. The other problem is my 139hp motorcycle that gets jealous......
 
Colin_D said:
... and it seems that every time I fix something, something else calls it quits. Sooner or later it will all be new but it's tough to keep fixing it. ......
Click to expand...

If you Google Triumph,that is the exact definition of the term
 
I finally have mine running like an automobile. Why, how, or for how long, one can only guess. No one knows for sure why these unexplained things happen. I intend to study this very carefully, as it is so rare and unheard of to see this happen in life.
 
Colin_D said:
I got the car from my Dad and it seems that every time I fix something, something else calls it quits. Sooner or later it will all be new but it's tough to keep fixing it. The other problem is my 139hp motorcycle that gets jealous......
Click to expand...
Sounds like child abuse to me? Could this be one of the warning signs, giving a son a Triumph?
 
TheSearcherMan said:
Colin_D said:
I got the car from my Dad and it seems that every time I fix something, something else calls it quits. Sooner or later it will all be new but it's tough to keep fixing it. The other problem is my 139hp motorcycle that gets jealous......
Click to expand...
Sounds like child abuse to me? Could this be one of the warning signs, giving a son a Triumph?
Click to expand...

I plan to give one of my son's my Triumph... which ever one I dislike the most.. :yesnod:
 
Colin_D said:
Thanks for the ideas on where to start, I'll have to try those tomorrow.

How do you guys deal with having to fix something before or after each drive?
Click to expand...

<span style="color: #990000">Colin: My TR6 breaks down alot. I usually order 2 or 3
of the brokendown parts. One for the repair, one for a spare in the
car's trunk and one in case of defective manufacturing. You will find
the quality of repair parts is somewhat substandard.

Happy motoring !!

regards,

Tinster</span>
 
Colin, my TR6 had the same thing happen a few weeks ago.

It just quit. I could get it to run and it would immediately quit. I found that I could manually pump fuel but it would not keep running. I added fuel, still would not run. Pulled fuel line at carb and could manually pump fuel but it would not pump by turning the engine over.

Turned out the pin for the fuel pump cam lever had come out. Replaced the pin and, as important, the reason it came out and everything is fine.

Keep it simple, I have found that most problems are just simple things that need a little thought to find and repair the actual problem. I am not one that is inclined to use a shotgun approach of throwing a bunch of parts at my car with the hope to fix the problem without knowing what it is.
 
Colin,
I think that back-fire may be a clue to the problem being electrical. Sounds as though unburnt fuel went through the engine and exploded in the exhaust. I had exactly the same symptoms years ago in my TR4. Turned out to be the coil that was at fault.
Tinster will tell you how to survive constant breakdowns.
I went through the same with the TR4 which had been "restored" by the previous owner. I then bought a nice original TR3, spent a year replacing all the rubber bushes, brake pipes and seals and most of the electrical components under the bonnet. It has given me 16 years of reliability in return.
Good luck.
Nick
 
Colin_D said:
Thanks for the ideas on where to start, I'll have to try those tomorrow.

How do you guys deal with having to fix something before or after each drive?
Click to expand...

Hey, Colin, welcome to the fray!

It's never a ton of fun to deal with consistent breakdowns in these cars, but remember, unless your car has undergone a total, complete frame-off restoration, it's an OLD/antique (thus probably unreliable) car!

These cars are 30-50 years old, and unless they've been completely restored, you have old parts mixed in with new parts. It's inevitable that the old parts may fail. ANY motor vehicle is subject to this scenario.

Remember, these cars were pretty good transportation in their day (properly maintained, of course). I purchased a few LBCs in new or near-new condition back in the seventies and had few mechanical problems with any of them. They all ran great, and I thrashed the heck out of most of 'em!

All new parts, installed properly and working in harmony is the optimal way to drive an antique vehicle. But, most of us can't afford to do that, so we do a "running restoration". Therein lies the problem. Breakdowns will happen.

Don't let the mechanical breakdowns get to you. It's an old car, and it's GOING to break! Somehow, it helps me to recall this when an LBC breaks down: it's really, truly part of the fun/journey. Enjoy it as much as you can!

Cheers, and good luck! :thumbsup:
 
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