Rough Running When Warm

[Mark Stolzenburg]

Maybe someone in the group has run into this problem. Ever since I put the TC on the road in September 2001 it seems to start running rough as it gets warmer. It seems to be getting worse. The week after Easter I reset the carbs, re-synced, centered the jets etc. The car ran great with a smooth idle around 850 rpms. It was relatively cool here in St. Louis, around 45 degrees F that week. I took it for a short road test and it seemed to run fine.

Tonight I put the top down and took it for a spin. It was about 80 degrees F outside. The car ran perfect for 10 miles. I stopped by a building to aim the headlights and while it seemed to be starting to run rough, it wasn't until I turned on the headlights that it really started running rough. I barely got home. It acts as though it is running on two cylinders. It seems when I turn on the headlights it affects the running of the car. When cold the car starts within one crank. Tonight the car barely started when warm.Things I have checked:

1. Disconnected fuel line between fuel pump and carbs -turned on ignition and pump immediately filled up jar with gas.

2. Tickler pins in float bowls indicate bowls are full of gas.

3. Replaced ignition coil with new coil.

4. Replaced condenser in distributor with new condenser.

5. Checked wiring to ignition switch, ammeter etc, everything seems to be tight.

It seems to be electrical, as if something is breaking down when it gets hot.

Any suggestions?

Mark Stolzenburg

TC 7812.

St. Louis

[Dave & Diana Dwyer]

Mark

How old/how good are your battery and dynamo?

It should read 12-12.5V with the engine off and not recently run, and nothing turned on. With headlights on it should maintain that voltage for a while. If it drops rapidly, or isn't 12V+ to start with, that could be a reason why the car sounds sick with electrical load on. The ignition system likes at least 12V to generate good sparks.

I think the charging system can only just keep up with the night-time load when everything is turned on, so it needs support from the battery.

I've been in the situation many years ago when the dynamo had failed and we needed to periodically swap batteries with our friends' car. As the battery got weaker and weaker the TC could barely drag itself up the hills.

Regards

Dave Dwyer

J2, TA, TC

[Dean Jensen]

Mark

What I would try, is when the car is running, and it is running rough, push down on the front carb float bowl tickler pin, and see if you have a good flow of gas out of the copper tube. Car must be running, and hot. Did you put a fuel filter in the gas line? Let me know what the results are.

Dean

-----Original Message----- [b]From:[/b] Mark Stolzenburg [mailto:stolzy40@peoplepc.com] [b]Sent:[/b] Monday, April 15, 2002 8:07 PM [b]To:[/b] mg-tabc List [b]Subject:[/b] [mg-tabc] Rough Running When Warm

Maybe someone in the group has run into this problem. Ever since I put the TC on the road in September 2001 it seems to start running rough as it gets warmer. It seems to be getting worse. The week after Easter I reset the carbs, re-synced, centered the jets etc. The car ran great with a smooth idle around 850 rpms. It was relatively cool here in St. Louis, around 45 degrees F that week. I took it for a short road test and it seemed to run fine.

Tonight I put the top down and took it for a spin. It was about 80 degrees F outside. The car ran perfect for 10 miles. I stopped by a building to aim the headlights and while it seemed to be starting to run rough, it wasn't until I turned on the headlights that it really started running rough. I barely got home. It acts as though it is running on two cylinders. It seems when I turn on the headlights it affects the running of the car. When cold the car starts within one crank. Tonight the car barely started when warm.Things I have checked:

1. Disconnected fuel line between fuel pump and carbs -turned on ignition and pump immediately filled up jar with gas.

2. Tickler pins in float bowls indicate bowls are full of gas.

3. Replaced ignition coil with new coil.

4. Replaced condenser in distributor with new condenser.

5. Checked wiring to ignition switch, ammeter etc, everything seems to be tight.

It seems to be electrical, as if something is breaking down when it gets hot.

Any suggestions?

Mark Stolzenburg

TC 7812.

St. Louis

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[Graham Knight]

Mark, When I had this problem the root cause turned out to be a dodgy control box. The terminals in my box (God knows whether this is standard - precious little is on my car) were riveted to various brass strips. Basically corrosion had set in which resulted in bad contacts which were exacerbated by high under-bonnet temperatures. Cleaning and applying solder fixed the problem. All this was visible on removing the box and examining the rear. Graham

[Bullwinkle]

Graham: <<>> Basically corrosion had set in which resulted in bad contacts which were exacerbated by high under-bonnet temperatures. Cleaning and applying solder fixed the problem. <<>> BTDT. I have also "reset" the rivets using a large pin punch clamped in the vice as a backig tool and another against the rivet. Sometimes you can't get a soldering gun tip into a space or you're afraid you'll melt something. I've had to try all of these methods while fixing switches, fuse holders, and relays at one time or another. Blake