List,
In the last week or two I finally found some time to work on my second
Spitfire ('78). I'm starting to find myself rather stuck on this one
though. It starts but is extreemly rough, then usually quits within 5-10
seconds. It appears that only the number 1 cylinder is firing. The other
three exhaust pipes are cold and the plugs are wet. All 4 plugs are
sparking according to the little spark tester (looks like a sparkplug with
a clear body so you can see the spark). The engine I pulled from a
different car ('76) and has not been running (correctly) in the '78 yet,
but it did run in the '76. Sometimes when it quits a port on the front of
the ZS carb angled at a 45 degree angle upward shoots a small burst of
exhaust smoke. This really tripped me out. I have never seen a carb do
that. I know that my manifold gasket needs replacement bacause there is
some exhaust leakage comming from there. I just don't see how a small leak
in this gasket could cause 3 cylinders not to fire at all.
Despite the fact that I have spark on all four wires, I am a little suspect
of the distributor. Mainly because it is different from the one originaly
on the engine. It is electronic, the original was points. I think I will
get a kit for it (rotor, cap, wires) and see if that helps any. I will
also put a new manifold gasket on. Apart from that does anyone have any
other ideas that might help out?
Thanks as always,
David Gates
Hawaii
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