b_martin@lifesci.lscf.ucsb.edu wrote,
< Dear All,
<I was hoping that my introduction to this list wouldn't involve such a
<serious problem but...
<I have owned a '77 spit for about 6 months. PO rebuilt engine (which is a
<'78 according to the numbers). PO left car in garage for a couple of years
<without driving it before selling to me. I've done quite a bit on it, none
<of which, I think, is related to new problem. There's 5-600 miles on the
<engine.
<Engine has always seemed to run strong; carburator runs too rich but "ok" (I
<have a manual choke ordered, which I hope will help). There is a water leak
<from around water pump; thermostat works and guage seems to work <logically.
<Oil pressure light seems to work logically. Monday after driving about 10
<miles fine and while going up a hill (it's been up longer and steeper), the
<car began to shake. Over the next 1/4 mile, shake rapidly deteriorated (on
<level ground). I was quite busy trying to find a place to ditch the car,
<etc; but there seemed to be no smoke, temp was fine, no oil light until it
<died. Clutch had no effect on engine shaking (which didn't stop until
<engine died). Sorry, I'm not good an "characterizing" the problem but it was
<like the engine was "out of balance"; it was shaking the whole car, like a
<wobble.
<A friend towed me home (towed great :) ). Car won't start; it turns over
<with a "womp womp", no water in oil, no oil in water, water was down by a
<couple of cups, engine and transmission mounts are fine, when the car went
<bad - it rapidly deteriorated but there was no sharp breaking sound,
<metal-on-metal, or anything that I heard; just seemed to start shaking and
<sounding bad.
<What should I do to try and figure out what's wrong?
<Thanks, brent
<b_martin@lifesci.lscf.ucsb.edu >
That year of engine has a clutched water pump. If the clutch is whacked out,
it will cause incredible engine shaking, as it is out of balance. I'm not
sure how it might affect the starting; perhaps there is a belt problem that
is preventing the alternator from turning. I had a clutched pump on my
Spitfire for a while until I suddenly got a terrible engine shake. Now I
have a regular direct drive pump which functions perfectly.
Try taking the fan belt off and wiggling the fan to see if it is loose.
Dave Provine
'72 Spitfire
Still in the middle of a 14" wheel conversion
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