[Roadsters] Roadster cuts out at 3k rpms

[E Scanlon]

After Andy Cost's reply regarding timing not advancing, I'm wondering if you 
could be having the same problem that can affect the 240 Z distributors.

In those, there is a small plastic piece below the points plate which houses 
several ball bearings.  Over time and age, the plastic gets brittle, cracks 
and loses the ball bearings.  The result is that the point plate is no 
longer free to rotate and will do so only during violent vacuum changes or 
by sudden extreme acceleration.

Remove the dizzy cap, and look down in the bottom of the "cup" of the 
distributor.  If you see ball bearings running around loose... you need a 
new plate.  To test, in case you don't see the ball bearings, disconnect the 
hose at the vacuum advance pot, suck on the end of it to simulate engine 
vacuum and watch the points plate action.  It should rotate smoothly and 
return smoothly.

FWIW
E

Sent: Monday, April 12, 2010 6:55 PM
Subject: Re: [Roadsters] Roadster cuts out at 3k rpms


> We have been debugging our recently restored 69 2000 with SU's and B cam. 
> Just
> got floats and needles corrected, timing set, new fuel pump,new non-smog
> distributor, etc..  Drove for the first time in 25 years. Runs good up to
> around 3000 rpms and sputters/doesnt want to accelerate past 3 M under 
> load.
> Bought new coil thinking that was the problem. Car now cranks instantly 
> and
> definitely idles better with new coil. Still doesn't want to take gas past 
> 3M
> rpms. Thought it was ignition related but now wondering if it could be 
> carbs.
> Any suggestions?
>
> Thanks
>
> Jon Carlisle