[Healeys] Water and running rough

[Bob Spidell]

Sure sounds like you got moisture somewhere, whether you can see it or not.  If you have points they might have been pitted by arcing due to moisture when you tried to start.

Check your points (if you're not electronic), and all connections (esp. secondary ignition wires).  Blow everything dry with dry air and/or try some sort of water dispersant (WD-40 might work but I have no experience using it in this situation).


bs

--
***************************************************************
Bob Spidell         San Jose, CA        bspidell at comcast.net
'67 Austin-Healey 3000             '56 Austin-Healey 100M
***************************************************************

 -------------- Original message ----------------------
From: Michael Hartfield <hartfiel at alumni.princeton.edu>
> Searching the massive collective wisdom on this list.
> 
> Yesterday, I washed the engine down.  I took care to keep water off the
> distributor (but not all) and rinsed after using a cleaner that would cut
> through engine oil.
> 
> Immediately following the wash it would not start.
> 
> Five hours later it started, but it ran rough.  I took it for a drive and it
> seemed to miss at low rpm and smooth out at higher rpm.  I removed the
> distributor cover and the distributor appeared to be dry.
> 
> Today I started the car and it started without choke.  Unusual.  I checked
> the choke linkage at the carbs and the choke appears to be off.  But, it is
> still running rough.
> 
> Michael Hartfield
> BJ8