[Mg-t] Post winter TD blues

[Wbeech@flash.net]

Douglas,
As they say, most ignition problems are fuel related.  That black soot is unburned gas, check your choke levers and see if the jet barrels are retracting all the way back into the carb.   They are fairly easy to remove, I use 4-0 steel wool to clean and polish them.  You should take care to put the same barrel back into it's respective carb, re-center if needed, enjoy your summer.  

NOTE: If you are seeing raw fuel leaking then go to your float bowls and replace the needle and seat unit.   Cleaning them up will get you by but they will fail again, they are cheaply obtained so save yourself from later troubles now.  

Not sure why you jumped two heat ranges but check your manual and use the correct sparking plug for your car.  

All the best,
Bill B

Sent from my Altair 8800

On Oct 31, 2016, at 8:21 PM, Douglas Ormrod <Douglas.Ormrod at Neurological.org.nz> wrote:

Greetings from New Zealand

Long-time no chat, but long-time no problems.

My 51 TD has given very little trouble over the last 8 years, but now it is.

It has had very little use over the last six months, it was winter and I must be getting soft. Perhaps 4 outing and 50 miles. Summer now here.

Started OK at the weekend, but before I could take off it started running very rough - sounds like down to three or two cylinders and backfiring through muffler. Coaxed back into the garage on almost no power.

Took out plugs (which were new six months ago) and they were covered in soft black soot. New plugs are NKG B7ES, old ones were NKG B5ES. Cleaned them up, also cleaned all distributer contacts, rotor contact, and took out cleaned and reset the points. Checked cables for tightness. Started easily and took it for a 10 mile run - apart from a little missing at first all seemed fine once it warmed up. Power as normal.

Decided to take it work today (sun out), but same scenario, started and sounded OK, but after a few minutes ticking over started running very rough, backfiring and power gone almost gone. Plugs all black and sooty again and a couple of them quite wet. 

Only part of the ignition system that was not renewed at rebuild was the lucas sports coil - I did have it checked at the time.

So any suggestions as to the possible source of the problem?

Thanks in anticipation of your collective wisdom.

Douglas
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