[Spits] Weird engine idle

Wed Aug 29 08:24:57 MDT 2007

The Crane ignition system has been installed since the end of June,
replaced a Pertronix unit, which replaced the original Opus system several
years ago.  There was several hundred miles on the Crane system before this
problem arose.

The car runs poor right from being started up, idles at 800 - 1000 for
about 15 sec, jumps to 2000 - 2500 for 15 sec, and then back down to 800 -
1000, and then continues to cycle up and down.

I don't think the coil gets that hot, but I'll have to confirm that.  The
late 1500s used a ballasted wire, which has not been bypassed.

I have put the older cap and rotor on the distributor, but haven't started
the car to check if it made a difference. I'm also planning to change the
fuel, just to eliminate that as a possible cause.  After that I'm not sure
what to check.

Mark
80 Spitfire 1500

                      "Clark W. Nicholls"                                                                                              
                      <clarkfot at cwnicholls.          To:      <mark.jones at exxonmobil.com>                                              
                      net>                           cc:      <Spitfires at autox.team.net>                                               
                                                     Subject: RE: [Spits] Weird engine idle                                            

                      08/28/2007 07:57 PM                                                                                              

Ok, good...
How long has the Crane system been in?
Has it run fine for some time with that or is it a new installation?

Does the car run fine for some distance (10-20 miles perhaps) and then
start
to die?
If so, when that happens check the temperature of your ignition coil.
If it's too hot to touch, you need a ballast resistor.
Perhaps more info of use here:
http://www.cwnicholls.com/spitfire02a.html
Good luck,
Clark