Dan's Crapi project.

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Danthecapriman
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Re: Dan's Crapi project.

Post by Danthecapriman »

For my next trick I decided it was about time I tried to get the thing started up!
Its been nearly 4 years since this engine last ran. It’s always been this cars strongest asset in the past, it’s always run well, never really had any issues and been one of the most reliable engines I’ve had. It’s also this cars original engine, which must be something of a rarity by now on a car like this.

First thing to do, about a week before trying to start it, was remove the spark plugs and put a little squirt of oil down each bore, just so it wasn’t spinning over dry. When I did this, I managed to break the porcelain on two plugs! This meant waiting ages for a new set because of the China virus! In the meantime, I went over everything to check and double check it was all ok, including removing the cam belt cover and double checking the timing was all right. When I refurbished the engine a couple of years ago I put new oil in it, but that’s been sat for ages so got changed, which also meant I splashed fresh oil over the top end on refilling it so that wasn’t dry either.
With the new plugs turning up and going in, it was finally time to hook up the new battery and see what happens!


Fuck all was the answer!
I got it to spin over on the starter, and it was drawing fuel up to the carb (I hooked up a temp fuel tank from a Jerry can) but there wasn’t even an attempt at firing. I rechecked everything and quickly found there was absolutely no spark whatsoever, even directly off the king lead. Lots of arsing about revealed the condenser was fucked, and the points, although appearing to work ok, weren’t actually closing fully. I managed to get a weak spark from the king lead (and points!) by using a screwdriver to force them closed.
Not having any spares to hand, and the aforementioned China virus, meant I was shit out of options! So I ordered new points and condenser and waited for them to turn up.
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Now, I originally intended to get this running on points & condenser, then convert to electronic ignition later on, as I don’t seem to have much luck finding condensers that are any good these days!
Not wanting to introduce an unknown quantity or new problems, I decided not to try fitting the electronic ignition kit I already had. But then I got impatient and decided to fit it anyway!

They’re a piece of piss to fit. Remove condenser, remove points. Fit electronic module to base plate in place of points. Feed two wires out of dizzy and connect to coil terminals then fit sensor over dizzy cam. This went without a hitch, so I decided to try for a spark. Which I now had!!
Reconnecting everything quickly resulted in the engine firing, and running well on its own! I’ve got a video, but it won’t upload for some reason. You’ll have to take my word for it.
I didn’t run it for long as there’s no exhaust yet and there were some flames from the manifold which I didn’t want damaging my new paint! Big milestone reached though!

I also finished the boot by refitting the spare, wood spare cover and a new boot mat carpet.
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That’s about as far as I’ve got so far. Lots left to do, but it’s getting there.
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Re: Dan's Crapi project.

Post by CLINT »

Excellent! Avoid that intermotor crap. I serviced a car a couple of years ago and it wouldn't start after. Assumed it was something I had done wrong but no, it was a faulty brand new rotor arm
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Re: Dan's Crapi project.

Post by Danthecapriman »

CLINT wrote: Tue Jul 07, 2020 10:24 pm Excellent! Avoid that intermotor crap. I serviced a car a couple of years ago and it wouldn't start after. Assumed it was something I had done wrong but no, it was a faulty brand new rotor arm

Now it seems happy enough on the electronic ignition, ill leave that be. But, I’ve kept all the old points etc and will keep them in the car ‘just in case’. They might get me out of the shit if the electronic fails. I’ve also tracked down a set of new old stock points and a couple of condensers, which can be kept with it. I’ve got much more faith in the new old stock stuff than the modern cheap shit parts.
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Re: Dan's Crapi project.

Post by CLINT »

Yeah keep the old stuff in the car. I've had my Standard for many years now and it came with a brand new electronic ignition kit with it, ready to be fitted but I never bothered. The points work well and the joy of having an old car is I can fix pretty much anything at the roadside but if the electronic wizardry fails I'm stumped.
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Re: Dan's Crapi project.

Post by mercrocker »

Coming along nicely, that, Dan....I like the no-expense spared bodywork matched with re-using an exhaust system. Proper priority stuff, that! Also like the keeping to "L" spec. I've never fitted any Oxford parts to the Cowley for similar reasons (except the speedo until I get the much scarcer Cowley one repaired).
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Re: Dan's Crapi project.

Post by DodgeRover »

I bet it was never this good when it was new Dan.
Thanks for keeping us up to date
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Re: Dan's Crapi project.

Post by LynehamHerc »

When or if I get my MGB back I'll post some pics to show some work at the opposite end of the quality spectrum to this and PhilAs.
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Re: Dan's Crapi project.

Post by Hooli »

I intend to run my Bonnie on points when it's rebuilt, but have heard similar tales of crap parts so might end up with electronic ignition. It won't be Boyer though as it used to eat them for no reason.
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Re: Dan's Crapi project.

Post by mercrocker »

I seem to remember Boyer kits being the first type of electronic available for Triumphs. I never fitted them to mine but plenty of mates did and went back to points almost immediately. Whether they or other types have improved I couldn't say now but I would bloody hope so after 30 years.....

Car experience has been far more positive (or rather negative....polarity is vital!) and I have run the A Series and B Series on them for the past 15 years without changing anything. Most modern points/condenser items are just dogshit. I used to get insulators splitting, burnt out condensers, rapidly eroding contact heels and that started in the 90s with the God-like icon of Lucas on the boxes. More than once I have done an ignition service and been unable to start the car again because something has been dead out of the box.

I've had one breakdown in the Minor - on the A303 going to Cornwall. AA bloke wanted to rip out the electronic and chuck the points back in but I was sure it wasn't to blame. As it turned out it was - indirectly - because 12 years after fitting it my gash wiring came back to bite me on the ass and one of the bullet connectors had stopped conducting. Crimp, crimp and off I went.....

I am sure a lot of problems blamed on electronic ignition are peripheral - they are extremely earth-conscious (I have always gone to Neg. Earth before fitting them) and don't like over-charging either so you must test the generator output first. The other thing they absolutely die for is leaving the ignition on - something I've seen folk do on old stuff because there isn't an "accessory" position on the keystart. I suppose a disadvantage is that you can forget to do basic dizzy servicing such as checking the cap and rotor arm and getting a drop of oil down the centre now and again. Cars that are often laid up will re-start far easier on electronic too!
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Re: Dan's Crapi project.

Post by Hooli »

I know people who've run Boyers for years without issues. But mine used to die every 2,000miles even fitted exactly according to their instructions (they are picky about resistive leads/caps/plugs). So I binned them off.

Anyway, I'll stop ruining Dan's thread now.
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