120 miles yesterday, all good. But noticed a bit of bog at full throttle at times. Day two and managed about 2 miles before spluttering lack of power led to backfiring and stop. that’s a timing thing right? type1 with svda…
Most likely points closing up messing timing up then losing spark.. Get out your feeler gauges and check points gap, then using your timing light, check the timing... Or drop in your pre-timed spare distributor and clamp.
Please excuse my modern Brazzer ignorance, but aren't a lot of break down topics seemingly points/timing/distributor based? Is it because people feel the need to be constantly fiddling/tinkering for no apparent reason?
No its because quality control on condensers is poor, points wear out and so need constant regular adjustment and replacement. In other words not enough tinkering and checking going on. Added to this the first choice £40-£80 electronic points replacement units (probably $3 ex-works in China) dont live as long on top of a hot aircooled engine as the cooler watercooled engines they work best with. If we all had water cooled Polo 1.4 engine ignition systems, we probably would all be sailing along in blissful Brazilian ignorance too.
Seems it’s plug related. No4 missing under load is one established fact. Points are new and gapped correctly. Noticed condensation on the carb and throat of the intake - that’s normal right? Idles ok, stutters under load. Back fire seems to have departed on my limp back to the campsite. Waved to a nice tin top with a Union Jack roof. Sounded great. Made me sad
The condensation and maybe even icing up is a symptom of humidity and a lack of hot air feed from a non stock air cleaner/ filter system, even in this hot but humid weather. It will run better if you stop, heat soak warms up the carburettor, ready for a few more minutes of running before it cools down again.. At idle the air going into my carburettor is 35 to 50 degrees C.. partly the hot air feed system, partly running a single quiet pack that roasts the tinware. No chance for condensation as the air cools through the carburettor.. Miss on number 4 could be dirty plug insulator or fouled plug. Listen for the regular click-click of an ignition flashover.[ Or caress the plug leads until you get a shock then clean them where it bit you.. ]
Cheers Mike, plug looked ok coming out. Stock air filter, stock carb, stock exhaust and the pre- heat pipes are clear. Symptoms of Heat soak as you describe sounds like my experience. It’s got thermo, flaps and stove pipe… Anyone know/used bughaus in nottm? My tinkering skills are basic and I usually opt for the leave well alone approach. I do have an appreciation of what I don’t know - that’s as far as I’ve got really…
Check that when you start up the hot air flap should be blocking the nose of the air cleaner. If the vacuum hose from the manifold is split or the thermo switch is broken the flap doesnt pop up at cold idle. If the hose splits then it also makes for an air leak that messes up idle. Listen for harsh hissing over on the right at idle..
