15 replies to this topic

[JamesC]

Hi everyone

I have a 1275 metro with a Hif44 carb (standard needle+ air filter) and an electronic distributor...

The car starts and runs well once driving. The problem is pulling away. The car wants to stall, I have to catch and balance the clutch with more throttle.

I replaced the plugs and gapped them correclty. A quick trip round the block and to find the same issue as the old plugs. (Looking at the engine left to right) Plug 1 is black and sooty on the inside(toward plugs 2&3), 2 and 3 are black and sooty all over and 3 is black and sooty toward the middle of the engine block.

Reading online states that sooty plugs is a rich mixture. Yet this does not explain the problem with pulling away( lack of fuel and power?)

Thanks for reading!

[cal844]

Check the timing, vacuum leaks and then check that the clutch is adjusted and not slipping.

To test a slipping clutch simply apply the hand brake and then try to pull away, the engine should stall of clutch is ok

[JamesC]

Check the timing, vacuum leaks and then check that the clutch is adjusted and not slipping.

To test a slipping clutch simply apply the hand brake and then try to pull away, the engine should stall of clutch is ok

 

Hi, thanks for responding

 

I have surfed the internet and researched how the vacuum works with the distributor and understand the issue a little more. Looking in my engine bay the vacuum line from the distributor does not go anywhere or plug into anything? Should it be?

 

Are there any other vacuum pipes? Or is it simply just the small plastic tube from the distributor that changes the advance... and that's it?

 

I might just fit a whole new distributor for the sake of only £90.

 

Could this vacuum advance issue cause the sooty plugs?

 

Thanks

[dyshipfakta]

Are you on the choke when you take this quick trip around the block? Plugs will only really tell you something after a good run with the car fully warmed and choke in for a reasonable amount of time. Vacuum line connects to a little rubber piece near the carb,

[JamesC]

Are you on the choke when you take this quick trip around the block? Plugs will only really tell you something after a good run with the car fully warmed and choke in for a reasonable amount of time. Vacuum line connects to a little rubber piece near the carb,

 

 

Hi

 

The car had sat idle for a while and was not on the choke, this issue has been around a while but I have been to busy to fix it. I fitted a new plugs as a fresh start.

 

Can you post a picture of where the vacuum line is supposed to attach? The line has not been attached since I bought the car but has run perfectly without issue before. Must the line be attached or can it hang freely?

 

Thanks

[cal844]

It attaches to a take off on the inlet manifold, just infront of the carb

[Spider]

Check your Air Filter.

[spin]

 

Are you on the choke when you take this quick trip around the block? Plugs will only really tell you something after a good run with the car fully warmed and choke in for a reasonable amount of time. Vacuum line connects to a little rubber piece near the carb,

 

 

Hi

 

The car had sat idle for a while and was not on the choke, this issue has been around a while but I have been to busy to fix it. I fitted a new plugs as a fresh start.

 

Can you post a picture of where the vacuum line is supposed to attach? The line has not been attached since I bought the car but has run perfectly without issue before. Must the line be attached or can it hang freely?

 

Thanks

 

Edited by spin, 10 June 2018 - 08:14 AM.

[spin]

Wrong photo That's the outside

try this one

 

Both courtesy of Racingbob

 

Attached Files

•  006-1.jpg   64.57K   2 downloads

[Bat]

Hi,

Vac pipe shouldn't make a massive difference to the fault you've got.

Have you checked the oil level in the dashpot?

Cheers 

[Thelowrider]

Oil in the dashpot?

*EDIT just read post above* but yes could well be ^

Edited by Thelowrider, 09 June 2018 - 08:59 PM.

[JamesC]

Hi,

Vac pipe shouldn't make a massive difference to the fault you've got.

Have you checked the oil level in the dashpot?

Cheers 

 

 

Hi all, been really busy and unable to respond. Thank you all for your help so far.

 

Yes the dash pot has oil and its proper SU stuff.

 

After reading online it seems that the vac line links to a diaphragm which when split does not advance the timing to match the speed of the engine. I believe the diaphragm may be split meaning no vacuum is made.

 

James

[cal844]

Hi,
Vac pipe shouldn't make a massive difference to the fault you've got.
Have you checked the oil level in the dashpot?
Cheers

Hi all, been really busy and unable to respond. Thank you all for your help so far.

Yes the dash pot has oil and its proper SU stuff.

After reading online it seems that the vac line links to a diaphragm which when split does not advance the timing to match the speed of the engine. I believe the diaphragm may be split meaning no vacuum is made.

James

Test the vacuum unit

Do you have any air leaks around the manifold/carb?

Also you are lifting the idle slightly when pulling away, not just using the clutch?

Edited by cal844, 14 June 2018 - 08:59 PM.

[JamesC]

Hi all, thanks for your help. It’s fixed. It seemed it needed a good hard run. Facepalm. Thanks again.

[cal844]

Hi all, thanks for your help. It’s fixed. It seemed it needed a good hard run. Facepalm. Thanks again.

Italian tune up ? if I lay my cars up for more than 6 months usually give them an easy 100 miles to work everything loose again then a good thrashing for 20 or so miles ?