I just had an odd thing happen. I just set timing and plugs to specs and took out for a run. The engine was running noticeably better and I ran it up to about 95 mph (I know. I have heard that the police take a dim view of such activities). I started slowing down and suddenly lost all power. I drifted off the side of the road and stopped and at that time received the final engine protest, a tremendous backfire through the exhaust. I waited a bit, started it and ran it home with plenty of power and no further problem. I have a 65 SC with a 63 super engine, IDF 40 Webers and a Cranecam electronic ignition. I have had no such problems before. Does anyone have any ideas as to what might have happened? This has never happened before but I have never pushed the engine that hard either.
Sometimes when you replace the points especially Bosch and especially anelectronic ignition the oxide coating that develops on the contacts whilesitting on the store shelf can interfere with the connection. Clean thepoints with a point file or some very fine sandpaper. The large amount ofcurrent passing through a congenital system will have a cleansing effect.Sincerely,Alan,The Stable, San Francisco
I would like to make an alternate suggestion, based on a career inelectronics. Points should not be cleaned with something like sandpaper which removesmetal. True "point files" are burnishing tools. A burnishing tool isNOT a file - the "teeth" not not have sharp edges and the effect is tosort of "roll" displaced metal back down into a smooth surface. Buteven that should not be used to clean points which have only surfacechemical contamination. Points which are not in use, as Alan says, are subject to contaminationfrom atmospheric exposure. In addition to the possibility of corrosion,a minute coating of something oily will form on points which are storedand do not have the advantage of being cleaned by the heat and minutearcing caused by breaking the flow of current. One good technique is just to pass a strip of heavy paper between thepoints. That will usually do it. Of course, this would only apply totwo-piece points if they are installed and under spring force as"one-piece" points are whether or not they are installed. My favorite chemical point cleaner is called "Cramolin." It is not justa de-greaser, as so many point sprays are. This is a sophisticated,aero-space derived formulation which actually dissolved oxides. I havenever seen it available through automotive supply sources; I buy itthrough electronics supply places. Pat Tobin The Stable wrote:
DRSIGRIST@aol.com wrote: >I just had an odd thing happen. I just set timing and plugs to specs andTHEN the MAESTRO wrote:[ From your description of the Problem- especially that part about theTremendous Backfire, the cause is clearly Electrical. Likewise the suddencut-off of all Power. Since you just did a tune-up, Chances are high someting you did duringthe tune up caused this. I'd re-check everything you touched. It could besomething as simple as a loose connection at the Coil or in the Distributor-especially if you have a "stock" distributor with the insulated through bolt(and insulation on the side of body where the point spring goes, or thelittle "gripper" that grips the points that can twist and ground out. TheBackfire might have jolted it. Secondly, when debugging engines with an electronic ignition, Idisconnect the electronic ignition. It's sadly surprising how often theProblem IS the eletronic ignition itself!] Be sure to check the back of your ignition switch for a loose terminal 15 wire(output to the left side of the ignition coil). If the wire is loose in thebullet connector or there is no bullet connector (as was the case with my 1964 Ccoupe), any bump you hit can cause momentary loss of ignition to the engine.This also produces the symptoms you describe. Regards,Dave Wildrick64 C coupe65 C coupe