hi just got a very nice p6 2200 tc with only 38k from new and need some help the car had been stood for three years before we got it it did have old fuel in only a bit which was topped up just befor we picked it up the car was actually running ok. we have fitted a new water pump old one was leaking we cleaned out the carbs new plugs new distributer cap new leads new rota arm. we went to start the car and it just seemed as if it was running out of fuel its had 3 cans of petrol in as well as some valve master. it just keeps turning over it will start then dies, then starts ok when running it sounds fine, could be running rich i then changed the condenser the car started fine if any one can help with what i need to check next it would be very much appreciated
2200 tc not running right
- Thread starter popeve
- Start date
j_radcliffe
Active Member
Have you mixed push in leads with screw in distributor cap, and coil? What can happen if you do this is the main lead from the coil will work it way out slowly over time. Try pushing it back in and see if this makes it run again. I am assuming that the cap that you have put on is a push in type. Since the car has only 38 thousand miles, it may well have the original coil. I am not so familiar with the coils that went on the later 4 cylinder models, but I know that the early ones had screw in leads. I tried to use modern leads on a screw in type coil. The car would run well for a short period, then the lead would work its way out. The car would then stop. I would start investigating this issue.
James.
James.
Willy Eckerslyke
Well-Known Member
Don't assume that the new bits are OK because they're new. There are some very low quality rotor arms out there.
The only way to sort these sort of problems is to methodically go through each system on the engine until you are confident you have covered all the possibilities.
This would be my suggestion of a work menu:
1 Fuel system
Stale fuel, even when diluted with new, is known to cause very bad running with unpredictable symptoms. I would drain all fuel from the car and start again with fresh.
Renew the fuel filter
Make sure you have enough fuel in the tank to cover the fuel oulet to the front of the car. Main tank runs out at about 1/4 tank, at which point you need to switch to reserve tank (pull the knob below and left of the radio position). There is only one fuel space in the tank, but two pickups set at different heights in the tank.
Take the plugs out, uncouple the pipe to the first carburettor and motor the engine on the starter motor. Check that you have a good supply of fuel flowing out.
You should have HIF type carburettors. The float chamber is under the carb. Check that you can blow into the fuel space when the carb is empty. Check that the fuel shuts off when you raise the float. Check that the float isn't puctured - ie floats in water or fuel.
2 Ignition system.
Check that you have the plug leads on in the correct positions. This isn't always immediately obvious. Set the engine at compression stroke on no 1 cylinder. (both valves closed, piston at TDC judged by a pointy thing down the plug hole) Take off the distributor cap and establish which lead pillar the rotor arm is pointing at. Trace the lead from that cylinder and see which plug it goes to. If wrong, correct and then position the reamining leads to match the firing order.
Renew the plugs
Then check that you are getting a spark at each plug when you motor the engine with the plugs out.
If the engine starts and fires OK whilst the motor is turning the engine over, but then dies when you release the key to the running position, you could have an LT fault. The P6 has a ballast resistor in the loom to drop the normal voltage at the coil to around 7V. When the starter motor is operating the feed to the coil goes via the motor and raises the coil voltage to 12V. Likely causes are a fault on the ignition switch or a broken wire somewhere in the system. A temporary check would be to feed the coil from another known 12V supply. But don't leave it like this as you will burn out the coil. It doesn't like 12V conntinuously.
Check that the coil is the correct type. Perhaps someone has replaced it with a 12V type instead of a ballasted type?
You can get some very peculiar symptoms from defective chokes / capacitors in the distributor. Yes, even brand new ones, in fact especially brand new ones, as there have been some dodgy batches of Chinese made ones around. HAve you got a nice old Lucas one in a tool box somewhere?
Then we are on to peculiar ones.
The inlet manifold is flexibaly mounted. Check that the O rings that provide the air tight seal are in good condition.
rebuild carburettors(!)
Check that the vacuum hose to the servo is in good condition and not drawing air.
Check that the vaccuum pipe to the distributor is intact and not drawing air. Suck on this pipe and make sure that the base plate of the distributor moves in response (vacuum advance retard)
Make sure that the distributor base plate will rotate and spring back to the original position (centrifugal advance retard
Hope that lot will keep you going for a while and get you somewhere near!
Chris
This would be my suggestion of a work menu:
1 Fuel system
Stale fuel, even when diluted with new, is known to cause very bad running with unpredictable symptoms. I would drain all fuel from the car and start again with fresh.
Renew the fuel filter
Make sure you have enough fuel in the tank to cover the fuel oulet to the front of the car. Main tank runs out at about 1/4 tank, at which point you need to switch to reserve tank (pull the knob below and left of the radio position). There is only one fuel space in the tank, but two pickups set at different heights in the tank.
Take the plugs out, uncouple the pipe to the first carburettor and motor the engine on the starter motor. Check that you have a good supply of fuel flowing out.
You should have HIF type carburettors. The float chamber is under the carb. Check that you can blow into the fuel space when the carb is empty. Check that the fuel shuts off when you raise the float. Check that the float isn't puctured - ie floats in water or fuel.
2 Ignition system.
Check that you have the plug leads on in the correct positions. This isn't always immediately obvious. Set the engine at compression stroke on no 1 cylinder. (both valves closed, piston at TDC judged by a pointy thing down the plug hole) Take off the distributor cap and establish which lead pillar the rotor arm is pointing at. Trace the lead from that cylinder and see which plug it goes to. If wrong, correct and then position the reamining leads to match the firing order.
Renew the plugs
Then check that you are getting a spark at each plug when you motor the engine with the plugs out.
If the engine starts and fires OK whilst the motor is turning the engine over, but then dies when you release the key to the running position, you could have an LT fault. The P6 has a ballast resistor in the loom to drop the normal voltage at the coil to around 7V. When the starter motor is operating the feed to the coil goes via the motor and raises the coil voltage to 12V. Likely causes are a fault on the ignition switch or a broken wire somewhere in the system. A temporary check would be to feed the coil from another known 12V supply. But don't leave it like this as you will burn out the coil. It doesn't like 12V conntinuously.
Check that the coil is the correct type. Perhaps someone has replaced it with a 12V type instead of a ballasted type?
You can get some very peculiar symptoms from defective chokes / capacitors in the distributor. Yes, even brand new ones, in fact especially brand new ones, as there have been some dodgy batches of Chinese made ones around. HAve you got a nice old Lucas one in a tool box somewhere?
Then we are on to peculiar ones.
The inlet manifold is flexibaly mounted. Check that the O rings that provide the air tight seal are in good condition.
rebuild carburettors(!)
Check that the vacuum hose to the servo is in good condition and not drawing air.
Check that the vaccuum pipe to the distributor is intact and not drawing air. Suck on this pipe and make sure that the base plate of the distributor moves in response (vacuum advance retard)
Make sure that the distributor base plate will rotate and spring back to the original position (centrifugal advance retard
Hope that lot will keep you going for a while and get you somewhere near!
Chris
hi thanks for the advice got the car running the main problem was the condensor we did 80 miles on sunday in it sitting at 60 -70 mph on the motorway although the car was probably flat out at just over 70mph shud it not do more than this it just seems as if its not getting full power thanks for the help
NickDunning
Active Member
rockdemon said:
Agreed. Glad it's running better than before though.