POSSIBLE DISASTER!!!!!!
Turbo Mini Forums

had a drive today, in 3rd gear about 4,500 revs, changed into 4th and had a little backfire. then i couldnt rev the engine and then it cut out completely! pulled over and checked obvious stuff and it wouldnt start.
after a while i got it started but had to keep it above 2,500 to keep it running.
so left it for 15-20 mins while me dad came. started it up and managed to get it home, got it bk and it starts and runs on idle.
now i pulled the plug off cylinder no 3 (one in from the left hand side) and it makes no difference to the engine tickover at all!
did a compression test and it seems ok got the same reading as i did on one of the other cylinders!
any suggestions on what it could be, please dont say what im thinking :(

'always keep a spare shot for a stray bird'

Hi, bad luck, I can think of a few things you can do to rule stuff out, im hoping on your behalf its an ignition problem, first of all have you checked the sparkplug, its a long shot but if for some reason the gap has been dramatically altered this may cause the fault your describing, also have you checked you are getting a spark at this cylinder at all? because your distributor contact may have become damaged, just a few suggestions you may have already tried but I thought I'd give you some ideas,

good luck mate.

thanks kav, thought it may be the plug so changed it round to another cylinder, and no difference, changed the lead and still the same. will check the dizzy cap next.

'always keep a spare shot for a stray bird'

I hope you get some good news, thats what my money would be on if it wasnt for the idleing not being consistant, good luck anyway.

Kav

what i dont get is that it completely cut out then after a while it seemed to tick over ok, doesnt sound like its running on 3 cylinders either?

'always keep a spare shot for a stray bird'

no, that is weird, but there should be a noticable drop in rpm when you pull each ht lead off in turn.

i'd go with the fuel pump not keeping up and possibly running lean and its damaged something or another.

hope not though.

i'd change over plugs, leads etc on number 3 with number 2 and see what happens.

My fuel pump isnt keeping up with demand at the minute, this isnt the first pump thats done it for me either!

Hi,
Now this may sound daft, but I'm sure it's been done before...
You are doing the compression test with all the spark plugs out, aren't you?
Are you running the Metro electronic ignition dizzy? May be a faulty module....
Cheers,
Gavin :)

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CAREFULLY!!! re check the compression again

my moneys on the head gasket blown inbetween 2&3 cylinder

Hi,
Benross is on my wavelength....
Cheers,
Gavin :)

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right after checking the leads, dizzy cap,rotor arm and compression again with all the plugs out, every cylinder was near enough the same.
so decided to take head off, found nothing wrong with the gasket (BK450), piston crowns are all fine and all of the bores are unmarked, like new. like they shud be.
in my mind if the rings had gone, compression would out and bores marked!
could it be an electrical fault within the dizzy, seems to be running on only 2 cylinders now as the engine does not change when leads 3 and 4 are removed!!
really stuck now, but so thankfull that i didnt find and holes!!!! :)

'always keep a spare shot for a stray bird'

what dizzy does it have?

so you appear to have eliminated

compression
gasket
valves
leads
plugs.

yhe only oter things i can think of is somthing like 2 fins coming off of the distributer signal thiny on a luminition, or an inlet problem on for no's for 3&4 maybe check the inlet gasket? a backfire could have spat it out?

Oh and have you checked there actually is a spark on no's 3&4?

Edited by Joe C on 24th Jul, 2007.

forgot to mention checked that i was getting a spark on leads 3+4 and spark was present.
thanks for everyones replies so far, been great as usual

'always keep a spare shot for a stray bird'

change the dizzy module these are crap in my experience

if you have a spark to 3&4 plugs a good health blue spark, then the problem will lie with the plugs

having said that, dizzy cap leads and the coil try replacing these or check them out

Hi,
Any tracking lines inside the dizzy cap?
Try running the engine in the dark, it won't get scared, but you'll see if the sparks are tracking across the outside of the cap...
Cheers,
Gavin :)

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WB/EGT gauges. Click here for customers write-up

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