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Backfire and Dead

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Backfire and Dead
#1
Marc123 Marc McDougall
Auckland, auckland, New Zealand   NZL
Hey guys i recently got electronic ignition and put it in my distributor.
When i get the car to runing and set the timing to 10 degrees before TDC and take it for a drive it will drive for a while and have stubbly acceleration and then backfire and the engine dies and when i try start the car it will back fire again and not start

Does anyone know what could be the problem like the carbs or ignition system, im not to sure ?

Thanks

Marc!

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Re: Backfire and Dead
#2
middleson326 Avatar
middleson326 Rich W
Holyoke, MA, USA   USA
1980 Triumph Spitfire 1500
If the car was running before you installed the electronic ignition I would focus on that. I recently had a very similar experience with mine. After a couple weekends of fiddlin around I found that I had a faulty wire connection at the coil. Replaced all the wire terminals, crimped and soldered and no more issues.


Always something

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Re: Backfire and Dead
#3
TR2 Avatar
TR2 john L
VINCENTIA, Jervis Bay, Australia   AUS
1954 Triumph TR2
Similar thing also happened to the TR. The actual component ( hall effect module) was faulty - replaced it with another and all was good. Usually components like that will fail very early in the piece if they are going to fail, if they don't which is usually the case every one is happy!

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Re: Backfire and Dead
#4
Born Loser Avatar
Born Loser Silver Member Matthew Taylor
Land O Lake, FL, USA   USA
1960 Triumph TR3A
1970 Triumph Spitfire MkIII
I agree with all of the above. Double check all the connections, if they are good - you need a new unit...


Matthew
1960 Triumph TR3a
1970 Triumph Spitfire MK 3
2012 Mini Cooper SS Convertible
2018 Jaguar F-Pace

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Re: Backfire and Dead
#5
rhodyspit75 Avatar
rhodyspit75 Ernie Connor
Cumberland, RI, USA   USA
1960 Austin-Healey Bugeye Sprite
1975 Triumph Spitfire 1500 "The Cardinal"
Also grab the distributor and try to turn it. It's possible that the clamp is not holding the base tight and it went out of time. Especially since you say you adjusted the timing.


Ernie
1975 Triumph Spitfire

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Re: Backfire and Dead
#6
74Spit Avatar
74Spit Rick Ladd
Brooklyn, NY, USA   USA
1974 Triumph Spitfire 1500
If you installed a pertronix, check the wires under the dizzy cap. I had some wires chafe at the rotor once that caused a gigantic backfire. Blew my muffler off and busted my manifold gasket.

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Re: Backfire and Dead
#7
mike crane
vancouver, WA, USA   USA
1963 Triumph Herald 1200
1968 Triumph TR250
1971 Triumph TR6
Did you install a red or blue rotor? The black rotors not only have too high a carbon content but often have a rivet that shorts out. Common problem with the installation of a Pertronix, especially if a high output coil is added. Just try a different rotor. Yours is not salvageable even though it will look fine.
Mike C

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Re: Backfire and Dead
#8
74Spit Avatar
74Spit Rick Ladd
Brooklyn, NY, USA   USA
1974 Triumph Spitfire 1500
Do you know if those red or blue new rotors will work on my delco remy? The rotor I use is a stock one with the spring clip at the top. I have yet to see that design offered

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Re: Backfire and Dead
#9
Jediscuba Avatar
Jediscuba Steven Spandorf
Southampton, NY, USA   USA
1963 Triumph Spitfire "Pussycat"
Rick,
I've never had problems using a black rotor, even with a 400:1 Lucas racing coil.
As for different color rotors .... If you want to play around, versions of the Delco 200 series distributor were used on several 4 and 6 cylinder American cars.
If you take your rotor to a REAL auto parts shop, they should be able to identify it and help you.

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Re: Backfire and Dead
#10
74Spit Avatar
74Spit Rick Ladd
Brooklyn, NY, USA   USA
1974 Triumph Spitfire 1500
My interest is in strong reliability. I hear that stock rotors often fail so I was curious about better products. I have seen the new red rotors but not the same design for my dizzy

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Re: Backfire and Dead
#11
spitfire50 Avatar
spitfire50 Paul Mugford
Rochester, N.H., USA   USA
1966 Triumph Spitfire MkII
Rick,
There are lots of aftermarket rotors for the Lucas dizzies around, in several colors. The Delco has fewer though, as Steven says, the dizzy was used for ages on some American cars. If a rotor doesn't have the springy contact on top it isn't right for the Delco. Delco caps don't have a moving carbon contact, so the rotor has to have some spring to the contact. Lucas caps have a normal moving carbon and the rotors have a fixed contact.
Because of the American uses, some FLAPS have, or can get, the Delco rotor.
All the best,
Paul

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Re: Backfire and Dead
#12
74Spit Avatar
74Spit Rick Ladd
Brooklyn, NY, USA   USA
1974 Triumph Spitfire 1500
Thanks Paul, I'll just be sure to carry a back up stock rotor.

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Re: Backfire and Dead
#13
Jediscuba Avatar
Jediscuba Steven Spandorf
Southampton, NY, USA   USA
1963 Triumph Spitfire "Pussycat"
Rick,
I believe the original AC Delco part number for the rotor was D400.
This may help you find a red blue or color of your choice rotor

American cars from 1948 to 1955 commonly used the series 200 distributor but subset their own part numbers.
The Chevy 3900 is one such unit.
The drive shaft is longer but the unit is very similar to the D202 and D204
Some Studebaker and even the Chevy trucks of the late 50's had similar units.

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Re: Backfire and Dead
#14
spitfire50 Avatar
spitfire50 Paul Mugford
Rochester, N.H., USA   USA
1966 Triumph Spitfire MkII
In reply to # 1465284 by Jediscuba Rick,
I believe the original AC Delco part number for the rotor was D400.
This may help you find a red blue or color of your choice rotor

American cars from 1948 to 1955 commonly used the series 200 distributor but subset their own part numbers.
The Chevy 3900 is one such unit.
The drive shaft is longer but the unit is very similar to the D202 and D204
Some Studebaker and even the Chevy trucks of the late 50's had similar units.

Steven,
ISTR I searched the Delco ignition parts and at least some of them go back to the 1920s. Both the points and rotor were used in a wide range of vehicles. Of course Vauxhall was the British connection that made the parts available to Triumph.
All the best,
Paul

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Re: Backfire and Dead
#15
mike crane
vancouver, WA, USA   USA
1963 Triumph Herald 1200
1968 Triumph TR250
1971 Triumph TR6
Accuspark makes a red rotor for Delco distributors. It's available on eBay, maybe other sources. Colored, no-rivet rotors for Lucas dizzys are available from BPNW, TRF, and other Brit car suppliers. Another black rotor will get you going, but sooner or later it is likely to fail.
Mike C

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