Guest 84riviera Posted July 23, 2014 Share Posted July 23, 2014 Hi all, This has been going on for about 2.5 weeks now. If I give it any more than 1/4 throttle, the engine backfires through the carb and nearly stalls (it has stalled once actually). I hear a ticking sound from the area around the distributor, ticks about every 5 seconds, no pattern to the ticks. Sounds like sparks. I changed the cap and plugs in the fall. If I'm at a stop but in overdrive (or drive) and give it the amount of throttle I used to give it, it happens. However if i start it in 1st and manually upshift, it doesn't happen as much. Keeping it out of OD does nothing. Timing is set at 20 degrees adv, with ALDL grounded, but still happens. Trans fluid level is fine, so is oil. I changed trans fluid in the fall.The only thing I remember doing to the car before this started to happen was I ran 1/2 bottle of Seafoam through the carb. Would this be the problem, or is this a trans issue? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seafoam65 Posted July 23, 2014 Share Posted July 23, 2014 I'm in the car repair business so I will try to help you. You have spark jumping around at the distributor. The first thing I would suspect is a burned out ignition rotor with a hole burned through the plastic. Remove the cap and remove the rotor and inspect it for a hole burned through in the plasticunderneath the center spring contact. If you have any doubts about it change it. While the cap is off, make sure the carbon tip protruding from the centerof the inside of the cap is in good shape and not broken or burned off. Also, when you changed the cap did you transfer the ground strap for the ignition coil to the new cap?I believe one of the things I just mentioned will be the issue. Another possibility if the cap and rotor are OK is that one of your plug wires is bad and the spark is jumpingaround inside the cap because it can't find a ground through the open plug wire. Regards, Winston Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 84riviera Posted July 23, 2014 Share Posted July 23, 2014 I'm in the car repair business so I will try to help you. You have spark jumping around at the distributor. The first thing I would suspect is a burned out ignition rotor with a hole burned through the plastic.Thanks Winston, I'll inspect the cap and areas you specified. I'm not sure about the ground strap for the coil though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seafoam65 Posted July 23, 2014 Share Posted July 23, 2014 Thanks Winston, I'll inspect the cap and areas you specified. I'm not sure about the ground strap for the coil though. When you transfer the ignition coil from one cap to another it is easy to not notice the ground strap for the coil which the coil sits on top of. It mustbe transfered to the new cap before installing the coil in the new cap. Also check and make sure the spring that pushes on the carbon tip in the middle of the cap that sits under the coil is in good shape. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1965rivgs Posted July 25, 2014 Share Posted July 25, 2014 I'm in the car repair business so I will try to help you. You have spark jumping around at the distributor. The first thing I would suspect is a burned out ignition rotor with a hole burned through the plastic. Remove the cap and remove the rotor and inspect it for a hole burned through in the plasticunderneath the center spring contact. If you have any doubts about it change it. While the cap is off, make sure the carbon tip protruding from the centerof the inside of the cap is in good shape and not broken or burned off. Also, when you changed the cap did you transfer the ground strap for the ignition coil to the new cap?I believe one of the things I just mentioned will be the issue. Another possibility if the cap and rotor are OK is that one of your plug wires is bad and the spark is jumpingaround inside the cap because it can't find a ground through the open plug wire. Regards, WinstonThis is well informed advice. However, with the spark scattering from cylinder to cylinder, I would also expect some backfiring to be occurring in the exhaust. Perhaps that is happening but you are not noting it or unable to hear it. Generally, ignition problems will create backfiring in both the intake and exhaust whereas backfiring only in the intake points to carburetion.Is the sound backfiring or muted "popping"? If it is muted popping it could be an intake valve which occasionally does not seat allowing combustion back into the intake. How does it run otherwise? Does it idle smoothly? Tom Mooney Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sosuzguy Posted July 25, 2014 Share Posted July 25, 2014 GREAT advise thanks Winston and Tom! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 84riviera Posted July 26, 2014 Share Posted July 26, 2014 I misted the cap with water and it made a more intense ticking. So I replaced the cap and rotor today, and nothing has changed. Still ticking, still backfiring, still leaving an area of carbon on the inside of air cleaner. I can feel current on the #2&6 wires. What do you folks think is the issue? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seafoam65 Posted July 28, 2014 Share Posted July 28, 2014 I misted the cap with water and it made a more intense ticking. So I replaced the cap and rotor today, and nothing has changed. Still ticking, still backfiring, still leaving an area of carbon on the inside of air cleaner. I can feel current on the #2&6 wires. What do you folks think is the issue? I think the next step would be a fresh set of spark plug wires. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
63 Rivi Posted August 15, 2014 Share Posted August 15, 2014 I agree with Winston. Change out the wires. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 84riviera Posted August 15, 2014 Share Posted August 15, 2014 Sorry, meant to update this. Yes, it was the wires. I must have been running on 6 or 7 cylinders for a long time! Now its stronger than ever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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