Moss Motors, Ltd

After many years of trouble free running today the engine started playing up with a sudden complete lack of "engine" then just as suddenly all restored. All leads checked and fine. This is not a miss-fire but complete dying as though ignition switched off. Dont think a fuel problem more likely ignition - but as no miss-fire unlikely to be points but could be condensor/coil failure. Engine does not stop but dies then restarts. Happens at all speeds and loads. Tick over fine at 800rpm. Has anyone else had the same problem and which bits were found to be at fault? Many thanks. YOF

Are you loosing all dash instruments as well when this happens?? If so, it looks like a dickey ignition switch connection which is  re-established when you reboot the system! Hopefully its an external rather than an internal fault if so.

Cheers            steve

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To a man equipped with only a hammer, most problems look like nails

Hi Steve - have to confess that I did not notice if the ignition light came on - but dont think so - also dont think I lost the fuel guage. Do not have to re-start as engine picks up again - sometimes its only a brief failure but other times it can be for a few seconds but as car is still rolling and in gear it cures itself! Almost as though the main earth from the batteries become disconnected. Will check out the ignition switch connections though. Thanks

Cheers Tim

Here's perhaps a long shot but when I had a similar problem, it was a bad contact on the starter relay. The low current connection on the relay (to the solenoid - NOT the battery) actually gave-up.

It was a spent rivet if I recall correctly, that would make and break contact intermittently with vibrations. 

 

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On their death bed, nobody ever said, "Gee I wish I'd spent more time at work!"

'68 Sprite 1275
'76 Midget 1500

If you're convinced it's not a fuel delivery problem, replace the points and condenser. That's the cheapest thing to eliminate, and I have seen condensers fail this way. I'm not so sure that's what you've got, but it's the first place to look. Also look at the pigtail lead in the distributor. That's the super flexible wire that goes to the points spring blade and is riveted to the nylon leadout piece where the coil primary wire attaches. These are often neglected for many years as they fatigue and separate. It seems strange that so few folks replace them, considering they are also pretty cheap. Let us know how you get on.

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Motorbill
From Lola to Land Rover, If it's British and has wheels, it's likely I've bloodied me knuckles thereupon

Thanks - have replaced the condenser as I thought this was probably the problem and as I had a set of points spare replaced those too. Seems to have cured the problem. On the pointof the low tension wire yes this is a bit frayed at its joint with the points connection but have "upgraded it" by remaking the joint as I see from Moss catalogue that this part for the early distributor is "nla". However there is a chap near to me that rebuilds distributors that I have heard of and will contact him to see if he has the replacement part. Tim