Pulled my '17 Runabout in the garage a week ago after a good run, went to start it and now the only cylinder that fires is #3. I can get fuel to the carb, cleaned out the timer, and cranked the motor over by hand but only #3 fires- and it fires all the time. I am stumped? No other plug fires...I removed the timer cover and the wheel does spin.
Anyone have any ideas....I am scratching my head on this one.
Thanks,
Jim
James
Do you mean the 'wheel' as in the roller for the timer rotor? That will spin, but you want to see the rotor turn with the camshaft, to be sure the roller hits all 4 of the contacts in the timer case.
If all is well at the timer, chase the wires to the coil box, or see that the other 3 coils in the box are seated on their contacts. Seems like electrical problem.
I agree- I suspected something is either stuck or shorting somewhere. Thanks, just seems odd that it stays on #3 all the time.
Forgot to mention- I am running and original Ford roller type timer.
James
May be #3 timer contact is grounding out, that will make the coil buzz constant. Not real good for the coil to run constant.
#3 terminal is under the timer advance/retard rod, check that when you pull up and down on the spark lever, that the timer case turns fine, and no terminal wire fitting makes any contact to ground. In a dark garage you can see any electrical indicators of grounding.
The timer roller may have chewed up some of the brass felt retaining ring.... clean timer with solvent followed with compressed air.... chuck brass plate & use a camshaft neoprene seal instead.
Actually Dan, now that you mentioned it- I noticed that my bolt under the timer is tail up, instead of head up. Since I had removed the timer to clean up oil all around it from years of driving- maybe I jostled a wire and now it is making contact with an exposed bolt? Good theory- I'll check it out.
A coil that constantly fires is a grounding problem. The above mentioned grounded timer terminal, the coil harness or a carbon track in the coil box come to mind. Why the others don't fire is a real mystery. Especially if the timer is rotating normally. In other words the rotating timer arm should ground the other 3 coils causing them to fire even though #3 buzzes all the time. You sure that's what's happening?
James,
Please answer Dan's question, "Do you mean the 'wheel' as in the roller for the timer rotor? That will spin, but you want to see the rotor turn with the camshaft..."
Does the rotor turn with the camshaft? In other words, is your camshaft turning. Or, in still other words, do you have a broken timing gear?
Oops, yes, I mean the wheel on the timer roller will spin around- so my camshaft is spinning as it should.
If I was trying to solve the problem, I would remove the wire from the #3 coil on the back of the coil box. (Wire going to the timer) If it still has a constant buzz, there is a short in the coil box. If the buzz is gone, the problem is the wire or timer shorted for #3.
Nice one Willie.
Good idea!