Powerpack or timing fault?

[brettule]

I've got a 1978 85hp V4 and the right bank is not firing. Actually, every once in a while there is a spark but it mostly doesn't. Given it's both plugs on the right side and it occurred simultaneously I'm ruling out both coils suddenly failed and looking at the powerpack being at fault. However, does the timer base have two sensor coils as well or just one? I'm wondering if the timer base had a fault could I also see these symptoms or would I have no spark at all across all 4 plugs? What's your thoughts people?

 

[emdsapmgr]

Re: Powerpack or timing fault?

It's easy to do an ignition test on that engine. It's got two identical power packs, one for each head. Swap them and see if the "no spark" condition moves to the other head. If it does, replace the bad power pack. If that does not fix it, have a look at the stator and the timer base next. Agree, unlikely a problem with the 4 coils-they generally have very high reliability. You can find some excellent ignition troubleshooting info at this website: cdielectronics.com

 

[brettule]

Re: Powerpack or timing fault?

I actually started doing that while I was on the water but my spanners were slipping off the bolt heads for the power pack. I had metric spanners, do these engines use imperial sizes?

 

[boobie]

Re: Powerpack or timing fault?

No, American.

 

[brettule]

Re: Powerpack or timing fault?

No, American.

Is that a different size again to Imperial? I've never heard of American size spanners.

 

[racerone]

Re: Powerpack or timing fault?

Try a 3/8 inch socket or wrench.

 

[jsinton]

Re: Powerpack or timing fault?

Yes, I think it's the ASE standard in the US. It's all fractions of inches here, not sure if that's the same in imperial standard.

 

[brettule]

Re: Powerpack or timing fault?

Ahh, the US uses an earlier imperial measurement system from the middle ages, England later established an Imperial system of measurement in 1824 which was after the American independence which is probably why it wasn't adopted by the US. The difference is mostly in volume though, inches are the same so the US units are the same as Imperial units when it comes to spanners and nuts and bolts.

Comparison of the imperial and US customary measurement systems - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[Tim Frank]

Re: Powerpack or timing fault?

Ahh, the US uses an earlier imperial measurement system from the middle ages, ...., inches are the same so the US units are the same as Imperial units when it comes to spanners and nuts and bolts.

Not exactly.
The tool sizes are based on thread specs....Brits have a bunch...BS, BSW etc.
I have a set of British wrenches from my days of running MGs and Austins. They are sizes in fractional inches, but aren't the same scale as my Canadian-bought inch set.

You need to check the wrench size for UN (Unified national) series fasteners. If I need a 3/8" socket for a bolt or nut, a 3/8" BSW will not do the job.

 

[jsinton]

Re: Powerpack or timing fault?

Ahh, the US uses an earlier imperial measurement system from the middle ages, England later established an Imperial system of measurement in 1824 which was after the American independence which is probably why it wasn't adopted by the US. The difference is mostly in volume though, inches are the same so the US units are the same as Imperial units when it comes to spanners and nuts and bolts.

Comparison of the imperial and US customary measurement systems - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Interesting Wikipedia article. I know years ago I was touring the Garber facility of the Smithsonian Institution. They do antique restoration there. They had the only surviving example of a Japanese sub-launched torpedo plane they were working on. It required three sets of tools to work on: US, Metric, and British... a Japanese plane!

 

[boobie]

Re: Powerpack or timing fault?

Okay, where did the Whitworth come in ??

 

[Tim Frank]

Re: Powerpack or timing fault?

Okay, where did the Whitworth come in ??

BSW = British Standard Whitworth.
BSW threads have a crest angle of 55 degrees....UN threads are 60 degrees.

Our North American wrenches, sockets, etc. have nominal sizes that refer to the measurement across the flats of the nut or bolt head....BSW sizes refer to the size of the thread....and so are "undersize" to the NA eye.
i.e a 3/8 BSW bolt would fit a 3/8 BSW wrench.

 

[boobie]

Re: Powerpack or timing fault?

Thank you Mr Tim, I couldn't remember.