I'm getting varying readouts from a dwell meter when its attached to the 
distributor of an 8 cylinder engine. (Its a Volvo Aquamatic 260hp boat 
engine which is now nearly 25 years old but still going strong, fingers 
crossed)The distributor uses a single set of points. I'm trying to 
source the problem of rough idle and apparent mis-firing at low revs.

Any body got any ideas ?

Paul Mc Cann

"Paul Mc Cann"  wrote in message 
news:MPG.1d29d564bae1c156989681@news1.eircom.net...

> I'm getting varying readouts from a dwell meter when its attached to the
> distributor of an 8 cylinder engine. (Its a Volvo Aquamatic 260hp boat
> engine which is now nearly 25 years old but still going strong, fingers
> crossed)The distributor uses a single set of points. I'm trying to
> source the problem of rough idle and apparent mis-firing at low revs.
>
> Any body got any ideas ?
>
> Paul Mc Cann


Are the bearings of the cam drive worn and loose? This would badly effect 
the dwell.

Rob Graham

In article <d9oktp$qk0$1@nwrdmz01.dmz.ncs.ea.ibs-infra.bt.com>, Rob 
graham says...

> 
> "Paul Mc Cann"  wrote in message 
> news:MPG.1d29d564bae1c156989681@news1.eircom.net...
> > I'm getting varying readouts from a dwell meter when its attached to the
> > distributor of an 8 cylinder engine. (Its a Volvo Aquamatic 260hp boat
> > engine which is now nearly 25 years old but still going strong, fingers
> > crossed)The distributor uses a single set of points. I'm trying to
> > source the problem of rough idle and apparent mis-firing at low revs.
> >
> > Any body got any ideas ?
> >
> > Paul Mc Cann
> 
> Are the bearings of the cam drive worn and loose? This would badly effect 
> the dwell.
> 

As would the shaft bearings.


-- 
Conor

-You wanted an argument? Oh I'm sorry, but this is abuse. You want room 
K5, just along the corridor. Stupid git. (Monty Python)

In article ,
   Paul Mc Cann  wrote:

> I'm getting varying readouts from a dwell meter when its attached to the 
> distributor of an 8 cylinder engine. (Its a Volvo Aquamatic 260hp boat 
> engine which is now nearly 25 years old but still going strong, fingers 
> crossed)The distributor uses a single set of points. I'm trying to 
> source the problem of rough idle and apparent mis-firing at low revs.

> Any body got any ideas ?


Worn cam. Weak points spring. Play in the distributor bearings or cam to
shaft bearings. Play in the baseplate pivot(s)

If it is wear in the distributor, an IR switched system like Luminition
will give constant dwell.

-- 
*If at first you don't succeed, then skydiving definitely isn't for you *

    Dave Plowman        dave@davenoise.co.uk           London SW
                  To e-mail, change noise into sound.

On Mon, 27 Jun 2005 14:10:02 +0100, "Dave Plowman (News)"
 wrote:


>In article ,
>   Paul Mc Cann  wrote:
>> I'm getting varying readouts from a dwell meter when its attached to the 
>> distributor of an 8 cylinder engine. (Its a Volvo Aquamatic 260hp boat 
>> engine which is now nearly 25 years old but still going strong, fingers 
>> crossed)The distributor uses a single set of points. I'm trying to 
>> source the problem of rough idle and apparent mis-firing at low revs.
>
>> Any body got any ideas ?
>
>Worn cam. Weak points spring. Play in the distributor bearings or cam to
>shaft bearings. Play in the baseplate pivot(s)
>
>If it is wear in the distributor, an IR switched system like Luminition
>will give constant dwell.



what about shagged out condenser ?



-- 
arjftebhc@jryfutbi.pb.hx<--ROT13 it
Spam Trap in Header

GS850 Trike

For animals, the entire universe has been neatly divided into things to 
(a) mate with, (b) eat, (c) run away from, and (d) rocks.

http://borg.no-ip.com

> what about shagged out condenser ?
>


This won't affect the dwell, although it might account for misfiring.

Rob Graham

In article , 
Borg@Deadspam.com says...

> On Mon, 27 Jun 2005 14:10:02 +0100, "Dave Plowman (News)"
>  wrote:
> 
> >In article ,
> >   Paul Mc Cann  wrote:
> >> I'm getting varying readouts from a dwell meter when its attached to the 
> >> distributor of an 8 cylinder engine. (Its a Volvo Aquamatic 260hp boat 
> >> engine which is now nearly 25 years old but still going strong, fingers 
> >> crossed)The distributor uses a single set of points. I'm trying to 
> >> source the problem of rough idle and apparent mis-firing at low revs.
> >
> >> Any body got any ideas ?
> >
> >Worn cam. Weak points spring. Play in the distributor bearings or cam to
> >shaft bearings. Play in the baseplate pivot(s)
> >
> >If it is wear in the distributor, an IR switched system like Luminition
> >will give constant dwell.
> 
> 
> what about shagged out condenser ?
> 
> 
> 
> 

Have replaced the condenser already. No difference.



-- 
Paul Mc Cann

In article , dave@davenoise.co.uk 
says...

> In article ,
>    Paul Mc Cann  wrote:
> > I'm getting varying readouts from a dwell meter when its attached to the 
> > distributor of an 8 cylinder engine. (Its a Volvo Aquamatic 260hp boat 
> > engine which is now nearly 25 years old but still going strong, fingers 
> > crossed)The distributor uses a single set of points. I'm trying to 
> > source the problem of rough idle and apparent mis-firing at low revs.
> 
> > Any body got any ideas ?
> 
> Worn cam. Weak points spring. Play in the distributor bearings or cam to
> shaft bearings. Play in the baseplate pivot(s)
> 
> If it is wear in the distributor, an IR switched system like Luminition
> will give constant dwell.
> 
> 

Will look into the Luminition system.

I did notice that when setting the points with a feeler gauge it was 
possible to move the rotor/cam slightly, as normal, but it didn't spring 
back.

This is the only engine I service now, apart from garden equipment, and 
as I only do it once a year I have got very rusty. Either that or I'm 
past it.

-- 
Paul Mc Cann

"Paul Mc Cann"  wrote in message 
news:MPG.1d2a45fa1de6366f98980c@news1.eircom.net...

> In article , dave@davenoise.co.uk
> says...
>> In article ,
>>    Paul Mc Cann  wrote:
>> > I'm getting varying readouts from a dwell meter when its attached to 
>> > the
>> > distributor of an 8 cylinder engine. (Its a Volvo Aquamatic 260hp boat
>> > engine which is now nearly 25 years old but still going strong, fingers
>> > crossed)The distributor uses a single set of points. I'm trying to
>> > source the problem of rough idle and apparent mis-firing at low revs.
>>
>> > Any body got any ideas ?
>>
>> Worn cam. Weak points spring. Play in the distributor bearings or cam to
>> shaft bearings. Play in the baseplate pivot(s)
>>
>> If it is wear in the distributor, an IR switched system like Luminition
>> will give constant dwell.
>>
>>
> Will look into the Luminition system.
>
> I did notice that when setting the points with a feeler gauge it was
> possible to move the rotor/cam slightly, as normal, but it didn't spring
> back.
>
> This is the only engine I service now, apart from garden equipment, and
> as I only do it once a year I have got very rusty. Either that or I'm
> past it.
>
> -- 
> Paul Mc Cann


the distributor would have to be falling apart to really make a lot of 
difference, just set it to 30 degrees of dwell, with new points.

mrcheerful

We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the
drugs began to take hold. I remember Paul Mc Cann 
saying something like:


>I'm getting varying readouts from a dwell meter when its attached to the 
>distributor of an 8 cylinder engine. (Its a Volvo Aquamatic 260hp boat 
>engine which is now nearly 25 years old but still going strong, fingers 
>crossed)The distributor uses a single set of points. I'm trying to 
>source the problem of rough idle and apparent mis-firing at low revs.
>
>Any body got any ideas ?


Bent or worn distributor driveshaft and / or worn points cam. Have you
any chance of finding the original specs for the distributor and/or a
replacement? It's not a Lucas, is it?
-- 

Dave
SE6a

Grimly Curmudgeon wrote in message ...

>We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the
>drugs began to take hold. I remember Paul Mc Cann 
>saying something like:
>
>>I'm getting varying readouts from a dwell meter when its attached to the
>>distributor of an 8 cylinder engine. (Its a Volvo Aquamatic 260hp boat
>>engine which is now nearly 25 years old but still going strong, fingers
>>crossed)The distributor uses a single set of points. I'm trying to
>>source the problem of rough idle and apparent mis-firing at low revs.
>>
>>Any body got any ideas ?
>
>Bent or worn distributor driveshaft and / or worn points cam. Have you
>any chance of finding the original specs for the distributor and/or a
>replacement? It's not a Lucas, is it?
>--
>
>Dave
>SE6a


Any chance the vacuum advance mechanism is playing up?

just my 2p

Bob

In article ,
   Paul Mc Cann  wrote:

> > If it is wear in the distributor, an IR switched system like Luminition
> > will give constant dwell.
> > 
> > 
> Will look into the Luminition system.

> I did notice that when setting the points with a feeler gauge it was 
> possible to move the rotor/cam slightly, as normal, but it didn't spring 
> back.


In a rotary way? If so, that won't effect the dwell. If side to side,
could be a worn baseplate. Many remember to put a drop of oil down the
shaft, but not to oil this. (the top part pivots on the bottom as the
vacuum advance operates.)

What make of distributor? It may be possible to buy a new baseplate.


> This is the only engine I service now, apart from garden equipment, and 
> as I only do it once a year I have got very rusty. Either that or I'm 
> past it.


-- 
*Why is it that doctors call what they do "practice"?

    Dave Plowman        dave@davenoise.co.uk           London SW
                  To e-mail, change noise into sound.

> I'm getting varying readouts from a dwell meter when its attached to the
> distributor of an 8 cylinder engine. (Its a Volvo Aquamatic 260hp boat
> engine which is now nearly 25 years old but still going strong, fingers
> crossed)The distributor uses a single set of points. I'm trying to
> source the problem of rough idle and apparent mis-firing at low revs.
>
> Any body got any ideas ?
>

Worn out distributor.