Hi guys,

Recently I have been helping a friend with re-commissioning of a 1977 Ami 8. When we picked the car up, it was hesitant and kept popping back under load.

Since then we have changed the coil, HT leads, plugs, points, condensor, cleaned the carb out, changed the fuel for fresh and set tappet clearances.

For that one night it ran perfectly, but after going back a week later (the night before MOT, obviously) it's running like crap again. Any load on it and you get a quick hesitation then it just pops back through the carb or sometimes through the exhaust. If you leave it alone it idles alright. Compression is 155psi on both cylinders, but that was just warm-ish, didn't want to run it for too long like this.

We're going to have another proper going over everything tomorrow, but I feel like we have missed something daft the first time. Is there anything that would specifically cause this, or anything that might have failed?

Thanks.

Pics = help!

New condenser failing?
Easy to diagnose with one of these...
http://www.screwfix.com/p/laser-ht-lead ... tAod2DQAVw

Probably worth checking the charging voltage; if it's more than 14.4 volts, that tends to make life harder for condensers.

Also, if you're going to stick with points ignition, maybe mount the condenser away from the points box, then it can be swapped without disturbing the timing.

Put in a petrol filter after the petrol pump. Clean all jets in the carb clean also the filter in the carb and clean the filter in the petrol tank.. Then take also a god look at the petrl hose coming from the tank if there aren't any cracks....

I have almost no pictures of the car at all, only this one fresh off the trailer:



On a related note I'll try and persuade him to write a bit in Your A-Series for it.

Thanks Ken, I think I've got some of them lying about somewhere so will have a go tomorrow.

lpgo, will have a good look at the lines and see if there's anything wrong there, cleaned the carb out earlier but that alone doesn't seem to have changed it.

Thanks.

Fuel cap breather blocked (even if it's just a hole in the cap).

Fuel goes off really quickly these days unless you chuck some preserver in it. (Lawnmower shop).

Even with an inline filter I get come fine rust particles building up in the bottom of the float bowl, whilst checking look and see if any water has separated out from the fuel in the bottom of the float bowl.

Have you checked the carb filter itself? The fine gauze one behind the 14mm cap at the front?

It does sound like condenser though, just trying to think of anything else it could be.

Take a look inside your carb again. I bet there will be debrie all over it again. Then do as I told you...

Sounds like a duff condenser, especially if its a new one.

advance...

oh its a blue one ...they never run well


( apart from the condensor and they often fail within couple of hours out the packet the fuel lines will likley be hard and split especially the one ablve the fuel tank if its drawing air then the engine will falter and pop when the revs rise)