Engine not running quite right

[RichardF]

Just a tale folks that may help someone else. The engine (a P6 actually, so carbs, etc are different) in my P5b just would not run as sweet as I thought it should. I tried all the usual checks; timing, mixture, etc to no avail. I had not long purchased the car and it had new HT leads fitted just prior to purchase. Pulling each lead off at a time eventually showed that one was very slightly different in note to the other seven. Re-fitting the connector at the spark plug end brought it up to par. However, there was still something amiss and I could not put my finger on it. Eventually, after much head scratching and searching with a torch (and praying it was not the cam lobes), I found a small split in the vacuum advance connector under one of the carbs. Renewing this small rubber connector solved the problem. Really runs lovely now. I confess that at pushing sixty, I need glasses to read and hence work in the engine bay, even in good light may have exacerbated my search for the fault a little. Still, this little story may help someone else.

RichardF

[Deleted]

That just goes to prove that the smallest thing can have drastic effects and one should not fear the worst

[RichardF]

It also goes to prove that just because it's new, it doesn't means it's working okay. Reminds me of a new spark plug cap fitted many years ago. I took it for granted that it was okay but still had the misfire. In my inexperience at the time, I even went as far as taking the head off to inspect the valves. I can laugh about it now.

RichardF