Help!

[Guest timswait]

I've just done a routine service on my 2.0 EFi Pinto (new plugs, changed oil, filter, adjusted tappets). Being convinced I'd remember which way round the plug leads went I didn't bother labelling them when I took them off. On putting everything back together again (with the leads in what I was sure was the right order) the engine wouldn't even fire at all. After spending most of the afternoon swapping plug leads around I seem to have tried pretty much every combination, but it still won't run smoothly. I've currently got them connected to the dizzy connections A-B-C-D (see diagram, I hope it makes sense) 1-2-4-3, and this makes it run very roughly. In fact it doesn't seem to fire at all on number 2 cylinder (unplugging lead 2 makes no difference). I've tried 4-3-1-2, and this runs equally roughly, but now it fires on 2 but not on 1. Could someone with a Pinto (preferably EFi, I don't know if they're different) please tell me what dizzy connection goes to which cylinder before I tear my hair out!

Thanks

[Guest bloke]

just checked on my efi: -

D=1

C=2

A=3

B=4

 

HTH

[Guest timswait]

Thanks for that, but that's bad news for me, in that case I've got some other problem. That's the order I had them connected to start with, and it still doesn't work in that order.

It just doesn't fire at all. There's definitely fuel, you can hear the pump and smell it in the exhaust. The plugs spark strongly, and it can be made to run (badly) by connecting them in a different order. What could it be? All I've done since it was last running is to check the tappets (and adjust 2), change the oil, change the oil filter, and change the plugs. I've even tried changing the plugs back to the old ones.

[Big Jim]

Check here. this may help you. firing order is 1342 as previously stated, with the rotor arm going in a clockwise direction.

[Guest bloke]

timswait, sorry its a no go, i think i have cylinder one at front of engine...

 

i spent ages trying to get my lump to fire at first, fuel ok and a spark at each plug, followed the same advice as jims posted and found ignition timing to be 180 out so fitted to above order and vroom vroom, with the rocker cover off you can visually see when cylider 1 is tdc compression (and you can look down the plug hole too) and see which nodge the rotor points to

 

with fuel and spark guess its got to be ignition timing somehow

[Big Jim]

you could have a duff HT lead, especially if you're using the ones from the donor car. Buy one that is long enough for number 4 plug, then when you're confident that you've got them on the right way, replace the one that's duff.

process of elimination.

[ibrooks]

Take the plug out of number one cylinder. Stick something long and thin down the hole until you feel the top of the piston. Now slowly turn the engine by hand (or 19mm spanner) in it's running direction until you feel the piston start to come up. Now stick your thumb over the hole so it forms a seal - can you feel pressure?. If so then stick your long thin thing back in the hole and keep turning until the piston is at the top. If you couldn't feel pressure keep going for another turn and this time you should. Now you have the engine at somewhere near TDC on number one's firing stroke. Take the dizzy cap off and look where the rotor arm is pointing. Whichever lead it's pointing at is number one (obviously you'll have to imagine the cap back on in it's correct orientation) because we know that plugs always fire somewhere near TDC. Now connect that contact to number one and since the dizzy turns clockwise work your way around the cap clockwise connecting 3 4 and 2 in turn.

 

This should get you running again so long as nothing is duff.

 

Other people's dizzy's could be at any orientation as it all depends on where the dizzy shaft engaged when it was installed on the individual engine.

 

Let us know how you get on.

 

Iain

[Guest timswait]

I am pretty confident in the order of the HT leads now. I was fairly sure I was putting them back right to start with, it was just the lack of action which made me doubt it, and the fact is does run roughly with the leads in an anticlockwise order.

I don't think it's a duff HT lead. With the leads in (what I'm fairly sure is) the right order there is no firing at all on any cylinder. Also the leads were new a year ago, but I kept the old ones and I've also been testing it with them.

[Longboarder]

Looking down on the distributor the leads go as below, remembering that number one is the cylinder at the front of the engine. If you remove plug one, wind the engine round bit by bit using a spanner on the crank pulley bolt with your finger over the number one plug hole you will feel pressure when number one piston is rising on compression stroke ready for the firing stroke. When it gets to 8 degrees before TDC, watching the crank pulley timing marks, the rotor arm should be pointing at the notch on the rim of the dizzy which you can see in the pic and that is number one lead. If it's not pointing at the notch on the dizzy rim slacken the retaining bolt and turn the dizzy. If its way off then you may need to remove the dizzy, turn the shaft a bit and refit til the rotor arm can be made to point as below. Standing behind the Left front wheel on the nearside of the engine the notch and rotor should be in the 4.00 o'clock position.

[Guest timswait]

It was the order of the lead connections. Looked at it again, got it right, drained the flooded fuel and it started up and is purring. I feel like a right muppet now. Barkston Heath here I come!

[Grim]

now write a number on each lead and on the dizzy

[Guest timswait]

After more extensive testing, it's still not quite right. It's definitely running a little bit lumpy, not all the time, but it does sound quite wrong when it does it, it kind of coughs and brppp, brppps when held at constant throttle, and it was dead smooth before I serviced it. I'm thinking maybe the number of times I've pulled the leads on and off has made some HT lead connections loose, but they are only a year old. Does anyone have any better ideas before I go out and buy a new set?

[Guest Guy]

Hi Tim,

 

The symptoms described above sound exactly like a fault I had a couple of weeks ago, it turned out that I had an HT lead half hanging out of the distributor. I'm not saying your fault is exactly the same but it's a good indication that it's on the HT side.

[Guest timswait]

Brand new leads, and still not running any better, any other ideas?

How wrong would I have had to have got the tappets for them to cause a rough running problem? I'm just trying to think of what I've done during the service, but maybe it's just coincedence that the problem's started now. Anyway, here's a list of all the things I've done since it was running right, if there's any clues here.

1. Removed rocker cover (Also removed idle air control motor, a strut from the plenum and the dizzy cap).

2. Checked all tappets and slightly adjusted (loosened) two inlet valves.

3. Noticed the oil spray bar was the older type, and so changed that for brand new item.

4. Replaced rocker cover, IAC and strut.

5. Changed spark plugs.

6. Changed oil and oil filter

7. Plumbed in new heater, and so partially drained and re filled cooling system.

7. Reconnected plug leads in wrong order, tried half a dozen times to try and find the right order, finally got running and thought all well.

Noticed rough running

8. Changed plugs back to the old ones, no difference so changed back to new ones.

9. Tried brand new plug leads

I can't see anything in that which should cause the current problems, perhaps it's something unrelated.

[Guest timswait]

I'm really out of ideas now. Just re-checked all the valve clearances, all correct, none needed readjustment. I don't know what to try next.

Does anyone know anything about those diagnostic doo-dahs you can get from Halfords? Are they any good? I've got the diagnostic connector on the ECU.