Odd idle on a Rover V8

simonb9 · Post by **simonb9** » Tue Nov 04, 2008 2:54 pm

My RV8 wouldn't start a week ago so I bought a new coil and some new plugs. Bingo !! Started first time and took it for a long run without problem.

Some new HT leads turned up which I had also ordered so I thought i'd change those too. Started up OK but does a slight hiccup every so often, not a constant mis fire, its not as obvious as that but just has a moment now and again .

Put the old leads back on thinking it would be back to normal but no joy.

Any idea what it could be ?? Could I have moved the distributor a little ?? I would have thought that would make the timing out all the time ?

I wish i'd left it alone !!

ChrisJC · Post by **ChrisJC** » Tue Nov 04, 2008 3:39 pm

Check it out when it's dark - you may have a cracked distributor cap or similar. You are looking for sparks leaking from a plug / lead / distributor / coil......

Chris.

simonb9 · Post by **simonb9** » Tue Nov 04, 2008 4:26 pm

I've just had all the plug leads off fearing I had got them in the wrong order (although I would have thought that it would have been running pretty rough if I had got a couple muddle up) and it seems OK now.

Need to take it for a good run though to prove its OK.

Thanks for the reply.

CastleMGBV8 · Post by **CastleMGBV8** » Tue Nov 04, 2008 6:29 pm

If you still have the missfire make sure that the leads for 5 + 7 are not next to each other in the combs or touching elseware as these cylinders fire in sequence and you can get crossover and this causes the missfire. I don't think it's so much of a problem with modern good quality leads.

Kevin.

RoverP6B · Post by **RoverP6B** » Tue Nov 04, 2008 6:29 pm

Do follow the excellent advise that Chris has given!!

I had an occassional misfire too, only noticable at idle, and only just now and then. Everything looked ok, new engine, ignition system, fuel pump, etc...

Then one day I was working in the garage, swithed off the lights while the engine was running by mistake and bingo...out of the corner of my eye saw a tiny spark.... there was one strand of wire, thin as a hair poking out from under the lead cap on the coil, and every now and then the spark would jump to earth, hence the misfire....problem found and solved.

Removed the offending strand...misfire gone.

Ron.