Timing
Timing
I am trying to get my 1850 into some sort of correctly tuned state. It is a completely standard car.
When I time thre ignition with a strobe, I set the revs at 1000 rpm and set timing at 11 degrees.
This is the problem, at about 11 degrees the engine is spluttering and about to stall, at about 25 - 30 degrees (way off the marks) the engine is racing up to about 2000 rpm and is running smoother.
What am I doing wrong? or is that normal behaviour ie when the timming is correct it runs like a pig.
When I time thre ignition with a strobe, I set the revs at 1000 rpm and set timing at 11 degrees.
This is the problem, at about 11 degrees the engine is spluttering and about to stall, at about 25 - 30 degrees (way off the marks) the engine is racing up to about 2000 rpm and is running smoother.
What am I doing wrong? or is that normal behaviour ie when the timming is correct it runs like a pig.
- David6214
- Guest contributor
- Posts: 5154
- Joined: Tue Oct 03, 2006 10:57 pm
- Location: South Coast
- Contact:
180 degrees?
Hi, Have you removed the dizzy at any stage, if so, maybe its been refitted 180 degrees out?
I don't have the manual to hand, I know its 11 degrees for a sprint but not sure about an 1850.
I don't have the manual to hand, I know its 11 degrees for a sprint but not sure about an 1850.
Previous owner of 42 Dolomite shaped vehicles, 14 Sprints, 12 1850s, 8 1500s, 3 V8s, 3 Toledos and 2 SEs
-
- Guest contributor
- Posts: 11179
- Joined: Tue Oct 03, 2006 9:45 pm
- Location: Middlesex
If...
the dizzy is 180 out it wont run at all....
I strongly suspect that you have a manifold air leak. Check your carb breather hoses and then flexible mounts. Use some sort of carb spray and if it picks up when you spray the joints its leaking. New carb gaskets and /or pipes should cure it.
It should run smoothly at 850 rpm at 11 btdc. If it doesnt something is wrong.....probably carb related. You could check the bob weights in the dizzy to see if a spring has broken...but in all my years of 1850 ownership its always the carbs if it starts at all...
Jonners
I strongly suspect that you have a manifold air leak. Check your carb breather hoses and then flexible mounts. Use some sort of carb spray and if it picks up when you spray the joints its leaking. New carb gaskets and /or pipes should cure it.
It should run smoothly at 850 rpm at 11 btdc. If it doesnt something is wrong.....probably carb related. You could check the bob weights in the dizzy to see if a spring has broken...but in all my years of 1850 ownership its always the carbs if it starts at all...
Jonners
Note from Admin: sadly Jon passed away in February 2018 but his humour and wealth of knowledge will be fondly remembered by all. RIP Jonners.
- Toledo Man
- Guest contributor
- Posts: 7542
- Joined: Tue Oct 03, 2006 5:52 pm
- Location: Halifax, West Yorkshire
- Contact:
According to the factory workshop manaul the timing should be 11 deg BTDC at 750 rpm so I second what Jonners says. It will also be running lean at the correct timing if there is indeed an air leak hence the spluttering.
Toledo Man
West Yorkshire Area Organiser
Meetings take place on the first Wednesday of the month at 8.00pm at The Railway, 1 Birstall Lane, Drighlington, Bradford, BD11 1JJ
2003 Volvo XC90 D5 SE (PX53 OVZ - The daily driver)
2009 Mercedes-Benz W204 C200 CDI Sport (BJ58 NCV - The 2nd car)
1991 Toyota Celica GT (J481 ONB - a project car)
Former stable of SAY 414M (1974 Toledo), GRH 244D (1966 1300fwd), CDB 324L (1973 1500fwd), GGN 573J (1971 1500fwd), DCP 625S (1977 Dolomite 1300) & LCG 367N (1975 Dolomite Sprint), NYE 751L (1972 Dolomite 1850 auto) plus 5 Acclaims and that's just the Triumphs!
Check my blog at http://triumphtoledo.blogspot.com
My YouTube Channel with a bit of Dolomite content.
"There is only one way to avoid criticsm: Do nothing, say nothing and BE nothing." Aristotle
West Yorkshire Area Organiser
Meetings take place on the first Wednesday of the month at 8.00pm at The Railway, 1 Birstall Lane, Drighlington, Bradford, BD11 1JJ
2003 Volvo XC90 D5 SE (PX53 OVZ - The daily driver)
2009 Mercedes-Benz W204 C200 CDI Sport (BJ58 NCV - The 2nd car)
1991 Toyota Celica GT (J481 ONB - a project car)
Former stable of SAY 414M (1974 Toledo), GRH 244D (1966 1300fwd), CDB 324L (1973 1500fwd), GGN 573J (1971 1500fwd), DCP 625S (1977 Dolomite 1300) & LCG 367N (1975 Dolomite Sprint), NYE 751L (1972 Dolomite 1850 auto) plus 5 Acclaims and that's just the Triumphs!
Check my blog at http://triumphtoledo.blogspot.com
My YouTube Channel with a bit of Dolomite content.
"There is only one way to avoid criticsm: Do nothing, say nothing and BE nothing." Aristotle
just another one
Sure jonners is spot on. Just another one that has thrown me before: Check the vac advance unit on dizzy. Just suck on the pipe ans watch the baseplate more or not!
tuning
Carb mounts are perished and cracked, if I lift the whole twin-carb assy. the engine speed increases. The linkage moves a bit but not enough to open the throttle as far as I can tell.
I think I'll have a go at knocking up some home made solid mounts. When I put the air filter box back on after syncing the carbs, they sat differently and caused the butterflies to no longer open at the same time.
Does anyone have any tips, I did see on another thread mention of people that had made their own solid mounts but not much detail. I am thinking of tearing the current mounts apart, finding some steel tube with as near to 1 1/2inch internal dia. and welding 'em together. A bit "agricultural" in terms of technology, fit and finish I know, but what else is there other than £40 for new ones that last about 2 years?
I think I'll have a go at knocking up some home made solid mounts. When I put the air filter box back on after syncing the carbs, they sat differently and caused the butterflies to no longer open at the same time.

Does anyone have any tips, I did see on another thread mention of people that had made their own solid mounts but not much detail. I am thinking of tearing the current mounts apart, finding some steel tube with as near to 1 1/2inch internal dia. and welding 'em together. A bit "agricultural" in terms of technology, fit and finish I know, but what else is there other than £40 for new ones that last about 2 years?
Carb mounts
Yep, club solid mounts. 65.99 inc vat and delivery. Fit once and forget forever.
Tinweevil
Tinweevil
1978 Pageant Sprint - the rustomite, 1972 Spitfire IV - sprintfire project, 1968 Valencia GT6 II - little Blue, 1980 Vermillion 1500HL - resting. 1974 Sienna 1500TC, Mrs Weevils big brown.
Bugger!
D'oh!
ignore me.

1978 Pageant Sprint - the rustomite, 1972 Spitfire IV - sprintfire project, 1968 Valencia GT6 II - little Blue, 1980 Vermillion 1500HL - resting. 1974 Sienna 1500TC, Mrs Weevils big brown.