When I turn my car off the engine sputters for a few seconds before shuttng down. Any ideas? Thanks

 

I would start with the timing. It most likely is advanced to much. You should also make sure that the mechanical and vacuum advance is working properly.

 

thanks for the infor. I will need to get a Haynes manual to do the timing.

 

always start with the ignition system. i had this problem and spent way too much time fiddling with the carb before I had the timing checked 'the hard way' and determined the mark on the pulley was fubar resulting in the timing being way off. now the timing is set via a valid mark and we're running the best ever.

no more 'run on' and the idle is much smoother.

also - watch your gas choices. If I use anything other than good quality, premium, bad things start to happen.

(1275 with HIF-6)

 

Yeah, I had the same "dieseling" problem when I was putting in low grade 87 in my '69 1275 Cooper but it went away once I started using the premium stuff not that any of the gas in CA is all that good.

 

I have the same problem with my classic. I assumed it was the SU carb needing adjusting. How hard is it to adjust the timing? Is it something I can do myself?

 

Mine does this from time to time.

 

Adjusting timing is a simple job - but the first thing you need is a timing light!

In short - the timing light is a strobe that triggers off the spark signal for #1 cyl. You flash that light down at the crank pully which has a mark on it that references when the crankshaft, in the 360 degree rotation, is at the place when #1 piston is at the top of the stroke on the firing cycle, or TOP DEAD CENTER (TDC). Next to this mark is a scale which denotes degrees of offset from TDC. Setting the timing is adjusting the distributor so the #1 plug fires at some point in relation to TDC. Expressed as some number of degrees b4 or after TDC. A reference manual gives the recommended settings for different set ups. You need to know how the scale is read and what your setting should be.

Need to double check but right now as I recall I'm at 12 degrees b4 TDC.

In a stock setup the adjustment is made by loosing the hold down on the distributor and rotating it, very slightly, thereby changing the rotational relation between the crank and the distributor shaft. As you fire the strobe at the pully you will see the reference tic majically appear next to the scale. If the tick is at the right place on the scale - you're good. If not to very slowly rotate the distrib and as you do so the tic will move on the scale. You adjust the dist until the tic is where it should be....

Note this a very simplified description. In particular if your dist uses a vacume advance system, this means it changes the timing based on RPM. You need to disable this when checking and setting the timing. Usually by removing and plugging that vacume line. The engine specs will include the RPM which the engine should be run at when setting the static timing.

One way to get rid of ping due to low octane is to change the timing - usually retard it slightly. Also a ruff running engine is sometime smoothed by messing with timing. But this can increase the probability of run on....etc

Note that if you have electronic ignition all this mechanical stuff goes essentially bye bye....

But, to the original point. Adjusting the timing was the core of a simple tune up in the olden days. And one should always be sure the timing is right b4 messing with the fuel system cuz a perfectly set up carb will run like crap if the timing is off. If the timing if off and you mess with the carb to fix it...well two wrongs can make a very wierd right. Like smooth and no run on...but too rich so milage stinks and you burn up your valves and plugs....

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...temnumber=3343

 

Cool. Thanks.

 

First step is a fill up with premium. If it cures the problem, you're done. Minis need premium. If not, as Okeefe suggests check the timing. Whatever you do, you must resolve any engine pinging or it will ruin your motor. Check out: http://www.hastingsmfg.com/Service%2...reignition.htm

 

If you are running a 'classic' on less than the good stuff & it seems OK, I'll guess that someone has detuned your carb and timing..... imho no doubt about it.... But don't mess with the carb (fuel mixture) until you know the carb is right.

Back in 77 I had a 75 Olds Saloon - that year the Saloon was the $$ model...later, it changed. As octane dropped that 350 with a big 4 barrel started running like crap....how did I fix it....retarded the timing 2 degrees. I could reduce the ping to ziltch....and who cared about milage back then?