Running more smoothly

Yesterday, after doing lots of internet surfing to figure out why the engine was backfiring I proceeded to go through a troubleshooting plan concocted from limited knowledge and experience regarding this particular issue. All I knew was that the engine was creating a very loud "report"on a frequent basis that made not wearing ear protection painful. So the possible causes (by no means complete) - detonation, engine running rich, fouled spark plug, poor timing (not the romantic type) and other more bad things.

So my plan: Check the spark plugs, check the timing, check the fuel injection system, pray!

All of these steps required internet and Youtube guidance. Much like getting caught in the middle of the surgery and not knowing your next step (I joke, never happened).

Took a look at the sparkplugs - somewhat fouled with carbon around the base...but how much is too much. So put the plugs back in.

Got the timing light out... of course I had to watch the excellent video from MSD ignition...very informative and highly recommended. After that, went out to the garage and started the engine up. Got the timing light running and found that the timing was !!eek !!! 35 degrees advanced. Adjusted this to about fifteen and, darned if the backfiring stopped. I guess that's why I don't do this on a regular basis.

For good measure, I plugged in the computer for the Powerjection III ECU and went back to close to the recommended factory settings. The engine was running much better.... until I ran out of gas.

Sometimes you have to keep first things first.

Next project is to start work on the body and to fix the crack in the body that happened soon after delivery (more than 2 years ago). I am very happy that this is not my daily driver, otherwise, I would be exceptionally fit from all of the walking I would have done without a working vehicle.

What a boatload of fun!

Finally, the roads are dry and I think things are working better. The engine runs but there is some backfiring from the right side maybe cylinder 3 or 4, but it sounds good otherwise. No leaks for the last few weeks.

Time for a little ride to get some willing volunteers to ride shotgun.

I have gotten most of the electrical sorted out, so just a lot of fit and finish and adjustment. Maybe this will be the summer!

Going so fast I lost my hat and had to go back to pick it up.

Making some progress

The weather is so good that I am pushed to work on the roadster. Today I was wiring the rear lights and finding appropriate locations for the ISIS powercell. Just like in the front, I had an initial preferred position but changed that to a hidden position in a fabricated box underneath the trunk deck. I also got some LED lights to act as backup lights for reverse.

When I started the project (I can barely remember it was so long ago) I thought that the assembly manual would help quite a bit. I was wrong, but I am not the first person to discover this. I also thought that each step would be logical and would have been done in a specific order by others before me. The more I do, the more I realize how "custom" this process really is. Each car built by an individual has something different and the way things fit together and the order they fit together also varies. So I am just winging it and I have stopped looking at the books.

So, my immediate goal is to trial fit the body sometime in the next week or two to make sure clearances are OK. Then complete the interior aluminum and start some body work and fitment. Wish me luck...I am going to need it.