HELP PLEASE car cutting out ????

[roocarl]

My 300SL has just been recovered, after dying on me the car runs fine for about a mile then engine dies you leave it a while then it runs for a min then goes again , when it does go there is no spark from plug but there is from the coil on the HT lead .
Which I would think would be the rotor arm or distributor cap , but I replaced these at a service 3 months ago along with the plugs and the leads , perhaps they were faulty in some way or could it be the electronic ignition ? any ideas would be gratefully recieved ?

cheers Carl

 

[The Boss]

cant help you buddy, but lovely looking car!

 

[grober]

People have had problems with condensation inside the distributor. Everything runs fine till the engine warms up --water vapour is then generated inside the rotor cap and no spark to the plugs. Make sure everything is completely dry inside the cap and distributer base using a hair drier. Its unlikely to be your ignition unit if you are getting a spark at the coil but these have been known to go faulty as they heat up. If you had no problems before changing all the HT COMPONENTS then you know where to look!

 

[vijilants]

If you have a rubber boot over the distributor cap, cut it off. They soak up moisture as they age.

 

[roocarl]

Ignition

spark off HT lead but none at the plug?
as i said i recently replaced new rotor arm and distributor cap? could it be electronic ignition unit ? left for a day starts /revs pertectly but after running for a min just dies again no spark?
any body got a clue?
cheers Carl

 

[roocarl]

I might be really dumb here but is there any sort of drive shaft going to engine from distributor that could be worn and slipping when hot , or is that just old school points ignition systems??
I did take the ruber cover off 6 months ago? and I did not have this problem before I changed ignition parts just a very slight misfire that was cured and car ran great for a few months since

Carl

 

[230K]

Hi

There is a shaft surely!! It turns the rotor arm but it wouldnt slip as you describe.
I would take off the dizzy cap when she is running bad i would put my money on cracked rotor arm, cracked dizzy cap or just condensation.

My money is on the condensation.

Good Luck

230K

 

[Mercedes cozy]

There is a bracket that is bolted in front of the cam shaft and then the rotor arm fits on the bracket.

When was the rotor arm changed last?

Nice car by the way.

 

[Dieselman]

If the distributor cap and rotor arm were pattern parts, suspect the central contact is making poor contact, or as grober says condensation is forming.

Does the engine get up to proper working temperature, if not that can cause this fault.

 

[roocarl]

Thanks guys I will have a look see the rotor arm and cap changed 6 months ago along with plugs and leads worked fine since about 3000 miles , Thanks for nice comments on car I love it ( but more when working lol)
I will let you know how it goes
I did have a friend suggest dizzy might need relacing? but hoping this not the case!!!