Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Morgan Three Wheeler & Super 3 Loss of power, need some input!

I was driving the Morgan from LA to Phoenix yesterday, a distance of 364 miles. I was about 330 miles into the trip when the engine quit while running about 80 mph in traffic. After crossing 5 lanes of traffic to get to the shoulder, my hair was two shades whiter then when I started. When the engine quit, it did just that, no pops, bangs, odd noises, nothing. It was like switching off the ignition. Once on the shoulder, I attempted a restart and while the engine cranked vigoriously, it would not catch or even try to catch. After letting it cool, I tried again with the same result. Two hours later, thanks to Triple A, I was at my destination. The voltage was reading 14 volts just before it quit.
Today, I checked the cam belt and it was fine. I turned the ignition to the on position and the fuel pump came on for the right amount of time and shut off. On a whim, I pushed the start button and it fired up immediately just like it was another day at the office.
The only thing I have done recently was to weld the bracket that holds the coil back onto the frame tube that it broke loose from. This was done with the battery ground lead disconnected. Since there is now a lot of wire under it that was not there during the original build, I had to use wet clothes and mount it higher then original. This caused me to have to space the coil further back which moves it closer to the oil tank. Is it possible that I cooked the coil..... And why didn't it stay "cooked". Only thing I can think of is to move the coil further away from the oil tank and drive eternally in the lane nearest the shoulder. Any ideas or comments?

Have a look to yours câbles from the coil to the engine.
Mines were touching on the bonnet And were a little cut.

Are all the HT leads securely in place?

Is the clue in the observation that it was as if you had turned off the ignition? I puzzled for three weeks over a similar occurrence until those words came back to me and I replaced both fuel and IGNITION relays.
The other time I had the lane crossing experience at 80mph was a puzzle too: the power would drop to 1500rpm and then restart without problem until a steady speed (80+) was reached and the same thing would happen. Turned out to be the alternator. I changed that and it has not happened since. Just a thought.

total loss of go?

Fuel or Ignition

Carry a can of spray quick start ie fuel in a can turn it over whilst spraying a bit in the air intake with filter removed

If it starts it's a fuel problem.

If not, an ignition Problem.

Whip out a plug see if you have a spark.

go from there as to route cause.

Electrical connection.

Had you just filled up with petrol to the absolute top? Did that on mine and a mile of so later it stopped and wouldn't restart. Popped the filler cap open and tried again - Bob's Your Uncle. Closed up and drove home fine.....

M3W's don't like being too full of fuel it seems. Just a thought.

I had about 140 miles on the fuel so it shouldn't have had an air lock, I usually let the pump stop 3 times when filling and that seems to work. I was so intent on getting across the freeway (remember the video game called "Frogger") that I failed to note if the electrical system was still functioning. Upon reaching the safety of the shoulder, I tried to restart and it would crank over but not start. Is there an electrical schematic for our vehicles anywhere on line?

Rolsmith

I once had a very similar issue but on a very different car. Turned out to be the crank sensor.

Have you since driven car for any duration to see if fault re-occurs. On mine it did, and in fact it took me nearly four hours (for a 45 minute journey) to get home as the car was stopping every 5-10 minutes. I'd then have to then wait another 5-10 minutes before I could drive it again.

Cheers

It is maybe a problem of gas pump. it arrived at me; pump replaced by a pump Ducati