Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Classic Morgans (pre-CX) 1980 Plus 8 stalling

I'm having a stalling problem with my 1980 + 8. SU carbs New fuel filter

It's happening after a short time after startup. Starts fine. Give it a little choke as it's cooling off here. Then choke off

It'll run fine for a few miles 3 or 4 and then it quits. Really hard to get it started again. Cranks but won't start. Then it'll start and quit Takes 5 or 6 tries Then it'll finally starts then it "stumbles" for a short while till it smooths out.

Someone has said it might be the coil.

Doesn't happen all the time.

Any advice ?

Combustion requires two ingredients, fuel and spark. But which, if you have no diagnostic addon to confirm or deny the presence of one or the other? EFIs can simply use a permanently fuel pressure gauge.

But your symptoms give us a clue. You have fuel as you started and ran for a bit. You have changed the fuel filter, which could clog up and cause your symptoms. So, if we are lazy, (HERE HERE!) we can jump to the spark side. Failing coils heat, stop producing an adequate spark and then the car stalls. Then they cool and after a little while, allow the engine to run for a bit again until then again overheat.

Change your coil. Do you need a reference as to which one to buy?

Do you have a ballast resistor fitted..I dislike the condensers some Plus 8ers use. Nothing in this is expensive. Coils don't make a car more fun, though none of the Lucas 35 distributors would have made the Distributor Olympics, they function, more or less, if they have been properly and regularly serviced, the cap (your close second possibility) is ok. Most of the Plus 8 familiar carry a new cap with them. Cheap insurance!

gmg

More info. My son took the car out for a run today and it quit twice during driving. Started right up on the first quit. And ran probably 20 miles before it quit again. The second time took multiple starts.

Sounds heat related and probably the coil. Also maybe the ht leads insulation breaking down with temperature. Are they old?

Yes I'd like to know which coil to buy. There are a million out there :-) How do I check to see if I've got a ballast resistor ?

The consensus is I need a new coil. Mine is the original Lucas. Now I need to find one here in the US

Here are some options, assuming you are still using the original distributor...which will be getting on in life. BTW, it could be an additional or even alternate source of your problem. I find that ignition problems can spread among it components.

https://www.roverparts.com/engine/ignition/RTC5628/
https://rb.gy/cdlqt
https://www.roversnorth.com/parts/pli028_ignition_coil_3_5l_v8


A picture of the coil area is worth a 1000 words. OR, do you see an adjacent thingie like the one I am attaching below.
Your image posted to the Morgan Experience is too close in. Can you post one showing more area around the coil?


It would be more correct to say that a failing coil is the FIRST choice of the cause. Lucas was the supplier of ignition and other electical parts in Morgans and other British cars. However, many other, often more reliable parts can be used to replace many of them. No one is going to offer an owner less money on a resale if their Morgan is more reliable.

gmg

I have a 1980 +8 on SUs.
Check the rotor arm. Also do you have electronic ignition? Both have failed intermittently on mine.

Your symptoms could be caused by a mechanical fuel pump in the early stages of failure or intermittent problems with the fuel pump relay in the case of an electric fuel pump. I'm not sure what type of fuel pump the +8 used in the 80's but it might be something else to think about.

Dutch

Please send me a PM with your email address , a friend of mine in Oz (who is a lurker on this forum) thinks he knows this problem and could save you a lot of money

Andy

Don't you just love a lurker. Why can't your lurker share the information with you (if they want to remain lurkerish) and you post it here for everyone's benefit?