Backfiring, cuts out, engine idle is irregular, and sometimes fails to start at all...help

[Domwilkes]

Hello,

Can anyone advise me please...

I put a little too much Redex in my 948cc 1958 Morris Minor last weekend. Took it for a run, and it was juddering, and then backfired (flames out of the exhaust pipe!) etc.

I drained the petrol tank, and put pure unleaded in, as the "lead memory" should have sufficed fuel-wise.

Cleared the fuel pipe and fuel pump/filter.

The next thing is the Carburettor. Does anyone know if an overload of Redex Lead Additive would cause such problems? It now will barely start, and the throttle sometimes does, and sometimes doesn't affect the engine running speed. As a result, it is off the road... and I am sad.

Bought the car last year to learn, and this is a big learning curve, so any help would be appreciated.

Thank you,

Dom
Culcheth, Cheshire.

[graham1957]

was it running ok before you put redex in??

[simmitc]

Try replacing the condenser, but keep the old one in case the new one makes no difference.

[leafie]

Sounds electrical to me, as said condenser first then points and dare I say it coil particularly if it looks llike it has been replaced in the last couple of years as there are a lot of poor quality new coils out there.

[dalebrignall]

putting in too much redex should not cause a problem, you can pour the stuff down the carb with the engine running with the throttle half open the engine nearly stalls when its burning off the redex but it clears the carbon .

[liammonty]

The OP is talking about Redex branded lead replacement - that's different to traditional Redex, and I suspect it is what has caused the trouble if the car was running fine before.

I would take off the fuel line to the carb at the pump and let the pump pull the old fuel through the line for a minute or so - just collect the fuel in a suitable container. If you pop the top off the float chamber and drain the fuel, then reconnect the fuel line, it should top up with fresh fuel. Hopefully it will then run nicely again!

[Domwilkes]

Thank you all for your help.

Cleared fuel pipe, float chamber, but no change.

So next step, change the condenser.

Then if not, I will work my way through the suggestions.

Thank you everyone... I will get there...

[Domwilkes]

... by the way, it won't start at all now. Could that be the condenser?

[firehor5e]

have you checked for a spark at the plug/s?

[SteveClem]

Certainly worth trying,but hang on to the old one in case it's not the problem. I had a similar problem with my old beetle not so long ago. Eventually turned out to be carp from the petrol tank getting into the carburettor.
So many things can cause similar symptoms.

[myoldjalopy]

[quote="SteveClem" Eventually turned out to be carp from the petrol tank getting into the carburettor.
[/quote]
Sounds a bit fishy to me, steve!

[David W.]

Too much lead can fowl plugs.

[firedrake1942]

Having had fish we are now onto birds !!!