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TO-20 Hitting on only two!

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Jason

10-23-2002 21:20:11




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Grandfather passed away and I got the 1948 T0-20 Ferguson. I'd like to get it running again, but I'm having considerable trouble.

Just put a new 12V coil, plug wires, plugs, points, condenser, and distributor cap on ... but it's still not running properly.

It seems to be missing. When I pull the plugs, No. 1 & 2 look fine (their dry), but No. 3 & 4 are wet. I have checked each plug and they are all getting fire. I checked the compression and all four cylinders are ranging from 95-110 psi. I took a paper towel a placed it in front of the exhaust and it did seem to suck the paper towel back into the exhaust a little.

I have no idea where to go from here. It seems to really strugle under any kind of load. Anyone have any ideas?

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Tex Ferguson

10-27-2002 17:51:23




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 Re: TO-20 Hitting on only two! in reply to Jason, 10-23-2002 21:20:11  
Jason, listen to marlowe -- he sounds like a pro shadetree mechanic. When doing an ignition tuneup on my 20, I spent a couple of hours chasing a miss on two cylinders and finally noticed/remembered the rotor turns counter-clockwise, unlike any engine I had experience with. That meant 1 and 2 were firing correctly, but 3 and 4 were reversed. Let us know how it works out. Good luck! Tex



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Joe B in Houston

10-25-2002 13:17:29




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 Re: TO-20 Hitting on only two! in reply to Jason, 10-23-2002 21:20:11  
Jason, I have read all the reply posts to your problem. My nickle says replace the plug wires. If the problem is still there do the compression test because (regretfully) it does sound like you have a stuck or broken valve or valve spring. Hopefully it is just stuck. I had that happen once and was lucky enough to just tap it back in place. If you check and the valves are all gummy (that can force them to stay open as well) get a can og Gunk motor flush and run it throught there. Should clean them right up. Good luck

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ScottCT

10-25-2002 06:15:28




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 Re: TO-20 Hitting on only two! in reply to Jason, 10-23-2002 21:20:11  
I had the exact same problem on my TO 30. Had broken valve springs. I chased it just like you are, then tried a compression test while it was running and my compression disappeared. At any rpm higher than the starter could produce, the broken springs didn't have the strength to close the valves fully. These valve springs are available through any real auto parts store through Melling. just give the model # of your engine. Yours should be a Z120 (mine was a Z 129) If tou charge the cyl you are working on w/ air at tdc, you don't even need to pull the head to replace. Good luck, keep us posted.

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Sticky valves

10-24-2002 12:50:31




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 Re: TO-20 Hitting on only two! in reply to Jason, 10-23-2002 21:20:11  
Have you checked for compression on the two? - might be valves stuck open
- See previous trend about this...



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Norm in Ont.

10-24-2002 09:18:42




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 Re: TO-20 Hitting on only two! in reply to Jason, 10-23-2002 21:20:11  
Just fixed the same problem on mine this morning. First if you have Champion plugs throw them away and buy NGK. Champion simply don't last on our old engine. I have seen many plugs sparking but not firing once installed. As Jim W mentionned to me, spark under compression can disappear. So start with basics, put new plugs and preferably new dist cap and wires.

Hope it helps.

Norm



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Larry in Missouri

10-24-2002 11:07:10




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 Re: Re: TO-20 Hitting on only two! in reply to Norm in Ont., 10-24-2002 09:18:42  
Once my newly rebuilt TO-30 started missing on one cylinder. If I pulled the plug wire from #3 (I think) it would run the same, indicating that cylinder #3 wasn't firing. But as I moved the wire back to the spark plug, it would start running great! But when the wire was back on the plug, it would start missing again! It seems that when the spark had to jump the gap from the wire to plug, it gained enough potential to jump the gap in the plug itself. Turned out to be a bad plug. Put in a new one and it ran fine!

Remember, you only need three things for your engine to run: Fuel/air, compression and spark. When it appears that you have all three, I look at spark, since it is the most likely of the bunch to be flaky. Try replacing the plugs and see what happens!

Good luck,

Larry

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Phil (VA)

10-24-2002 09:00:42




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 Re: TO-20 Hitting on only two! in reply to Jason, 10-23-2002 21:20:11  
Timing could indeed make it not have power, but it does sound like plug wires are not correct as the other post said. If you are sure the firing order is correct, are you also sure the wires are good? Did you make up the ends yourself? Are they solid copper core wires? For the two bad cylinders, try swapping each wire and its plug with another new one.



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marlowe

10-23-2002 21:47:11




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 Re: TO-20 Hitting on only two! in reply to Jason, 10-23-2002 21:20:11  
a 48 to-20 with 12v???? should be 6v pos. ground unless some one switched it two 12? the miss sounds like your plug wires are on wrong the two that are black switch them around better yet some one will tell you the fireing order i don't have my book



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Jason

10-24-2002 08:12:22




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 Re: Re: TO-20 Hitting on only two! in reply to marlowe, 10-23-2002 21:47:11  
I checked the firing order (1-3-4-2) and the plug wires and that's not the problem. It was switched to a 12V system a few years ago ... thus the 12V coil.

Could the timing be off?



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Chris (NZ)

10-23-2002 23:26:01




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 Re: Re: TO-20 Hitting on only two! in reply to marlowe, 10-23-2002 21:47:11  
Firing order is 1342



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