Coasting Along

I started by filling in the concrete where the post used to be. Then did some more jobs and even washed the Golf. 

I took it for a short run around the block to dry it off and the bonnet looked good in the sunlight. I'd decided to put it away and get the Alpine out even though we're not using it tomorrow so I parked it on the slab and got the cover out of the boot. 

Oh ! Its a long time since we moved the cover and something has been chewing it.

Oh dear I thought as I vacuumed up the bits of chewed cover - most nicely in a neat pile with some shells. The cover was a but damaged but seemed to fit over most of the car.

Next I got the Alpine out - it was hard to start but then it's been a while a couple of weeks since I fired it up. I cleared away the bubble - that's got very dirty so I need to clean it when I put it up again. The car however looked clean and off we went. First the bottle bank and then the Antique shop on the old London Road. Looked nice in the sunshine.

Next off home via the petrol station. Had a chat with a biker who liked it a lot - and took pics for his wife who works at The Vault in Woodbridge. Then headed home it was about 5 five o'clock and a nice sunny afternoon. What could possibly go wrong.

I was just running well up the Freston Hill when the ignition cut out - just like I'd switched it off. I coasted into the good layby and thought "Oh Shit". After a few mins I thought I'd do the simple tests and ring the brake down service while I was working. So after filling in the form on the phone and being told it would be an hour, I set to work.

The car turned over well so the battery was fine but there was no spark when I took a plug out. There was fuel which gushed out when I disconnected a pipe. Jana brought me a new coil but that did not help. By now the brake down service had phoned to say another 45 mins on top of the hour.

While I was waiting I checked and power was getting to the original coil ok. I looked in the distributor cap a few times during this and spotted ... the rotor arm had not moved. I span the car over and watched the arm - it did not move at all. I took it apart but could not see anything wrong in there so I just put it all back together and waited.

As I sat there waiting I thought the last time I broke down was on this road in December 2017 when the coil overheated because I'd wired it up the wrong way around. That time it cooled and I got home.

A huge pick up truck arrived about 8:00 and we were quickly loaded up. 

It would not fit in the drive but the three of us easily pushed the car up the drive and into the car port for investigation next week. It all points to a failed drive on the distributor - but we'll see.

All packed away by 8:30 under two covers - the top one very split and ripped. So that needs replacing.