The Triumph 2000 / 2500 / 2·5 Register Forum

Hi All

I haven't been very well lately and my poor car has done very few miles in the last year or so and hasn't been past the end of the drive for the last six months (I did start her up once a week and rolled her in and out of the garage). A couple of weeks ago I got the all clear to start driving again and I went straight to the garage. The first couple of hundred miles were trouble free but then, after a run down the motorway, she cut out. The engine started back up before even coming to a standstill but, after the next run she did the same and struggled to start again. Over the next couple of miles, in light urban traffic, she cut out five or six times and each time it took several seconds to fire up again. She got me to the hospital but on the way home she died again and wouldn't restart. The AA sent a recovery truck and the car went to my local garage.

They decided it was fuel related and changed the air filters, checked the diaphragms and adjusted the carbs but the car only made another half a mile of urban driving before cutting out again. The AA man diagnosed a weak spark and, after much fiddling, we managed to drive her back to the garage. They replaced the points, condenser, dizzy cap, coil and rotor arm and sent her home again. Managed a couple of miles this time before cutting out again! Limped her home and changed the plugs and HT leads for completeness but no joy.

She'll start up easily in the garage and is happy to idle but if you set off for a drive she cuts out at the first junction and takes an age to fire up again. The engine turns over enthusiastically enough but without much sign of starting.

It's all very frustrating after so many months of not being able to do anything and I'm out of my depth now mechanically speaking. Any thoughts on what to try next?

Sounds like the usual rotor arm problem to me.
The standard ones are very poor quality now. Only use red ones from either Chris Witor or Distributor Doctor

I think this will solve it.

Thanks Alan!

The garage ordered the rotor arm from Rimmers and I was disappointed to discover it was a black one. I have tried the new one, the old one and another which was retired at the last service. I did order a red one earlier but from Powerspark - are all red ones created equal? I suppose I'll try it anyway as it's on it's way. Would be a huge relief if that would cure it...

Rotor arm! Classic problem.

Thanks Charles!

Agree with Alan & Charlie. These days, always, always start with a new red rotor arm when tackling a misfire/cutting out problem. As like as not, that'll be the only part you'll need to change.

Thanks Dave!

Kicking myself I didn't pay for special delivery...

You do get good quality black rotor arms, although most are rubbish. The secret is the position of the rivit, which is usually too close to the small securing clip on the underside.
Perhaps there is one other possibility which hasn't been mentioned, and plagued me for three years before I discovered the culprit. Check very carefully that the small earth wire inside the distributor, is not broken internally. The wire flexes as the advance mechanism works, and can cause the wire to break down internally. Actually I have electronic ignition, but it's still relevant with points.



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Thanks Polly - I'll have a look at that if the rotor arm doesn't cure the problem...

Good luck with getting it fixed, let us know how you get on.