My Vitesse goes all Urban - and then it goes wrong!

[@markrsa-ford8218]

Hi Sean trust you fixed that misfire, still an very interesting drive through Ipswich. I have just returned to South Africa on the 7th of June after spending 25 days in the UK visiting my Father who lives in Cambridge and also staying with my brother in Bury St Edmunds, your neck of the woods. During my stay in Suffolk, I managed to visit the car show at Bardwell Village Green on the bank holiday Sunday, and the following Sunday went to the Woolpit Steam Rally at Warren Farm, Wetherden with my two young nephews. Both events i enjoyed thoroughly, especially the large steam traction engines. A pity my trip was not a bit longer, i would have loved to attend your subscriber meeting on the 16th of June. I will be there in spirit, all the best Mark

[@seanhumfrey]

Thanks so much Mark. I'm sorry to have missed you, but so glad you got to Bardwell. I didn't manage it this year but it is a lovely show in a very pretty village. Cambridge and Bury are such beautiful places. Stay well. Sean

[@laurelgreentriumph]

Glad to hear the problem misfire has gone away, at least for now. My experience would say 90% chance of fuelling issue rather than electrical, maybe dirt in carbs (do you have a fuel filter?) or could be a sticking float resulting in temporary under-fuelling, as when the engine is revving freely it all sounds OK. All the best, Brian.

[@seanhumfrey]

Thanks Brian. That's really helpful advice. 👍

[@roatavator]

Hi Sean That’s a great shame. I’m sure we all know that sinking feeling in the pit of the stomach when they start to play up, especially when a little distance from home. Definitely sounds electrical to me. Maybe condenser? Assuming you’re not on electronic ignition. Hopefully an easy fix 🤞

[@seanhumfrey]

Thanks so much Peter. Actually this one runs electronic ignition, but looking at the film, the trouble coincides with the speed bumps. Loosened wore or dislodged gunge in the fuel system? She seems to be running normally now. Perhaps she just resented the early morning start😂

[@roatavator]

@@seanhumfrey Well I certainly would!

[@mikeparsons2353]

Ii's so stressful driving a sick car, hope Tess is well now

[@seanhumfrey]

Thank you Mike. I think she's okay now. Maybe something as simple as a loose connection😀

[@mikeparsons2353]

@@seanhumfrey I do hope so, when I saw 'urban driving' and a problem I immediately thought it would be an overheating issue, my MK 2 Vitesse was driven mainly in London and with all the stop start driving was prone to overheating. I resolved the issue by having an electric fan fitted. No more problems, I would recommend doing the same if you drive mainly in urban areas

[@promerops]

Hi Sean, Sorry to see you having a spot of bother with Tess. Ah, well, it happens to the best of us. In fact, thank you for including us, your public, in this less than perfect trip. Have you, by now, managed to find the cause of the fault and rectified it? I hope so. Best wishes, Colin.

[@seanhumfrey]

Thanks Colin. Playing the film back, it seems that the trouble coincided with the speed bumps. Possibly some dirt dislodged in the fuel system, or one of the electrical leads (which I wiggled at the petrol station at the end of the film) came loose. Either way after refilling the tank, she has been back on song... I do have a spare coil in the boot just incase. However David Aspinall thinks the coil is unlikely to be the issue on the basis that they either work or don't work! We shall see😀

[@Fintoman]

Sorry that your misfire with Tess spoilt what was otherwise a very pleasurable early Sunday morning drive through Ipswich. The best time to drive any car, let alone a very sweet Vitesse. I read in other posts that the problem has been fixed, and Tess is again in fine fettle. Thanks for the very interesting narration into some of the history of Ipswich.

[@seanhumfrey]

Thanks Russ. I think she's fine now. I do agree with you, early mornings and empty roads are the best way to enjoy driving 👍

[@lordleonusa]

I'm sorry to hear of your troubles, when I first had my Vitesse on the road in April 1997, coming back from Leiston, I was having terrible problems with my fuel pumps and broke down several times on the way home, including in Ipswich! Not a great day, it waa also election day, so I missed my chance to vote! (the fuel pumps were new Jaguar S.U. pumps converted to electronic, but they are not suitable for the swan neck output pipes on a Vitesse, I changed them to Facets, which solved the problem!)

[@seanhumfrey]

Thanks Leon. Once she was back in the countryside she decided to run normally. I suspect loose electrical connection coincidental with the speed humps. Or loosened material in the fuel system. Drove another 30 miles and couldn't get it to replicate the misfire🤔 Wait and see I guess. A bit luckier than you were from the sound of it!

[@bobspeller2225]

Hi Sean, Another interesting video, Have you fix the problem with Tess? It sounded like an electrical fault in the distributor or vacuum leak on accelerating. Hope you find it soon. All the best Bob

[@seanhumfrey]

Thanks Bob. I think it may have been an electrical connection shaken loose by the speed hump, the issue began immediately after the car mounted the hump near the stadium. Or.. Some crud in the fuel system was shaken loose. She seems to be running normally now, but time will tell 😀

[@chunkyleejones3831]

❤

[@johnmcfarland9630]

Typical Ipswich, no traffic around but still you get stopped by umpteen lights. 🙄

[@seanhumfrey]

So true John 😂