my dads 240 is playing up......

my dads '85 240 is proving temporamental. Its not an injection model, is very low milage & has been serviced ,etc. But it cuts out. Regularly. Then, when you've towed it home (or gone back for it later)it starts just fine so there's no problem to fix. Does anyone know if these are prone to this type of fault. And , of course, what is it....?

[vjck_uk]

It maybe your petrol tank breather blocked and not allowing enough air into the tank to replace the fuel you've used.
Try it with the cap off as long as the tank is'nt over 1/2 full.
You have'nt said if it always does it or just once a day.
Put as many symptoms as possible on the reply so all can come up with some ideas.
Vaughan

[october37]

I had the same problem several years ago with an E reg 240GLT.
The car would be running fine and then splutter to a halt for no apparent reason.
It would then start again after about an hour.
It turned out to be a hairline crack in the distributor cap which was not visible to the naked eye.
A new cap cured the problem.

[Clifford Pope]

Give us some more details- does it do it shortly after starting, ie when still warming up, or after a longer period when fully warm?
What engine, what carburettor?

I have had this fault with a B21 with a Pierburg carb - dirt in float chamber, and/or sticking float valve, also with a B230 with the Cissac carb - icing up caused by electrical heater element failure.

What sort of ignition does it have? Does it have a crank sensor on the bellhousing, or a sensor in the distributor?

I'm no expert, but our 1981 240 does this when the rotor arm needs replacing, so we always carry a spare on the glove compartment (cost a3 0r 4 pounds), and we get through quite a loa of them.

[vjck_uk]

I have had my 240 for 6 years and it still has the same rotor arm fitted,so I would think that if yours is wrecking them on a regular basis there is something wrong with it.
What happens to your rotor arm?
Vaughan

[cbyard]

There's been some posts in the Herald forum (!) about dodgy new rotor arms with substandard material / construction. Someone has even gone to the length of machining his own from Delrin or some such and fitting the metal parts from an old one.

Same problem perhaps?

Chris