Amazon: 1965 122s keeps breaking down!

[Volvo Guy]

Hi all. I'm having some problems with my Amazon and I'm hoping you guys can help me.
A bit of background: Its a 1965 122s, dry stored from 1983 to 2010 when we bought it and got it on the road again (with the help of this forum). It was used regularly up until a couple of years ago when house moves and babies took over. Its been garage stored since and when I get an opportunity I take it for a run however I don't usually make it back with out a tow.
The car starts well, a bit of choke until it warms up. Set off up the road and it pulls well. After a few miles it starts to miss and hesitate when accelerating. Give it more throttle and it makes the problem worse, feather the throttle and I can get a bit further. When I slow down through the gears approaching a bend, and then accelerate out of the bend, the problem gets worse still and I start looking for a place to pull over. After 3 or 4 of these events, the engine will die and not start. Leave it for 10 mins and it might start, might not so ring for a tow or start walking.

Since the probelm started I have tried a few things.
So far I have:
Fitted new fuel hose and inline filter from the steel pipe to the carbs
Cleaned the carbs, new oil in dash pots etc
Taken distributor to bits, checked insulation around LT lead, new condensor and LT lead, new dizzy cap
Checked ignition timing with strobe
Checked earth strap.

I'll put a new set of points on next and then I was going to look at the coil.
It feels like an ignition problem rather than fuel but I'd like to see if anyone has any other ideas.

Thanks
Guy

[john.wigley]

Evening, Guy,

That sounds very much like a coil breaking down under load when hot to me. Do you have (or could borrow) a known good one that you could substitute for elimination purposes?

Regards, John.

[VolvoRoyS]

Sounds like the breather to the fuel tank is blocked. Is there any fuel in the carburetors when it dies? Try removing the fuel cap next time it dies.

Roy

[Volvo Guy]

Originally Posted by john.wigley

Evening, Guy,

That sounds very much like a coil breaking down under load when hot to me. Do you have (or could borrow) a known good one that you could substitute for elimination purposes?

Regards, John.

Hi John, yes I'll take the coil out of my estate and try that in it, see if things improve. Would it be parking the car up that has killed it or just coincidence?

[Volvo Guy]

Originally Posted by VolvoRoyS

Sounds like the breather to the fuel tank is blocked. Is there any fuel in the carburetors when it dies? Try removing the fuel cap next time it dies.

Roy

Hi Roy, there is fuel in the filter but I haven't checked the carbs, good point. I'll try it without filler cap, thanks.

[Moomoo]

Originally Posted by VolvoRoyS

Sounds like the breather to the fuel tank is blocked. Is there any fuel in the carburetors when it dies? Try removing the fuel cap next time it dies.

Roy

That happened to me when I fitted a locking cap. Drilled it with a fine drill no more problem s.

[Derek UK]

Rust in the fuel tank which may be clogging up the steel fuel pipe from the tank to the engine bay. That might be rusty too. Drop fuel from tank and check for rust. Blow through the pipe from front to back with an air line. If it is serviceable remove lid on fuel pump and clean the filter. Put hose that goes from pump to carbs in a bottle and crank engine to check if pump works properly. Start with the easy checks first.

[john.wigley]

Originally Posted by Volvo Guy

Hi John, yes I'll take the coil out of my estate and try that in it, see if things improve. Would it be parking the car up that has killed it or just coincidence?

I've not known one to fail immediately following a lay-up, but that is not to say that it can't happen! I think that it is more likely to be coincidence - an aged coil simply breaking down internally, under load, especially when hot, after long use. After it cools down, a coil may function normally, whether that is a day, a week or a month later, until the next time it heats up and cries foul ...

Regards, John.

[Clan]

Originally Posted by Volvo Guy

Hi all. I'm having some problems with my Amazon and I'm hoping you guys can help me.
A bit of background: Its a 1965 122s, dry stored from 1983 to 2010 when we bought it and got it on the road again (with the help of this forum). It was used regularly up until a couple of years ago when house moves and babies took over. Its been garage stored since and when I get an opportunity I take it for a run however I don't usually make it back with out a tow.
The car starts well, a bit of choke until it warms up. Set off up the road and it pulls well. After a few miles it starts to miss and hesitate when accelerating. Give it more throttle and it makes the problem worse, feather the throttle and I can get a bit further. When I slow down through the gears approaching a bend, and then accelerate out of the bend, the problem gets worse still and I start looking for a place to pull over. After 3 or 4 of these events, the engine will die and not start. Leave it for 10 mins and it might start, might not so ring for a tow or start walking.

Since the probelm started I have tried a few things.
So far I have:
Fitted new fuel hose and inline filter from the steel pipe to the carbs
Cleaned the carbs, new oil in dash pots etc
Taken distributor to bits, checked insulation around LT lead, new condensor and LT lead, new dizzy cap
Checked ignition timing with strobe
Checked earth strap.

I'll put a new set of points on next and then I was going to look at the coil.
It feels like an ignition problem rather than fuel but I'd like to see if anyone has any other ideas.

Thanks
Guy

how about the condenser ? It is very unlikely to be the coil .

[Othen]

Originally Posted by Volvo Guy

Hi all. I'm having some problems with my Amazon and I'm hoping you guys can help me.
A bit of background: Its a 1965 122s, dry stored from 1983 to 2010 when we bought it and got it on the road again (with the help of this forum). It was used regularly up until a couple of years ago when house moves and babies took over. Its been garage stored since and when I get an opportunity I take it for a run however I don't usually make it back with out a tow.
The car starts well, a bit of choke until it warms up. Set off up the road and it pulls well. After a few miles it starts to miss and hesitate when accelerating. Give it more throttle and it makes the problem worse, feather the throttle and I can get a bit further. When I slow down through the gears approaching a bend, and then accelerate out of the bend, the problem gets worse still and I start looking for a place to pull over. After 3 or 4 of these events, the engine will die and not start. Leave it for 10 mins and it might start, might not so ring for a tow or start walking.

Since the probelm started I have tried a few things.
So far I have:
Fitted new fuel hose and inline filter from the steel pipe to the carbs
Cleaned the carbs, new oil in dash pots etc
Taken distributor to bits, checked insulation around LT lead, new condensor and LT lead, new dizzy cap
Checked ignition timing with strobe
Checked earth strap.

I'll put a new set of points on next and then I was going to look at the coil.
It feels like an ignition problem rather than fuel but I'd like to see if anyone has any other ideas.

Thanks
Guy

Good morn,

My 1963 122S (Great Aunt Maud) is generally very reliable, but let me down once a few weeks ago; on that occasion the fault turned out to be the inline filter the PO had fitted in the fuel line between the metal pipe and the fuel pump letting in air:

https://www.volvoforums.org.uk/showp...&postcount=456

... I think that had happened because the filter had been fitted back to front (for the past decade). I've replaced the short rubber pipe with a new one and removed the inline filter, which seems to have solved the problem completely. At the time the symptoms were similar to yours.

Do you have the jam jar type fuel pump? If so that is much easier to monitor, but I'd suggest the first thing to do (because it is free and easy) would be to pull the fuel line where it reaches the carburettors (twin SUs?) and see if you have a good flow of fuel there (also do this test by the roadside if it fails again). If there isn't the fault will be obvious, but if there is that will probably eliminate a fuel problem. Take the jam jar off the fuel pump and give the filter a clean, then see how quickly it refills when you turn the engine over.

If it isn't a fuel problem then it more or less has to be ignition. Do you have the armoured cable type coil and ignition switch? If so that would be difficult to check, but they don't often fail. If anything the failing when hot issue sounds like the condenser, but I think you say you have changed that already; it might be a good idea to swap back to the original (or another spare) to make sure.

I'm guessing the plugs look a normal colour and you have a good spark when you test the motor at home?

You are doing all the right stuff - just keep being methodical and you will soon get to the root of this little problem.

Good fortune,

Alan