I brought my Bagheera into work yesterday cause I wanted to show a friend of mine the car who lives near my Job. It drove into work beautifuly. I left work and drove to his house but when I got near his house the engine turned off. I got it on again for about 20 seconds but it turned off again. After that it wouldn't start again At the moment it's still in his Garden. I need to collect it tonight but I know I won't get it started, I can't Tow it cause there is no where to put a Tow Rope so I have to Ring a Tow Truck
What is happening is the engine turns, it starts but runs very slowly and as soon as I touch the Accelorator Pedal or the Choke it turns off. It won't rev at all. And while it's trying to start the Carb spits back a lot.
My friend and I checked the Fuel Pump and it works fine.
I know there is spark cause it will just about start and run slow.
We tried adjusting the Distributor a small amount but it did nothing.
I think myself that it is either Carb related, Timing related or it just needs new Points & Condensor.

Has anyone else experienced this before?

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Bob

I needed to tow my Bag and I followed theese advice:
http://www.bagheera-cafe.com/viewtopic.php?t=1415

It worked just fine

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Bagheera X 1980 AX555...( and 8 Citroën )

lasse@matra.se

Hi,
Carbs spitting backs so they want to tell you something.
I allways prefer to put back the Bagheera on the road rather than towing it.
I believe you have some ignition issues.
Did you try to open the distributor cap ?
I'll try to see if everything is still correct there ( not loose or totaly worn out points) I allways carry a spare marchal points cassette with me. So simple to just exchange it.
The other thing I'm thinking about is the coil.
It can suddenly stop working correctly. And ... work again when it cooled down.

Regards

Hi Bagh.be,

We did take the Distributor Cap off and it was very clean. I think it is new. The Rotor Arm was dirty but we cleaned it. We didn't take out the Points to have a look but I will when I get it home. I think I'll change the Points & Condensor anyway. My friend checked the Distibutor Clamp and he said the Bolt was loose. The Distributor could have moved and put the Ignition Timing out. My Father was a Mechanic and he really knows old engines. His Mechanic Boss, and still his friend now, used to own a Bagheera. I'm sure we can sort it out. It was just weird that it happen so all of a sudden. But I will take everything you said into account. Thanks be.

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Bob

When you said that the carbs were spitting back, I immediatelly though that the ignition was out of timing.

By the way, what was your friend thinking of the car ?

He thought it was lovely. He knew what a Matra Simca Bagheera was cause he likes old cars but like me, he hadn't seen one in a very long time. But he did like it. And now it's in his Garden so he is going to see it a lot today His family thought it was cool. Like me he has an Opel Kadett Coupe that he is restoring. The Opel engine is very similar to the Bagheera engine. It doesn't have Twin Weber Carbs though

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Bob

I was not on the impression that these "came in head" engines where so similar. Must be heavy with the iron head, no ?

Hi Bob,
Hope you get it sorted out
I had ignition problems when I had to drive home in heavy rain. It misfired on one cylinder but I got within 300 meters of my home. Started fine the morning after. I have not checked it out yet but it probably needs a new cap and a set of HT leads.
One of my cars has an engine which has been tuned by a company in Sweden specialising in Opel. They have regrinded the cam shaft using a profile which they use in a similar size Opel engine. I have not driven it on the road but it sounds really good.
Regards,

Stig

Does the Bagheera have a 'Cam In Head' engine?

I thought they were 'OHV' engines. The 'Cam' being in the engine block. The Kadett engines are like this. They are very heavy engines though. It took 3 of us to lift one before.

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Bob

No, CIH are opel engines. I was wrong. It's older opels engines

Yeah the 1600cc & 2000cc engines are 'CIH' but the 1200cc engine in the Kadett is an 'OHV' with the Cam in the Block. 'CIB'

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Bob

So, is the bagheera fixed ?
And the kadet coupe, a b or a c ?

Over here, in Belgium there are some guys fitting in these a cut down 6 cylinder CIH ( 2 cylinders cut and thrown, so a 4 cylinders )

No My Bagheera is still Broken and in my Friends house. My father will have a look at it soon.
I would actually like to put a different, bigger, more reliable engine into it. So far I've seen people put in Peugeot GTI engines and VW Golf GTI engines in a Baghy and Alfa V6 and RX7 engines into the Murena.

Would you say an Opel 2.0 8v engine would go in a Bagheera? I know these engines very well and they are very reliable and powerfull. My Kadett GSI Cabrio is a 2.0 8v and I love it. I really would love to put one in my Baghy.

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Bob

When you state the matramu, you need to precise which one. The V6 is not any Alfa V6 and it only fits in the 2.2. The attemp to fit a volvo turbo in that car is to my knowledge not completed yet (I hope to be wrong)
In a Bagheera, I've seen some XU engines, never a complete golf gti so far
It's not easy at all. Maybee you should try an Abarth engine (joking)

Don't know. I was speaking of the guys who cut a CIH6 24V into a CIH4 16V for the old kadet coupe.

If I remember well, I've heard of a Matramu with a gsi engine