Now, how did that happen?

[Stonehopper]

She gets used three or four times a week, and starts fine on full choke. Takes a while to warm up, but after three or four miles the choke is completely off.

Until about ten days ago. She started to fire up very reluctantly, and almost on two pots. Left to chug-a-lug she'd gradually get going, though touching the throttle would cause a stall. Pulling away was a case of will she won't she - with Kangaroo hops thrown in for good measure. Ugh!

Checks timing. It's fine. Checks dwell, it's fine. Check plugs, look OK, but put in a new set just in case. Still same problem. Remove dizzy cap and inspect. No signs of tracking, though the four brass contacts are pitted. Clean with a small rotary stone. Still the same problem. Take the spare dizzy from the shed and fit that - along with a new dizzy cap, different casette and capacitor. Same problem. So now it's down to HT leads - then fuel. New fuel pump fitted as this issue began, so not that, and once fully warmed up the car goes fine which sends me away from HT leads.

So it's fuel. Look down behind the Weber to check linkages - and there's the problem. The sprung link from the choke butterfly to the actuating quadrant moved by the choke cable, has come adrift. But I haven't touched the carb or removed the air cleaner for months!

One of life's little mysteries. Well, the name on the back says Citroen, so maybe that's it.

[Stickyfinger]

Is the French for Gremlin __ Gremroen__ ?

That's it, you have a Gremroen infestation

[Stonehopper]

Speaking of infestation - took the Weber off the spare engine yesterday (been under a sheet outside for yonks). Spindles were seized, but chokes full of rat bait put there by some squatting mouse for storage. Never got any rent either . . . Damn cheek.