My '67 Amazon started OK yesterday but ran roughly, as if on 2 cylinders. After 10 minutes I filled up with petrol, started again and drove. After 5 minutes the engine cut out completely and would not restart.

Luckily I have a quick breakdown service, so he came, checked that the coil was OK (it was), then put a spark plug into each lead and checked for a spark coming out of the leads while I turned the engine over. There was no spark in three and barely one in one. He concluded it was the rotor. He also checked the points and while doing so there was sparking from the end of the coil as it comes out of the bulkhead bakelite casing.

When I called up to get the rotor from a Volvo specialist, he said it was unlikely to be the rotor and that the sparking was very unusual.

You can tell I'm a beginner with ignition systems. Can anything I've explained help you to point me in the right direction. I figure I need to insulate the area where the coil comes out, so do I need to detach the bakelite housing? Unfortunately I only have WD40.

Any help appreciated. Thank you.

Tom