47 replies to this topic

[stevelane]

Mini city 92

998cc

Car has sat in the garage for a while and have finally got round to getting it out to get it started

Left the battery on trickle charge and that was saying fully charged as if this morning

I can get the car started by spraying 'easy start' into the carb but as soon as I try and give it any throttle to keep it going it dies

I'm a bit of a novice but I'm guessing my electrics are fine if it's firing up

Any suggestions?

[andy159]

is fuel getting through the to the carb.

[Gadgets]

Ddont go over using that easy start, its an engine killer!!!!! just a sniff is all....... it will end in tears!

 

You are not getting fuel or the fuel in your tank is old and stale.  Pull the fuel pipe off the carb and wirth a syringe squirt some nice fresh fuel in, does it run then? drain the old fuel out the tank and run nice clean fuel through. put a splash into each spark plug hole and put plugs back in, does it fire then?

 

thats what i would do. petrol is not like a few years ago and goes off / stale quickly....

[stevelane]

I will try that, hopefully I've not done any damage with the easy start then, I used it 4/5 times whilst trying to get it going

The fuel has been in the tank less than a year, is it likely it's gone stale already

[stevelane]

Fuel is definitely getting to the carb, just turned it over with the pipe into a jam jar, but the fuel looks really murky so definitely looks like it needs a change

[stevelane]

Question is: Can I siphon it out my wife's car before she notices? Lol

[stevelane]

Ok, fresh tank of petrol and injecting small amount directly into cylinders

Turned over a few times and then fired, died, started again and then as soon as there is any throttle it died and now can't get it to fire again

[stevelane]

Have been told elsewhere that there could be some dirt caught in the carb as the petrol was towards the bottom of the tank

It has a HS4 carb.

How simple are they to dismantle and clean up, and if I do it myself do I need to buy anything before I start?

[Stu.]

Before you do anything drastic you really need to check if fuel getting to the cylinders. After quickly cranking over the engine, remove the plugs to check if they are wet with fuel. 

 

If you now have fresh fuel, and if the plugs are dry after cranking the engine over its likely to be an issue with either the carb jet or float bowl needle. 

 

I'd also check to see if you have a vacuum leak on the carb manifold. This issue can develop following a car being sat for a long while. Do you know how to check for this ?

[Dusky]

Ddont go over using that easy start, its an engine killer!!!!! just a sniff is all....... it will end in tears!

 

You are not getting fuel or the fuel in your tank is old and stale.  Pull the fuel pipe off the carb and wirth a syringe squirt some nice fresh fuel in, does it run then? drain the old fuel out the tank and run nice clean fuel through. put a splash into each spark plug hole and put plugs back in, does it fire then?

 

thats what i would do. petrol is not like a few years ago and goes off / stale quickly....

ho< does easystart damage an engine? 

[KernowCooper]

due to its combustible formula used excessive it can lock a engine up so it wont turn over.

[Dusky]

due to its combustible formula used excessive it can lock a engine up so it wont turn over.

Damn Never heard of that :l

[Gadgets]

Easystart is used on Diesel engines normally when it is very cold. It is highly combustible, just a sniff is enough.  I have seen engines where con rods have snapped and totally ruined the engine where the person was spraying it like deodorant on a hot date Saturday night!

 

Using Easy start on a little Mini petrol engine is a new one on me. And yes diesel engines can become addicted to Easy Start.

 

Go very easy on the stuff if you do decide to use it in a Mini!

 

I wouldn't ever use it, if the engine wont start it's either stale petrol. lack of supply of good petrol or no spark. 

 

I have also known a short from the Coil HT outlet to spark across to the side tag as the center HT connection was poor.

Edited by Gadgets, 24 February 2014 - 04:14 PM.

[Dusky]

Easystart is used on Diesel engines normally when it is very cold. It is highly combustible, just a sniff is enough.  I have seen engines where con rods have snapped and totally ruined the engine where the person was spraying it like deodorant on a hot date Saturday night!

 

Using Easy start on a little Mini petrol engine is a new one on me. And yes diesel engines can become addicted to Easy Start.

 

Go very easy on the stuff if you do decide to use it in a Mini!

 

I wouldn't ever use it, if the engine wont start it's either stale petrol. lack of supply of good petrol or no spark. 

 

I have also known a short from the Coil HT outlet to spark across to the side tag as the center HT connection was poor.

Never used easystart, but wetstart if that is any difference

[stevelane]

Before you do anything drastic you really need to check if fuel getting to the cylinders. After quickly cranking over the engine, remove the plugs to check if they are wet with fuel. 
 
If you now have fresh fuel, and if the plugs are dry after cranking the engine over its likely to be an issue with either the carb jet or float bowl needle. 
 
I'd also check to see if you have a vacuum leak on the carb manifold. This issue can develop following a car being sat for a long while. Do you know how to check for this ?