47 replies to this topic

[stevelane]

Sorry Stu, hadn't noticed there was any replies

No I have no idea how to check the vacuum

[Stu.]

No worries. Don't know if your sorted yet, but if it still won't start, spray some WD 40 all around the manifold gaskets to temporarily seal any holes or gaps in them. Also check the carb manifold bolts are tight. Then try cranking over again. If it still won't start its probably not a vacuum leak. If it fires up or at least tries to it probably is and you should renew the gaskets and check for cracks in the spacer etc. Worth trying anyway. Keep in touch. I'm sure we can get you sorted 

[stevelane]

No haven't got it sorted yet, something else came up and had to leave it for another day

Will certainly try that tomorrow after work, cheers for the advice

[Captain Mainwaring]

 

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? 

 

 

This one always used to puzzle me too - the old favorite was that engines used to "get addicted" to ether, odd, when my JCB with a leyland 498NT engine had no cold start aid except for a "Kai Gaz" injector for ether.

I do wonder how a little sniff of ether can do much damage.

[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....

ho< does easystart damage an engine? 

 

 

This one always used to puzzle me too - the old favorite was that engines used to "get addicted" to ether, odd, when my JCB with a leyland 498NT engine had no cold start aid except for a "Kai Gaz" injector for ether.

I do wonder how a little sniff of ether can do much damage.

 

YES JCB = Diesel engine. (I agree that used when no other to heat / preheat the engine when cold) If you are using Easy Start on a petrol engine you have something drastically wrong! I watched a chap spray streams of Easy Start into a cranking over Ford Capri V6 Essex engine air intake once and the timing belt snapped, it was the end of his engine, If you have to use it for a pre start after a long period of no starting, just use a sniff, that is all that is required.  Be careful using this stuff.  (I thought most people knew it was for cold heavy diesel engines) Wetstart is some sort of electrical mositure remover like WD 40 to spray on HT leads, Dizzy cover etc to repell moisture / damp.   Good luck and let us know how you sorted it.

[stevelane]

Will hopefully be tackling it later today.

The easy start was something that someone recommended I use, seems now that they knew just as much as me, which is very little and just picking it up as I go along, hope there isn't any lasting damage then

[cal844]

i spray small amounts of brake clean or paint thinners down the bores and then prime the carb with some fresh fuel in the float bowl and carb throat... try this?!

[stevelane]

i spray small amounts of brake clean or paint thinners down the bores and then prime the carb with some fresh fuel in the float bowl and carb throat... try this?!

[stevelane]

Seems worth a go

[Dusky]

paint thinner in the bores will probably ruin your oil.

[stevelane]

Just tried to start again before trying everything else, it coughed a few times and then died. I put some more petrol in the bores and fired then died again.

Took the plugs out and wiped them clear of all moisture and around the holes and tried again. Nothing at all

I took the plugs out and they are wet so an I right in thinking that fuel is getting through to the cylinders?

Edited by stevelane, 25 February 2014 - 05:03 PM.

[Stu.]

If you crank over the engine as you normally would to start the car and find the plugs are wet with fuel when you remove them, then yes fuel is getting to the cylinders. I'd still try the vac leak test though.

[stevelane]

Tried the vac test and nothing.

Made a little progress that might mean something though. I cleared out the fuel in the float chamber and removed the dash pot and the needle and blew air through it to see if there were any blockages. After this it started but died very quickly again. Have put an inline fuel filter and it has picked up some crap so tried cleaning again but nothing.

Oddly my brother in law took the top of the float chamber to see if there was fuel getting through the float valve and it started straight away and run for a little while whilst the float was out but obviously died when it starved again

Logic says it something around the carb that's a problem but we can see what, the chamber fills, the plugs get wet again but nothing

Any more thoughts?

Edited by stevelane, 25 February 2014 - 09:11 PM.

[Stu.]

 No vac leak then. Sorry I hoped that'd work. Possibly an issue with the float bowl then, or feed line to carb jet, carb jet or carb needle then, or possibly the bowl float needle ?

 

I'd go through and check all parts from the fuel line entering the float bowl to the dashpot. I'd do it  carefully and 're try starting after checking / adjusting each section. 

 

Have you checked that the piston in the dashpot is free to move and it has adequate oil in it ?

 

Have you checked the choke settings are correct for cold starting ?

 

One thing worth checking is if the fuel tank had adequate ventilation to allow free fuel flow to the pump and float bowl. The fuel caps normally have vents to allow for this, and of course the breather pipe from the tank should be checked.

 

Sorry you're not there yet, but keep going and you'll get it fixed soon.

[stevelane]

Thanks

Some of this is going out of my comfort zone but I'm determined to try and work this one out and learn as I go on.

The problem with the vac test is that I don't know if I carried it out properly, found it really hard to get wd40 around all the areas to seal it but I am aware that at one point it did start so I wonder whether the wd40 had run down and sealed it?

The dash pot has definitely got oil in but thinking about it it's a different type to what I've used before, it's multi purpose but just a different brand to what I've had before

There does seem to be adequate ventilation for the tank, breather isn't blocked when the float chamber is empty it easily pumps through and you see the fuel filter full up, but as soon as the float chamber is full it stops. I did wonder whether the valve at the inlet to to float chamber was sticking and then coming loose when we take the lid off so going unnoticed but I may be clutching at straws.

Oh well, tomorrow's another day, will try again, thanks for all the help