13 replies to this topic

[corrado vr6]

Hi there,

What are the benefits of electronic ignition?

I would like to try and help mine start easier, as at the moment when cold (timing is set up correctly) I have to crank it for a little while before it'll start
I would like to cut down the time it takes for him to start if possible, however it could be fuel related and it's cranking to get the fuel up to the carb, although it's an electric fuel pump near the tank.

He always starts but would just like to cut down the cranking time, would electronic ignition help?

It's a 1330 engine with Hif44 carb

[Gremlin]

Electronic ignition wouldn't help with cranking time as much as fuel would, guessing it hasn't been set up properly on a rolling road, so that would be my advise, and go from there. How good is your battery, a decent one will give a better spark when cranking

[corrado vr6]

It's been set up on rolling road and it was then loads better!
Battery is new but it's not my daily driver so doesn't get a good charge very often, occasionally I put it on trickle charge.

So could I stop the fuel flowing back to the tank or would it not be doing this anyway, due to the electric pump I always leave it to pump on first turn of key for a few seconds before cranking

[Dusky]

It will start better in damp conditions... maybe you cold try more/less choke

[KernowCooper]

Once the fuel is past the needle valve it cant drain back, you could drive home park up come out tomorrow and disconnect the fuel pump and the car will start with whats in the float chamber. Have you checked the chokes working and operating fully?

[Stiggytoo]

Is the float level correct, I've experienced long cranking times in the past when it was too low.

[corrado vr6]

Thanks for all the replies

Yep choke is good and operating fully

I wouldn't know about the float chamber, how best am I to check this?

[Stiggytoo]

On an hif that's a carb off job. Not sure if it's worth looking at though. Once it's been started after sitting will it then start on demand or does it still take a lot of cranking?

[Guess-Works.com]

IMO, most starting problems are related to the amount of current the starter motor is taking to turn the engine...

A slow crank will take a lot of current from the battery thus reducing the current available to the coil, and hence a weak spark... it also means there's less fuel and air being introduced to the cylinder, so less chance of it starting...

 

If you have a good cranking speed and it still fails to start then there's a problem somewhere else, eg spark plug gaps, wrong plugs, worn points, incorrect timing, etc etc etc

Having something set up on a rolling road will probably mean that it's working fine on full throttle, but may not take into consideration, cold start, idle and part throttle running...

[corrado vr6]

It's not a slow crank it's just I was trying to reduce the amount of time it takes for it to catch / fire when cold.
When warm it'll start immediately, for an old car it start acceptably when it's cold but was just interested in knowing if I could reduce the time it takes to catch.

[KernowCooper]

If it starts hot ok then I would still check the choke is working fully

[Dusky]

^or maybe just a too lean initial mixture?

[KernowCooper]

The choke should provide far away enough fuel to start at the temperature we have now its not even cold? I assume your in the UK?  Maybe there is a fault with the rotary choke control assembly on the carb?

 

Test take the filter off and pour a egg cup of fuel in the carb intake and crank, does it fire up?

[corrado vr6]

I'll give this a go and report back