58 replies to this topic

[crackfoo]

Engine Type, 12h A Series

Size: 1380cc

Pistons: Hepolite

Cam: 276

Carbs: Twin 1.5" SU

Dizzy: Lucas 45D

 

So I original had a problem with Rupert failing to start but was determined that it was from a poorly patched positive lead off the battery to the starter solenoid. I had replaced the cable and afterwards, bump started it and had planned to take him for a good run to charge up the battery again as it had gone flat from trying to start it. As I was in the boot, pulled out some of my tools and they caught on the fuel vent pipe and broke it off. It started up just fine and idled for 5-10 mins before I was heading out with the family in our other vehicle. As I was about to turn it off I gave it a shot of the throttle and then it was very juddery and notice some darker smoke out the exhaust. I figured it might be the timing as before the starting problem, I had been tweaking the timing, but had only been a matter of 2-3deg. I thought nothing of it as I would simply come back and sort that out.

 

Now however, he won't start at all. I check all cylinders for spark and all appear to be ok albeit it's the first time I've ever done it so not sure of the actual quality of the spark but it was there. Also the plugs were wet so assume fuel is getting to them. Checked the float chambers and they were full. Thought perhaps a head gasket might have blown, with the smoke that appeared after I gave it a couple shots of the throttle, but all cylinders read ~180-182psi when cold/turning over so I understand may not be entirely accurate but I think are good. The points were recently cleaned and set by the shop I had him in to get road worthy after 12-14 years in storage.

 

Really sad this happened as he was really coming together and working well and I thought the last thing to be going wrong was my battery lead.

 

Any suggestions welcomed. 

 

Cheers!

[connorwmc]

I'm no expert. Bit with this cold wet weather mean there might be some water getting Into your carb? Or with your fuel ... I got told once this could be the problem if you have fuel and spark for a non sparkk .. it might be worth drying the carb out .. also the fuel tank ? Other than that have you got a good engine earth?

[connorwmc]

For a non starter* haha not 'sparkk'

[crackfoo]

The weather has gotten a lot colder over the past few days here in Nova Scotia so perhaps that is another factor to consider. If there is a blockage in my rad would this cause difficulty starting? Coolant has been going down, but I think it owing out the overflow valve. Oil looked fine so topped the coolant up again and didn't notice anything out of the ordinary in it. No oil anyway. When cranking it over though didn't see any movement in there. Shouldn't it have made some movements/bubbles sometimes??

I think I'll try the bit of fuel down the throat to see if that catches but I don't think that's it as I dry the spark plugs off and they get wet again...

Edited by crackfoo, 30 December 2014 - 10:28 PM.

[Dusky]

Could be too little choke maybe with this cold weather?
Id use startpilot, but thats me

Make sure you clamped the dizzy tight, so or didnt move , could cause very bad timing etc

Edited by Dusky, 30 December 2014 - 11:21 PM.

[crackfoo]

I've tried with and without choke and got no love either way. My choke is set pretty high already so should be sufficient.

Over the course of the past couple days of trying to start it which has been any tries. Only a couple times it sputtered at the end of a start attempt, just as I disengaged the starter.

Start pilot? Isn't that for diesel?

[crackfoo]

Is it possible that the colder weather is making it run too rich and the plugs are getting flooded, causing it not to ignite?

[MiniMoe2008]

Change the Stater! LOL

[crackfoo]

Change the Stater! LOL

 

you think?

 

Sounds like it's turning over really well though... I can turn it over for 3-4 secs at a time and it doesn't seem laboured... just not coming to life...

Edited by crackfoo, 31 December 2014 - 05:38 PM.

[crackfoo]

Could be too little choke maybe with this cold weather?
Id use startpilot, but thats me

Make sure you clamped the dizzy tight, so or didnt move , could cause very bad timing etc

 

the dizzy seems tight as is always had been. tiny bit of movement but nothing that wasn't there before when it was running well.

[dklawson]

The float bowls should not have been "full".  They should have been between 1/2 and 2/3 full when you removed the bowl lids.  Since the fuel level was high, plugs were wet, and the engine delivered dark smokey exhaust when reved last time... look for problems with the float valves.  Clean both valves and adjust their height setting.   

[crackfoo]

The float bowls should not have been "full".  They should have been between 1/2 and 2/3 full when you removed the bowl lids.  Since the fuel level was high, plugs were wet, and the engine delivered dark smokey exhaust when reved last time... look for problems with the float valves.  Clean both valves and adjust their height setting.   

 

Sorry I should clarify, they wen't full full, I just meant they had some fuel in but were about 2/3 full I would say.

[crackfoo]

Change the Stater! LOL

 

Tried bump starting with my van and it really turned over the engine good, but still, no catch, no sputter, nothing. 

 

The coil was getting pretty warm, not sure if this is normal, but I suspect it would be a little anyway. 

 

My wiring is pretty dodgy from the previous owner or as the shop mechanic said... it's a dogs breakfast under there.

 

I had the jumper cables hooked up from my van while doing these test and I'll attach a pic of the coil connections. There appears to be one, that is not attached, but to be honest I don't think it ever was but please correct me if this would be a problem. Pic attached.

 

On the left there are three wires. The green goes to the tach (which doesn't work by the way since it has other wires that are not connected) The other 2 yellow ones have actually been cut down lower. They read at 14v and one is a pink one and the other is white with blue stripe. The pink goes somewhere I can't seem to trace. I'm assuming up into the loom and spliced on somewhere. There is no fuse box  as it seems the previous owner(s) stripped it for whatever reason. As the tech said, a dogs breakfast. The white/blue goes up to the starter solenoid but is not hooked anywhere. It's just dangling. There is only one connector left and that's on the starter side of the  solenoid. Should it be connected there?

 

On the other side of the coil are 2 black wires and that terminal reads 10v. One wire goes into the dizzy and the other looks to go back up to the solenoid but it has been cut off so it's not connected to anything either... should it be?

 

Any thoughts, suggestions would be great. Also... is this coil a ballasted one? I have an electric ignition on delivery, should I also have ordered a 12v coil?

Attached Files

•  coil_connections.jpg   63.11K   13 downloads

Edited by crackfoo, 02 January 2015 - 12:08 PM.

[MiniMoe2008]

 

Change the Stater! LOL

 

you think?

 

Sounds like it's turning over really well though... I can turn it over for 3-4 secs at a time and it doesn't seem laboured... just not coming to life...

Alice (my Clubman) would turn over  and over until the battery would died but he was mentioning to me it just wasn't fast enough. 

Edited by MiniMoe2008, 01 January 2015 - 07:30 PM.

[crackfoo]

 

Change the Stater! LOL

 
you think?
 
Sounds like it's turning over really well though... I can turn it over for 3-4 secs at a time and it doesn't seem laboured... just not coming to life...
Alice (my Clubman) would turn over  and over until the battery would died but he was mentioning to me it just wasn't fast enough. 

It used to start on a 2nd turn over and was on a smaller battery. It's turning over a lot faster that usual. Something isn't right, but can't figure it out yet.