14 replies to this topic

[dam]

Hi all.
I have just finishing building my 1330 for my mini clubman gt.
i have a problem, ive been slaving away all weekend in the cold and rain put the engine in the car put all the parts back on.
i turned the engine over by hand first to get oil pressure.
i have oil pressure and everything looks fine.
but when i went to start it, it turns over but doesnt start. i could smell petrol so took the plugs out they were wet. so i think that it over fueling maybe. i have tryed jumping it but just does want to run.
Does anyone have any ideas.
Thanks guys and have a good xmas i know at this rate ill be working on the car xmas day.

[The Matt]

Have you tried the basics, like checking that you have a spark at the dizzy, then at the plugs?

[dam]

yes sorry i have a spark. just dont under stand. i have a spark, petrol and compresstion.

[The Matt]

Okies, well you either have timing issues or fuelling issues.

How have you got the timing set? Did you remove the distibutor drive dog at all? Have you checked that your leads are on in the correct order?

[dam]

yes i have check the leads. i had a friend fit my timing chain and all that lot hes built mini engines before. he said that it was spot on with the timing. i think maybe something to do with the fueling.

[Purple Tom]

If there is a spark and you have fuel at the plugs, there should be at least some sign of a bang. Also if it won't start on the starter there's no reason to expect it to start on a tow rope so that was a bit of a waste of time.

I'd still be looking at the timing for this one, as MMM says is the distributor drive dog in correctly (look in Haynes as it tells you the orientation in there, its dead easy to do)?

That'd be the first thing I'd check, then the next thing to do once you've established that is to have someone turn the key while you slowly rotate the dizzy to get the thing running.

As I said, you have fuel and sparks, and barring it having massive holes in the pistons, or no valves, it should run!

[The Matt]

As I said, you have fuel and sparks, and barring it having massive holes in the pistons, or no valves, it should run!

Unless the timing is way out, it should at least show some signs of running.

[midridge2]

how old is the petrol???

[Matt]

is it electronic ignition??

could be the module if it is....

[Dan]

I'd definitely be suspecting either timing or old fuel. Unleaded is only good for about six months of shelf life. Supermarket fuel, Optimax or anything else that only works due to octane boosters even less.

The timing chain sets up the cam timing and that may well be fine but bears very little relevance to the ignition timing. Have you set the static ignition timing properly before trying to start the thing? Also is the carb (assuming it's an SU) set to the initial position or just at some random setting?

[dam]

Thanks for the replys. I have tryed to move the dizzy while someone turns it over and that didnt work. im using unleaded and got that friday night so should be ok.
it not electronic ignition it just seams to keep flooding. is there a screw on my 1 3/4 carb anywhere.
Thanks guys

[The Matt]

Thanks for the replys. I have tryed to move the dizzy while someone turns it over and that didnt work. im using unleaded and got that friday night so should be ok.
it not electronic ignition it just seams to keep flooding. is there a screw on my 1 3/4 carb anywhere.
Thanks guys

Yeah there will be a mixture screw. Is it a HIF44 or a HS6? Or something different?

The timing could potentially be way out though, and turning the dizzy may not help that (if the drive dog is incorrectly positioned)

[Dan]

OK, it sounds like you just haven't set the engine up properly with the setting right for getting a new engine running. You need the carb set to the initial position and the ignition set to the static timing. These are pretty easy to do and it won't take you long. The procedures are fully covered in the older Haynes books but I'm not certain whether they are in the newer ones.

The initial position for any SU carb (single or twin, whatever type or size) is the same. The jet needs to be two turns of the adjusting screw / nut richer than completely flush with the carb bridge (the ridge in the base of the carb choke which the jet sits in). Take off the suction chamber and lift out the piston, turn the jet adjuster until the jet is perfectly flush with the top of the bridge and then turn the screw / nut two full turns so that the jet is below the surface of the bridge. The fast idle screw on the choke control must be backed off well clear of it's stop. The throttle (idle speed) screw needs to be 1 to 1.5 turns in from the position where it first touches it's stop so there is just a little throttle opening. If you are using twins you will need to get the linkages synchronised before starting. Synchronising the carbs themselves can only be done with the engine running and must be the first thing you do after starting and running in the cam. It takes top priority as unsychronised carbs are very bad for an engine.

Static ignition timing is almost as simple. Make sure that #1 cylinder is on it's igniton stroke at TDC (both it's valves should be closed when you look under the rocker cover), then turn the engine backwards so that #1 is moving back into it's compression stroke and set it with the timing marks on the pulley or flywheel reading 8 degrees BTDC. Now check inside the dizzy to make sure that the rotor arm is poiting to where #1 is on the dizzy cap for one thing (this is where the setting of the drive dog is important, it doesn't need to be exactly where Haynes says as in some engine builds this puts the dizzy vac advance in the way of other things but you do need to know that the rotor is pointing the right way with the engine in this setting) and also check that in this position the points are just beginning to open. You must have set the points gap correctly before stting the static timing.

It should now run. Once it is running you must tune the carbs and timing dynamically to the settings in the manual. As I said above, if you have twin carbs then the very first thing to do after running in the cam is to synchronise them.

[dam]

thanks guys. i tryed the timing and set it to what dan said. still nothing but going to try the carb thing tonight. these a spark and fuel getting in the but still dont start. i think that the carb maybe is pitting to much fuel in. maybe not sure on this on.
Thanks guys

[Jammy]

God I missed you Dan! *