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Jun 11, 2010 10:23:03 GMT
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I'm starting to run out of ideas now. Bruce just died 3 days ago and up untill now ive never had a problem starting it and its always run nicely now its resolutely refuses to start
I have changed
spark plugs HT Leads Rotor Arm Points dizzy Cap. There where faults with each and every one
I have regapped the points and plugs 3 times now. Ive stripped the carb all looks well and there is fuel inside. I checked continuity in both low and high tension circuits its all good. Theres a spark at all plugs so the coil got to be good should I just change it anyway? Ive also removed 5 scotch bright links (can I blame Adam) from the LT circuit cut the wires back to good soldered the join, used heat shrink rap and crimp brand new spade connectors on the end.
All to no avail still not even a cough. Look like its the towing dolly to workshop to strip and decoke the head replace the HG and regrind the valve seats. If it still wont fire up. I might have to hide and stop myself looking at the petrol can that keeps winking at me. Judging by the state of the parts I'm pulling out I'm starting to wonder if this engine has ever been serviced in the 43 years this cars been about
Paul
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Jun 11, 2010 10:41:39 GMT
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Go back to basics:
Check for fuel....not in the carb itself, but is it getting through into the cylinders?
Check for spark which it sounds like you have done...but is it timed correctly? (one of the biggest issues with non starting)
Compression - have you done a compression test yet?
Check all these things before thinking of replacing anything else.
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Jun 11, 2010 10:51:31 GMT
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I haven't got a compression tester otherwise it would have been checked. But judging purely by the effort it takes to turn the engine over by hand whilst setting the points gap id say there should be enough. I'm going here by the difference in resistance between turning by hand with the plugs in and with the plugs out and it is quite substantial
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Jun 11, 2010 10:55:53 GMT
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So what about the results of the other two then? Have you checked that fuel is getting through? What about the timing? Guesswork is all well & good, but doesn't help when you are trying to source the root of the problem.
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Jun 11, 2010 10:57:53 GMT
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An engine needs only 3 things to run - a spark at the right time, compression, and fuel.
Spark - you may be geting a spark in air, but in the cylinder with fuel and high pressures the spark is more 'reluctant' to work. Try to see if you can get a spark that's a good centimeter long in air. Have you changed the condensor? It's not unknown for them to fail, and they can significantly weaken the spark.
Timing? If you've reset the points but not the ignition timing it might not start - even if it does it'll probably run horribly. If the timing was last set with the old points, the gap was probably different, so the timing will have altered when you set the points.
Plug lead order? You've replaced both the dizzy cap and the HT leads - are you absolutely sure that the leads are in the correct place? If not it'll never run.
Finally, try to get a GOOD rotor arm - modern reproductions are, for the most part, worse than useless. I know that almost anything would be an improvement over the one that came off, butin the case of new rotor arms it may not be the case. The problematic ones are cheap, made of black plastic, and have a rivet holding the contact arm on. Good ones, as sold by the Distributor Doctor (try Google) amongst other, are more expensive (I paid £9 for mine) and have a piece of moulded plastic holding the contact arm on.
Compression? Try turning it over while putting your thumb over each plug hole in turn - there should be a lot of pressure there forcing your thumb off the hole.
Fuel? There may be fuel in the carb but if it's not getting into the cylinders the engine won't run - are the plugs getting wet with fuel? If not, the idle jet may be blocked.
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Jun 11, 2010 11:07:21 GMT
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Check your earths. My mini is a b*stard for it when it's rained.
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Jun 11, 2010 11:27:58 GMT
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Stick a bit of fuel down the carb? see if it fires up?
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VIP
South East
Posts: 8,293
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Jun 11, 2010 11:35:13 GMT
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An engine needs only 3 things to run - a spark at the right time, compression, and fuel. Four things...an engine won't run in a vacuum...
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Last Edit: Jun 11, 2010 11:35:16 GMT by VIP
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Jun 11, 2010 11:39:32 GMT
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An engine needs only 3 things to run - a spark at the right time, compression, and fuel. Four things...an engine won't run in a vacuum... Lol - a fair point, although for the purposes of this thread I think we can take 'fuel' to mean a mixture of petrol & air..
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Jun 11, 2010 11:41:36 GMT
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Four things...an engine won't run in a vacuum... Can probably rule that out as a problem in this case, to be honest... I'd try and sort it out before the head gasket change and decoke personally. Removing the head and putting it back on gives a whole new opportunity to reconnect something wrong and create further problems, masking what the original problem was. Basic scientific principle here, only change one variable at a time
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1989 Peugeot 205. You know, the one that was parked in a ditch on the campsite at RRG'17... the glass is always full. but the ratio of air to water may vary.
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stinkwheel
Posted a lot
Doctor Of Gonzo Journalism - One of gods own proptypes, never even considered for mass production.
Posts: 2,280
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Jun 11, 2010 11:47:02 GMT
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Are you getting spark? I'm thinking condensor failure if its also on points.
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1973 Citroen Dyane 6 1980 Citroen Acadiane 1992 Citroen AX 1990 Citroen BX 1997 Citroen XM 1993 Citroen BX 1997 Citroen Xantia 1977 Citroen Ami 8 1996 Ford Escort 1989 Citroen BX 1997 Suzuki RF900 1988 Yamaha TDR250 1979 Honda CB400. 'I need less vehicles'
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Jun 11, 2010 11:54:37 GMT
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An engine needs only 3 things to run - a spark at the right time, compression, and fuel. Four things...an engine won't run in a vacuum... Or under water. You won't get any compression in a vacuum, so if you've got compression (and the engine's turning over) it's a fair assumption that you have air (and are not under water). ;D
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bortaf
Posted a lot
Posts: 4,549
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Jun 11, 2010 11:59:00 GMT
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I'd try the condensor then the coil, you may have a spark but i could be too weak? also did you solder the old scotch LOCK connections (scotchbright is a pad for rubbing down paitwork )
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R.I.P photobucket
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Jun 11, 2010 12:33:52 GMT
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The dizzy on the fiesta, if not clamped up properly, has a tendency to move to the point of not being able to make the car run.
Have you tried squirting something volatile (carb cleaner, brake cleaner, WD40...) down the carb to see if it catches in order to rule out fuel
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...proper medallion man chest wig motoring.
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Jun 11, 2010 12:36:56 GMT
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I meant scotch lock conections I cut back behind them and soldered in fresh wire. Timing is correct was set statically when points where changed and then checked with a strobe when cranking on the starter.
Condensor was replaced with a brand new item and I have tried with the new and the old to no avail. There is a spark at each plug but it isn't the strongest in the world. Yellow in colour. The spark at the lead is greater than at the plug. The plugs are wet with fuel.
I have checked the carb diaphragm there are no splits but it was dirty so has been cleaned and refitted. Just a quick thought will any 12V coil work if so could I pilfer the one of the DAF that I know to be good to test it?
Paul
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Jun 11, 2010 13:00:52 GMT
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So you've got petrol. You've got air, you've got a (admitedly, rubbish) spark, and you reckon your timing is fine.. It's got to be something simple. If the plugs are wet, you'll struggle anyway, so get them really hot with a blowtorch to burn of wet fuel and put them in really quickly so you're trying to start it on hot plugs rather than cold soggy ones. And try swapping coils, yeah.
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...proper medallion man chest wig motoring.
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Jun 11, 2010 13:53:27 GMT
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ya need
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75 Range Rover 2 door 82 Range Rover 4 door 84 Range Rover 4 door 78 Datsun 120Y 2 door 78 Datsun 620 Pickup 81 Datsun Urvan E23 86 Datsun Vanette van 98 Electric Citroen Berlingo 00 Electric Peugeot Partner 02 Electric Citroen Berlingo 04 Berlingo Multispace petrol 07 Land Rover 130 15 Nissan E-NV200 15 Fiat Ducato
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Jun 11, 2010 14:21:18 GMT
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Swapping coils proved one thing. It aint the coil to blame. Triumph still wont start and the DAF runs happily with the triumphs coil fitted
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Jun 11, 2010 14:29:40 GMT
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Have you checked the fuel pump? Just thinking it might not be providing enough fuel. Can you get a video of it cranking over?
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Jun 11, 2010 14:31:18 GMT
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its on charge at the moment as its flat from failed starting attemps. But I can give it another go in a bit
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