Printable Version | Subscribe | Add to Favourites
New Topic New Poll New Reply
Author: Subject: Now it won't start!!!!!
contaminated

posted on 26/4/09 at 08:44 PM Reply With Quote
Now it won't start!!!!!

Getting fed up! Been off the road for 4 months now, the last month of which is down to things going wrong. I need some help!

Almost got there this weekend. Bodywork finally back on and I'm just about to take it round the block and it won't start!

It had been running not 10 minutes before, although admittedly only for about 15 seconds while I reversed it out of the garage. Normally once I've started it I let it run for while. The only things I did to it while it was standing was diconnect and then reconnect the vacuum take off from the inlet manifold to the servo eand refit the pedal box cover.

It's a 2l Zetec on weber 45s and a GEMS ecu. I've got fuel and a spark, which would suggest timing. But why would it go out just like that?

Other than the above I guess the significant factors are:

1. When it wouldn't start it was very low on petrol - in fact it may have just about run out had I not switched it off

2. At the moment it's running very, very rich (for reasons discussed below). I have a feeling it may be well and truly flooded. I can sort out the fuel delivery but do I need to disperse the excess fuel itself or just dry the plugs and try again?

3. Over the winter I refurbishedthe carbs. I noticed that I had massive idle jets and tiny main jets. I re-jetted to about what it should be for a 2l zetec and the thing wouldn't run for toffee - it was all over the place (I posted at the time). I think the massive idle jets with mixture screws turned out 5.5 turns (webers should be no more than 2 or 3) are masking a timing issue. In the interim I put the original idles and mains in and it runs fine, if very rich. I was going to run it like this until I could get it on a rolling road - but actually the issue is probably with the cams I would have thought so should I start there rather than with the jetting and the ECU? Anyway, point is timing OK or not it was running until this morning.

Any thoughts appreciated.

Dan

p.s. as an aside why would I have an in-line blade fuse in a wire running between the positive and negative terminals of the battery cut off swith?

View User's Profile E-Mail User View All Posts By User U2U Member
paulf

posted on 26/4/09 at 08:57 PM Reply With Quote
If its very rich then the plugs may be partially fouled and although they spark outside the engine may not under compression.I have had this and cured it by heating the plugs to red heat with a blowlamp and before replacing them spinning the engine on the starter a few times.
Paul.

View User's Profile View All Posts By User U2U Member
flak monkey

posted on 26/4/09 at 09:00 PM Reply With Quote
quote:
Originally posted by contaminated
p.s. as an aside why would I have an in-line blade fuse in a wire running between the positive and negative terminals of the battery cut off swith?


Its not the pos and neg terminals, they are both postive....

It will be to keep the power on to something, something like a dashboard or something. Does mean if you forget to turn it on and try to start the car you will blow that fuse.

David





Sera

http://www.motosera.com

View User's Profile Visit User's Homepage View All Posts By User U2U Member
contaminated

posted on 26/4/09 at 09:06 PM Reply With Quote
I'll try that, thanks. I have cleaned the plugs right up as well - still no luck.

quote:
Originally posted by paulf
If its very rich then the plugs may be partially fouled and although they spark outside the engine may not under compression.I have had this and cured it by heating the plugs to red heat with a blowlamp and before replacing them spinning the engine on the starter a few times.
Paul.

View User's Profile E-Mail User View All Posts By User U2U Member
rusty nuts

posted on 26/4/09 at 09:10 PM Reply With Quote
Waste of time cleaning modern plugs . Try a new set.
View User's Profile View All Posts By User U2U Member
contaminated

posted on 26/4/09 at 09:11 PM Reply With Quote
Ah I never thought of that. Having a small gauge bypass would allow certain circuits to stay live, but as you say, if you attempt to start, the fuse would blow - as in fact it has.

quote:
Originally posted by flak monkey
quote:
Originally posted by contaminated
p.s. as an aside why would I have an in-line blade fuse in a wire running between the positive and negative terminals of the battery cut off swith?


Its not the pos and neg terminals, they are both postive....

It will be to keep the power on to something, something like a dashboard or something. Does mean if you forget to turn it on and try to start the car you will blow that fuse.

David

View User's Profile E-Mail User View All Posts By User U2U Member
contaminated

posted on 26/4/09 at 09:13 PM Reply With Quote
Well I would but they are pretty new and not cheap. May have to now though.

quote:
Originally posted by rusty nuts
Waste of time cleaning modern plugs . Try a new set.

View User's Profile E-Mail User View All Posts By User U2U Member
britishtrident

posted on 27/4/09 at 06:49 AM Reply With Quote
If it is flooded (very easy to do with DCOE carbs) the plugs are wet they just need dried out.

Remove all the plugs and let them dry out. --- heat helps ie use a blow lamp or oven.

With the ignition disconcted and the plugs out spin the engine over for a few turns to dry out the cylinders.





[I] “ What use our work, Bennet, if we cannot care for those we love? .”
― From BBC TV/Amazon's Ripper Street.
[/I]

View User's Profile View All Posts By User U2U Member
contaminated

posted on 27/4/09 at 12:55 PM Reply With Quote
Thanks all, I shall try all of the above.

Dan

View User's Profile E-Mail User View All Posts By User U2U Member

New Topic New Poll New Reply


go to top






Website design and SEO by Studio Montage

All content © 2001-16 LocostBuilders. Reproduction prohibited
Opinions expressed in public posts are those of the author and do not necessarily represent
the views of other users or any member of the LocostBuilders team.
Running XMB 1.8 Partagium [© 2002 XMB Group] on Apache under CentOS Linux
Founded, built and operated by ChrisW.