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What did you do to your car today?
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Ray White



Joined: 02 Dec 2014
Posts: 6285
Location: Derby

PostPosted: Mon Dec 30, 2019 5:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

You don't say which carbs you have.. If they are SUs it could be the pistons are sticking up.

I once did a valve job on a friend's Mini. When it came to starting the engine it just wouldn't. Turned out carb piston had become stuck.

That was a frustrating evening.! Surprised
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alastairq



Joined: 14 Oct 2016
Posts: 1950
Location: East Yorkshire

PostPosted: Mon Dec 30, 2019 5:47 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

If Strombergs, they might have pin holes in their diaphragms?
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Dellow Mk2, 1951 built, reg 1952.
Fiat 126 BIS
Cannon special [1996 registered. Built in 1950's]
----------------------------------------------
Ford Pop chassis, Ashley 1172 bodyshell, in pieces.
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MikeEdwards



Joined: 25 May 2011
Posts: 2464
Location: South Cheshire

PostPosted: Mon Dec 30, 2019 7:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

They are Strombergs, but I fitted new diaphragms in them when the car was put back on the road. Granted it's worth checking them again, but I'd expect trouble when it's running too.

Pistons aren't stuck, though I was surprised at how relatively stiff they are to move once the oil is in the piston.

I haven't checked compression for a while. A mate suggested something similar - that because the engine is recently rebuilt with new rings (among other things) they might not have bedded in yet.

I haven't tried pouring petrol directly into the carb. I'm pretty sure that will help it start, just like the easy-start does, but the aim is to get it starting better without the extra.

I've stripped down a spare Stromberg carb to an extent this afternoon, and have a couple of things to look at. The choke mechanism has some quite small holes in it, which could easily have become clogged up, so it might be worth whipping that off to clean out.
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Ray White



Joined: 02 Dec 2014
Posts: 6285
Location: Derby

PostPosted: Mon Dec 30, 2019 8:13 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

MikeEdwards wrote:

I've stripped down a spare Stromberg carb to an extent this afternoon, and have a couple of things to look at. The choke mechanism has some quite small holes in it, which could easily have become clogged up, so it might be worth whipping that off to clean out.


That choke part with the holes in...I always seem to forget which way round it should go! Mad
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MVPeters



Joined: 28 Aug 2008
Posts: 822
Location: Northern MA, USA

PostPosted: Mon Dec 30, 2019 8:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

MikeEdwards wrote:
Tried to improve the starting issue on the hatch. If it's left for more than a week or two between starts, it becomes very difficult to get it going - it'll crank over a lot, but it's ages before it starts. There is fuel getting to the carbs, the spark is good, the timing is good, it's strange.

A year or two back I bought a new set of plug leads for it, which I've never fitted because they are a kit that needs cutting to length and new ends putting on. I've been putting it off, but I finally bit the bullet yesterday.

Came back after lunch to give it a test start and ... nothing. It's just the same. It finally caught after a lot of cranking and a few squirts of easy start.

I am wondering now if the carbs are clogged up somewhere internally.


Mike
Check the earth connection between the engine/starter & the chassis/frame.
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2002 MINI Cooper 'S'
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Ray White



Joined: 02 Dec 2014
Posts: 6285
Location: Derby

PostPosted: Mon Dec 30, 2019 11:16 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I spent some time today trying to set up the crown wheel and pinion. An involved kind of job and one which requires the patience of a Saint.
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MikeEdwards



Joined: 25 May 2011
Posts: 2464
Location: South Cheshire

PostPosted: Tue Dec 31, 2019 10:25 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Ray White wrote:
That choke part with the holes in...I always seem to forget which way round it should go! Mad


So far, I've only taken the assembly off the side of the carb, I haven't split the plate from the assembly, so I can't put it back together wrongly. I could strip it completely as it's a spare carb, then clean it properly and just do a swap in situ.

I will check the engine earth, it was new on at the rebuild but that's no excuse.
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Ray White



Joined: 02 Dec 2014
Posts: 6285
Location: Derby

PostPosted: Tue Dec 31, 2019 10:55 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

MikeEdwards wrote:
Ray White wrote:
That choke part with the holes in...I always seem to forget which way round it should go! Mad


So far, I've only taken the assembly off the side of the carb, I haven't split the plate from the assembly, so I can't put it back together wrongly. I could strip it completely as it's a spare carb, then clean it properly and just do a swap in situ.

I will check the engine earth, it was new on at the rebuild but that's no excuse.


Has it been painted? It wouldn't be the first time that a painted surface made for a poor contact.
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MikeEdwards



Joined: 25 May 2011
Posts: 2464
Location: South Cheshire

PostPosted: Tue Dec 31, 2019 1:09 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The car was painted, and I did consider that when I was fixing the earth strap in place but will check it. Part of me thinks that the earth happens through the top of the cable "eye" where it contacts the bolt head, then down through the bold body and into the chassis rail. I can't remember whether I cleaned any paint off for the other side of the eye to contact. Wouldn't that give a consistent earth fault, though?
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Ray White



Joined: 02 Dec 2014
Posts: 6285
Location: Derby

PostPosted: Tue Dec 31, 2019 1:13 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Probably, but I think it would depend on how well charged the battery was.
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peter scott



Joined: 18 Dec 2007
Posts: 7113
Location: Edinburgh

PostPosted: Tue Dec 31, 2019 1:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

MikeEdwards wrote:


I haven't tried pouring petrol directly into the carb. I'm pretty sure that will help it start, just like the easy-start does, but the aim is to get it starting better without the extra.


Hi Mike,

The suggestion was just to prove or disprove that lack of sufficient cold starting fuel was the issue and not something completely different.

Peter
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1939 SS Jaguar 2 1/2 litre saloon
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MikeEdwards



Joined: 25 May 2011
Posts: 2464
Location: South Cheshire

PostPosted: Tue Dec 31, 2019 2:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Ray - I see what you mean. I will take a look at it. The car has one of those solar trickle-charge panels connected up while it's not in use, and the battery is isolated so nothing can run it down. It generally doesn't have trouble cranking the engine over, and it's a recent rebuild (in terms of mileage) so fairly "stiff" still.

Peter - yes, a good point. The "easy start" doesn't make it start straight away, though it does attempt to run on it. That said, the pressure has gone on my easy start can, so it's a case of holding it above the filter and pressing the button, and waiting while some liquid runs onto the filter top. I know there's fuel in the carb bowl, and in the pump.
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alastairq



Joined: 14 Oct 2016
Posts: 1950
Location: East Yorkshire

PostPosted: Tue Dec 31, 2019 2:26 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

do you think the fuel has some water content?
_________________
Dellow Mk2, 1951 built, reg 1952.
Fiat 126 BIS
Cannon special [1996 registered. Built in 1950's]
----------------------------------------------
Ford Pop chassis, Ashley 1172 bodyshell, in pieces.
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MikeEdwards



Joined: 25 May 2011
Posts: 2464
Location: South Cheshire

PostPosted: Tue Dec 31, 2019 7:30 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I don't think so - it's not a new symptom, it's done it since it went back on the road, although earlier on after the rebuild it was run more often.
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Rootes75



Joined: 30 Apr 2013
Posts: 3785
Location: The Somerset Levels

PostPosted: Sat Jan 04, 2020 4:36 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Continued the sorting of engine parts for our ERF, found out all the pistons today and started cleaning them up.
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