replaced head gasket, now not starting at all

[tomothy94]

we set those up the other day - anticlockwise starting on the bottom left, isnt it? this is how we currently have it set up.. is it 1, 3, 4, 2, order: top left on the distributor, bottom left, bottom right, top right?

[Dryad]

If you have removed and replaced the distributor then you might have replaced it with the shaft 180 degrees out. See David Miles' restoration thread - he's just been through the same thing: http://www.mmoc.org.uk/viewtopic.php?f= ... &start=690

[bmcecosse]

You can't just assume #1 is 'bottom left'........ If you don't KNOW where they were before easiest thing to do now is just to move them round one position at a time (retaining the 1342 anticlock of course) until the engine starts.

[tomothy94]

SHE STARTED! thanks so much for your help! trial and error is a good if frustrating way to sort things out. now however i have another, smaller problem (at least i think its smaller). the idle is really rough and the car almost stalls when i press the clutch down... any ideas?

[bmcecosse]

Have you moved anything - dizzy or carb settings? First task though is to now retorque the head after the first heat cycle - and again reset the valve gaps......

[tomothy94]

well the dizzy was adjusted by a family friend mechanic the other day, but that was before we realised that the head gasket had gone - we then assumed the main problem was the gasket but maybe the dizzy is down? the carb has not been messed with other than to top it up with oil, but we thought it may be blocked and that that was causing the problems, as its still as if there isnt enough fuel getting to the engine. it will barely idle without the choke :/

[tomothy94]

and yes, tomorrow i'm going to let it idle as best it can for ten minutes then readjust the valve gaps and tighten it all up again

[mike.perry]

When the engine is warm, adjust the mixture nut on the carb up or down one flat at a time to see if that improves the tickover.
Next you can try adjusting the round nut on the distributor vacuum advance to see if that gives any improvement. Study the manual.

[tomothy94]

okay mike, thankyou very much, i will try that tomorrow. thanks ever so much again for all your help, you're all such lovely people - apologies for how exasperated i must have made you

[bmcecosse]

Get the friend to put the dizzy back exactly where he found it! Actually - he should twiddle it from left to right until it gives the best/smoothest idle.

[tomothy94]

ok! thanks loads! will get back to you by tomorrow afternoon

[tomothy94]

ok. adjusted the carb! now the engine runs fine without the choke! however there is still the original problem i had two weeks ago... a tapping noise when i press the accelerator also managed to snap a bolt while retourquing after a heat cycle.. its the one on the end of the manifold nearest the radiator. i've put the nut back on and tighetened it onto the end as much as i can but it's not as tight as it should be, not nearly. i could cry

[tomothy94]

i've been told the bolt snapping isn't much of an issue as the nut is still threaded-few! also we found that the source of the tapping was indeed the valves, just needed readjusting and tightening once more. thanks so much for your help! i've learned so much in the past few days

[bmcecosse]

It's been a steep learning curve.......