rather slow moggy

[onion]

sorry I haven't updated you all for a bit, but I've been away.

I decoked it and it ran fine.

...when I tested drove it. It even got to 70 without my foot being fully down! Problems came next time I came to run it, when it decided not to catch. and then every time after that.

Plugs are sparking when on the head, but come out wet with petrol when I take them out. I've tried leaving the plugs out over night to allow excess petrol to evaporate, but they're still wet when I take them out.

[chrisryder]

Dry them with a lighter, or on the hob!

[onion]

Can do. they are going in air dry anyway and still coming out wet, just not wanted to use a lighter on them as petrol and fire don't tend to mix

[MarkyB]

Are you sure it's petrol?
If you are giving it full choke, then try with little or none.
Does it spin over on the starter OK?

[bmcecosse]

Does the fuel pump tick constantly with the Ignition on? This would indicate flooding from the carb....

[onion]

Well damn (possibly), it always appeared to be petrol due to how quickly the plugs dried. Just dried it with a lighter and they didn't catch at all, so I guessed water getting in. looked in radiator and low and behold well down on where it should be, but turning it by hand without plugs nothing splashed out...

and yeh, starters turning over fine.

Is it off-with-its head time again?

[onion]

sorry BMC, didn't see you there.

No, not a permanent tick.

[bmcecosse]

Why do you want to take the head off? Take the lead off the fuel pump (to stop flooding) and try to start it then......See if it will run ok for a minute or so. I hope you retightened the head and reset the valve gaps after the first heat cycle.....

[onion]

I don't particularly, but y'know...

I'll try it in the morning, thanks.

Yep retightened and reset them

[izzi]

Hi,
The fuel tube pipe from the float chamber could be twisted which causes a mild fuel blockage. This happens if someone has cleaned the carburetor and noticed the twist.
Does sound like some kind of fuel problem.

good luck.

Roy.

[izzi]

Hi, Again.

Sorry I did not read all the previous threads as my laptop had a hicup.

good luck anyway.

Roy.

[onion]

nope, no joy :/

Just turns over for a bit then goes vrrrrrm, as it did with the fuel pump wired up. plugs still getting wet.

Ignition light turns off after a while but comes back on when I dry them.

[bmcecosse]

Ignition light - ehhhhh? It's actually a 'dynamo not working warning light' and is not connected to this problem EXCEPT it seems to me the battery is flat - or there is a bad battery or earth connection...........

[onion]

using a battery tester (admittedly from Aldi) the battery is fine?

fair enough, that now explains the light (thought not why i've not noticed it go off when pulling the starter before, maybe I'm just unobservant...)

[JOWETTJAVELIN]

So you have spark and you have petrol. Seems like a flooding problem to me unless you have been mucking about with the timing. Spin it over on the handle with ign. on and see what happens.

[bmcecosse]

Perhaps your Ign and Oil Pressure lights are mixed up in the speedo...... That would explain the light going out - and then coming back on again after a few moments.

[onion]

Turning it on the handle has no effect. minor kick back, but no catch :/

starting to think it might be worth a trip to a garage...

[MarkyB]

Kick back suggests the timing is a bit too advanced.

[bmcecosse]

Just slightly - but at least it is firing when it should... A 'garage' will just empty your pockets and shrug their shoulders.....

[onion]

ok, i'll try retarding it a bit further.

I know they're likely to empty my pockets, but I'm supposed to be driving it to uni in 2 weeks, so I'm running out of time :/ There is a vintage specialist in my town but I've never used them, so not a clue how good or otherwise they are.