starting woes

[RussLCV]

Just been to the barn and started up my van not used for 9 months. Fresh fuel and jump leads fired up instantly. Drove it 90 miles home all good.

However having problems starting it on the drive!

Turns over and over and then fires and runs well.....so any ideas?

[RobThomas]

Crud between the points in the distributor? Wipe a piece of thick card between them to get the corrosion by-products off.

[RussLCV]

What even though it drives so well

[bmcecosse]

Electric or mechanical pump?

[les]

Take it back to the barn, see if it starts ok there! ---------- sorry, I'll get my coat.

[RussLCV]

BMC it's electrical

Les not sure what you are saying?

[RussLCV]

Update....checked and changed plugs points cap leads and slight leak on pump that has been sorted. Still turning over and almost firing when you let the key go it fires up!

Changed the battery although showing 12.8 and all seems to work? What's that all about

[RobThomas]

Just written a post and you've answered the questions I was trying to ask. Must learn to type faster!

If it start fine on jump leads but not quite able to do so even with a good battery it would suggest, to me at least, that the lead from the solenoid to the starter motor is not able to transfer the wiggly electrons and the battery is using 99% of the ooomph to defeat the resistance in the cable and only in the microseconds when the starter is released does it have the ooomph available to fire the plugs. Could you jump-lead the old battery to the earth and to the starter motor terminal directly and see if that fires it? If so, Bob becomes yer Uncle.

[panky]

Sounds like the battery was on it's last legs and the starter was pulling the volts down when turning the engine over, stop cranking and volts go up and the inertia kicks it into life. Could also be a faulty starter, or loose connection, pulling the volts down, possibly even the timing slightly advanced.
EDIT
I think you just said that

[bmcecosse]

You should never change so many things at the same time - one at a time - now we can't be sure where the problem lies. Does it start on the handle ok? Have you got Resistor plugs fitted (R in the plug code) - does the pump tick away steadily (indicating flooding). Any signs of the engine kicking back against the starter - indication of too much advance?

[amgrave]

As BMC says above check the plugs are not resistor type. Most HT leads are resistor and some plug caps are too so if you have the wrong type of plug in you could have three lots of resistance in the HT circuit. When you crank the engine on the starter it pulls the battery volts down to around 9 to 10 volts and if you have a lot of HT resistance it will affect the spark, when you release the starter the volts come back up again and the spark resumes. This is the benefit of having a ballast resistor type ignition system as it overcomes the problem. You only need one form of resistor in the circuit be it plugs or caps or leads. Come to think of it if the king lead is resistive as well you may have four in total on the HT.

[oliver90owner]

If it fails to fire when cranking yet fires when you stop it is almost certainly a lack of spark while cranking, due to too few volts at the coil, or none at all. Nothing to do with mixture or timing.

Possibilities are live side of battery high resistance (poor/dirty connection), low cranking volts (poor/too low capacity battery), high resistance in coil feed wire or connections. Possibly coil connected wrong way round as well. Not much else it can be, as little else will change at that moment in time.

RAB

[RussLCV]

Battery changed and starts first pull. No resistor plugs. No coil the wrong way round. None of these items changed and yes pump clicks as it should.

[RussLCV]

Ok....has not been started since Friday.....pulled the starter today fired up straight away. Old battery in garage and its dropped from 12.8 to 12.5. Really think that was the issue once jump leads were used all worked well

[RussLCV]

Well wont start again today........

Ran poor on Wednesday and idle was rough and almost a different exhaust note adjust carb and sounded better. But would not start today.

Took dizzy out fitted points and checked vacuum was working it was but there was fuel in it!
cleaned and checked rotor arm changed cap but dizzy back.

Won't even start today flattened battery now as well

Sparking engine turning quickly almost as if it will start but fails

Any ideas before I set fire to it. Supposed to be going to Webb on Sunday for classic car show can't see that happening now

[bmcecosse]

Methodical check is the only way - pour in an egg cup of petrol -does it start? If not - then Ign problem. Is there a spark at the King lead - -again you have changed so many parts at the same time - it's now hard to know where the problem lies. If no King Lead spark - is there 12 volts at the coil? If yes - then must be in the dizzy - either fit another or carefully sort out the points/condenser/leads - or buy an electronic one from Powerspark/Accuspark. If no - run a temp lead direct from the battery and try again.

[RussLCV]

New 45d and fully charged battery....... its fired up!

Lots of power but very exhaust on idle

[Darren.]

Just a few thoughts as its been stood a while.Did you fully drain the tank and fuel system.Have you done a compression test (blown head gasket) Might be an idea to clean all earth straps.

[RussLCV]

lots of issues but van now running much better new dizzy had awful rotor arm abd carb adjusted and runs better