Won't start

[geoberni]

That bottom casting is common across much of the SU Pump range, which is why you can't trust anyone selling them on ebay to know what they are dealing with when they quote the Pump as being a '4080'. That's just the part number of the bottom housing.
The top of your old pump, not having any sort of bump to it, indicates it is from before they played around with the various arc suppression devices.
See here for a couple of examples: viewtopic.php?p=705184#p705184
The details SU make available are a bit vague as to what they tried and when. Your old pump is definitely pre1985 as identified by the 2BA Earth Screw; but I don't think the 72 by the screw is relevant to the year, as I've seen some with a single character at that location.

[Farvie]

Thanks for info, my cars a 1958 but not sure what is origal, I really hope most of it is.

[Nickol]

Under the "won't start" banner, my 68 Traveller is a bit difficult to start when cold. When it does start after a few tries, it runs extremely well and smooth. It is always a bit of a ritual to pull the choke, hear the digital fuel pump stop ticking and then try the starter. It often turns over ( battery is in good condition and fully charged) a bit and then whirs.

I suspect an ignition fault but cannot find a culprit. In any case, the engine does eventually spring into life and then all is well.

[myoldjalopy]

Under the "won't start" banner, my 68 Traveller is a bit difficult to start when cold. When it does start after a few tries, it runs extremely well and smooth. It is always a bit of a ritual to pull the choke, hear the digital fuel pump stop ticking and then try the starter. It often turns over ( battery is in good condition and fully charged) a bit and then whirs.

I suspect an ignition fault but cannot find a culprit. In any case, the engine does eventually spring into life and then all is well.

Nickol, Is the choke operating properly?

[Nickol]

Most definately it is and I would say quite normally. When the engine does start with the choke pulled out, I can push it back in almost immediately once the car gets going on the flat to the end of the street but, have to pull it out again to accelerate up a slight gradiant. Thence no choke needed and I have travelled ca 600m only.

[svenedin]

Most definately it is and I would say quite normally. When the engine does start with the choke pulled out, I can push it back in almost immediately once the car gets going on the flat to the end of the street but, have to pull it out again to accelerate up a slight gradiant. Thence no choke needed and I have travelled ca 600m only.

From cold, my car requires full choke (maximum travel of the choke control) to start and starts almost instantly. I can then almost immediately (before moving off) reduce the choke to about 1/3 and drive normally. After maybe 1/2 mile (depending on the ambient temperature) the choke can be pushed in completely. I think this is quite typical. If the choke is pushed in too quickly the engine is sluggish and lacks power. Remember that the first 1/4 inch of choke travel only increases the idle revs and does not enrich the mixture so do not be too hasty to push the choke all the way in. Of course there is variability so just adapt to what your own car likes; listen to the engine.

Stephen

[Nickol]

I do not usually pull the choke fully out , that is true. From past experience, it is too much but ok yes - worth a try. My old side valve enginned car of '47 vintage does indeed like its choke fully out for cold starts and 90% of the time does indeed start with the push of the button.

I will try tomorrow.

[myoldjalopy]

Nicol - What Stephen describes is the same for my car, even though it is an earlier model than his.
Be interesting to see how your experiment goes tomorrow.......

[Nickol]

I will let you know

[Nickol]

After the deluge of rain yesterday I tried this morning. Choke pulled fully out ( although it seemed that this was not much further than half way, which I usually do) . It started a little quicker than before but not convincingly. On a short test drive the car engine was running very roughly and too fast on idle.

Ah I thought! Choke is sticking. At home I saw that indeed the casing had come out of the socket at the carb. So cleaned and lubricated everything and the choke now does pull fully out and can be pushed in without it sticking. Of course, the engine is now warm so will need to test it again properly tomorrow morning again.

[myoldjalopy]

We await the results with bated breath!

[Nickol]

Success!

We came back late last night in the Traveller from a trip to the very picturesque Marburg for our Engländer Stammtisch where we meet at a Restaurant/pub with our British cars. Yesterday a prewar Riley 1,5 came, MGB and Austin A 30 ( not an A35).and others.

Anyway back at home, I left the Traveller outside for a proper test and it bucketed down overnight as well.

Having oiled up the Carb choke mechanism two days ago it was easily pulled fully out ( was not able to do that before) and hey presto, the engine started first time almost as it the starter motor did not need to turn over.

Happy motoring. Perhaps a disadvantage of a clean engine is that oil does not leak everywhere and lubricate as it goes!

As an aside - about a month ago - having reset the static timing I started the engine whilst it was warm and then turned the distributor gradually clockwise which gave the engine a faster and faster idle until the revs decreased, whence turned it slightly back and tightened the holding bolt up; readjusting the engine speed at the carb. Engine runs very well now. Is this the proper method to achieve greatness? i.e optimal engine performance?

[svenedin]

Success!

We came back late last night in the Traveller from a trip to the very picturesque Marburg for our Engländer Stammtisch where we meet at a Restaurant/pub with our British cars. Yesterday a prewar Riley 1,5 came, MGB and Austin A 30 ( not an A35).and others.

Anyway back at home, I left the Traveller outside for a proper test and it bucketed down overnight as well.

Having oiled up the Carb choke mechanism two days ago it was easily pulled fully out ( was not able to do that before) and hey presto, the engine started first time almost as it the starter motor did not need to turn over.

Happy motoring. Perhaps a disadvantage of a clean engine is that oil does not leak everywhere and lubricate as it goes!

As an aside - about a month ago - having reset the static timing I started the engine whilst it was warm and then turned the distributor gradually clockwise which gave the engine a faster and faster idle until the revs decreased, whence turned it slightly back and tightened the holding bolt up; readjusting the engine speed at the carb. Engine runs very well now. Is this the proper method to achieve greatness? i.e optimal engine performance?

Good news. Yes you can use your method for the timing but you must take care that the engine does not pink under load. It is possible for the engine to run fine but when loaded on a hill it may pink. If it does, stop and retard the ignition by a few degrees and repeat the test. Some people say they cannot hear pinking. It sounds like bubbles in a can of fizzy drink to me.

Stephen

[myoldjalopy]

Yes, good news, Nickol - I thought the issue was a lack of enough choke.
As for timing, received wisdom is to get the smoothest idle by rotating the dizzy to and fro and then road test on a nearby hill, gradually advancing the timing by moving the dizzy clockwise until you hear 'pinking' and then retarding slightly until it doesn't pink. Others prefer to use a strobe light. To me, pinking sounds a bit like little dried peas rattling in a can.
Having said that, if after setting the timing your car is now running fine and not pinking on hills, I would be tempted to leave it as it is.