Cold starting problems

[Ivan1]

I bought my Stag last summer, it started fine all summer,but then when the weather started to get a bit cooler I started to experience difficulty in starting. The Stag always managed to start, but it was only after 'several' attempts. Once started she runs fine, no problems whatsoever and returns about 22mpg, and further starts once the engine is warm are usually 1st or2nd attempts. Over the winter I have replaced the spark plugs, HT leads, distributer cap, cleaned the rotor arm in an attempt to make the car start better, alas all to no avail, she still requires 'several attempts to start from cold. Before I take her to a garage has anyone experienced smilar problems and how have you cured it.

[GATS]

imported post

:dude:hi ivan, it sometimes take around five seconds to start from cold when left for a week, are you saying it takes a lot longer than this ?. is the battery fully charged, and spinning the starter over quickly. does the car runs okay when driving?. do the car needs a tune-up. mine started more easyer after a tune-up.and drives a lot better, and cooler,i don,t need the fan on as i did before.you can change a lot of things { which don,t need changing} costing a lot of money, it a lot cheaper having it checked out before you keep spending .paul

[Kevin Garrod]

imported post

Choke cables OK?

[Camo]

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fuel draining back from the carbs ?

how long are you leaving the car ?

Stuart

[mad cyclist]

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try replacing and then tourqueing to the correct level the pedestal gasket(o ring)

alot of the time they are not tight enough,

rgds nick

[Ivan1]

imported post

Thanks for the tips, I'll get onto them and check them out.

[redstag]

imported post

Worth checking that the 6v system is being bypassed andyou are getting 12v to the coil when cranking the engine.

If you are only getting the 6v it could result in problems similar to the onesyou are having.

Pete

[GDPR]

imported post

Of course you won't actually get 12v at the coil when cranking - most likely 10.5 - 11v. The volt drop caused by the starter motor is quite high on cold start.

Check the white wire hasn't fallen off the little terminal on the starter motor if you only have 6 (ish) volts.......

All this is assuming that the correct coil has been fitted in the first place.... worth checking that someone hasn't just grabbed any old coil out of the spares box - wouldn't be the first time I have seen that.

Russ

[Ivan1]

imported post

Hi

I've had a look at a couple of things today, namely the choke cables and the inlet manifold 'O' ring. The pedastal mount (carbs to inlet manifold) was loose. I've tightened that up and ordered a new 'O' ring, choke cables seemed to be ok, operating the chokes, maybe a bit of 'slack' in the cables. I've not checked the voltage at the coil but the coil is a 'luminition' coil, presumably fitted at the same time as the 'luminition' electronic ignition. Can't say if starting was any better after tightening the pedastal mount because the engine was warm and I usually don't have a problem when it's warm.

[Ivan1]

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I just thought that I'd let you know that after checking everything out that has been suggested, including reverting to a 6v ballasted system (on investigation i found mine had been changed to a 12v system), changing the carb diaphragms, changing all the breather pipes (last two things suggested by kingpin) I have finally cured the cold start problems that I had. I was talking to a guy at Runswick Bay at the weekend, he suggested that the choke was not actually working and to check the 'disc's', well on monday I checked the disc's to discover that they had been fitted 180degout. I cleaned the discs up and fitted them the right way round and she started first time. brilliant.

thanks

[GDPR]

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Result!

[Oldromola]

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Pardon my ignorance, but what are these 'discs' that were fitted the wrong way round? I would have put my money on the choke cables not doing their job, but I'm glad you have it sorted now.

[Ivan1]

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Hi

The choke assembly consists of a hollow disc, the disc has a slot in it and 180deg around a series of four pin holes, the carb body (where thedisc fits) has a slot in it and 180deg around a small hole. The small hole passes into the float chamber and the slot tapers down to a hole which feeds into the carb venturi. When you pull the choke on the four pin holes in the disc progressively come over the slot in the carb body wheras the slot in the disc lines up with the hole in the carb body, this allows extra fuel to pass from the float chamber directly to the carb venturi so making a 'richer' mixture for starting. My disc had been fitted 180deg out which meant that the two slots lined up and the pin holes (if you were lucky) lined up over the hole from the float chamber. Hope that explains it for you, easier if you can actually see it, or even a drawing, unfortunately niether the Triumph or Haynes workshop manuals that I have give a drawing of the choke assembly.

[StagnJag]

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You mean this thingy?

[StagnJag]

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...and