anyone know about vintage motors?

[grumpy2]

Hi Roger, the fuel is fresh. 1 week old at the max. yep spark checked with plugs out. have spark gap tester and will use that next when I check conderser. The car has been running regularly but had a problem when very hot hence the reason for me goingto have a look at it in the first place. it did 40 miles the day before and drove out of the garage but refused to restart 20 minutes later and hasn't started since. the choke works fine (even tried rag over the air inlet) but the plugs are totally dry so I'm more inclined to a fuel problem than an ignition problem.

there's not a hint of firing, only thing has been one backfire when I knew the leads were out of sequence

Gary

[marshman]

Gary,

Understand what you say about the plugs being dry which would tend to indicate fuel but in my experience if the float chamber on the carb is full then you will get some fuel through with the choke on. I would still suspect the condenser especially as the car was playing around when hot and you had no sign of life even when you tried the wet rag and "direct injection". Its quick and easy to substitute the condenser just to try it out. One final thought, are you sure the carb and manifold is bolted down OK and there are no big airleaks on the inlet?

Roger

[grumpy2]

Hi again Roger. The prime reason for my involvement was hesitant running which I've tracked down to a crack on the carb body. As a temp fix (I stress temp) I've filled the gap with epoxy awaiting a replacement. Now some folk will jump on this as a cause of the non-starting but logic dictates otherwise. It's run for many miles with the crack (and the hesitation), it did 40 plus miles the day before, it drove out of the garage and then refused to start. In looking for the reason for not starting I've found the crack but either by pure coincidence or something I've done (don't think so though) something else is causing it not to start.

I'm due to have another crack at it tomorrow evening, my stratgy will be as follows. Re-check static timing, recheck firing order and plug leads. recheck points, change condenser to known good one from MGB(all I have that I know works), check security of manifold fittings. Attach freshly charged battery. Wizz it over as fast as it will go and squirt easy start through the carb.

Sounds like a plan to me, think of anything to add?

thanks for the pointers by the way

Gary

[V Mad]

As it was running and not now, maybe a bit of grit got sucked up and has blocked the main jet?

Hvae you tried Easty Start or SYB (start ya b@stard)?

[KOY 23]

As it was running and not now, maybe a bit of grit got sucked up and has blocked the main jet?

Hvae you tried Easty Start or SYB (start ya b@stard)?

Chris.

Surprised you didn't suggest a Weber.

[Kevin Garrod]

think of anything to add?

Have you tried given it damn good thrashing? Basil Fawlty style?

[ukbiggles]

Surprised you didn't suggest a Weber.

Chortle, chortle!

[grumpy2]

yeeehaaaaa

it runs!!

don't really know why nothing I've done is major but a combination of accurately setting the timing tightening the connections on coild and condenser and that miracle of automotive nirvana 'Easy Start' she rattled into life straight away. Oh and a freshly charged tightly connected battery

many thanks to one and all

Gary