Car will not start

[big lad]

Hi all,
not my car , but was asked to look at it for a mate.
its getting a spark at the plug, it’s getting petrol to the carbs, battery turn it over ok, but after cranking it over a few times the plugs are dry and don’t even smell of petrol?
any idea’s?

cheers
Tony

[Phil S]

can you hear the fuel pump ticking?
try a little fuel into the carb inlet
Phil

[big lad]

hi Phil,
yes I took the petrol pipe off at the carbs and turned the engine over and petrol pumped out. so the pump appears to be working ok. Will try putting a little petrol on carb inlets, and see what happens?
cheers

Tony

[markmark2]

Just a thought.....check the inertia switch is working.... Mark

[big lad]

thanks Mark
the petrol pump wouldn't work if the inertia switch was a fault, I think
cheers

Tony

[Mark Serj]

Tony - after cranking the motor a few times, and hearing the fuel pump tick there should now be fuel in the inlet manifold if you lift the carbs off for a look. No fuel there, but fuel pump working, probably means either blocked fuel filter or blocked carb jets. Has it been standing for a long time?

[Tdm]

Something I discovered just yesterday, mine wouldn't start despite fuel being pumped to the carbs, but on inspection one of the fuel pipes below the air filter had got trapped and was causing a blockage, so check the fuel pipes from the engine bay filter to the carbs have not been bent or trapped in any way. Also with the carb elbows off check the pistons are rising easily enough if you lift them up.

[sujitroy]

I had a situation where fuel was there and spark. no start. u may want to check compression. in my case. timing chain sprocket stripped valves bent on one bank. Has the distributer shifted rotated and upset timing

[sujitroy]

sorry. just read no fuel. ignore that post.

[barkerwilliams]

I find that one squirt of "Easy Start" is a great initial diagnostic tool before you get the toolbox out.
If the engine fires and dies then it means there is a spark and the timing is reasonable, the dying once the Ether is used up the indicates fuel problems.

If the engine won't fire then there is no, or very poor spark whilst cranking.

If the engine starts and then runs, it may have been flooded or the spark is poor.

If the engine starts but not all cylinders are firing then a bad plug / distributor cap.

Alan

[big lad]

Thanks lads for all the above,will not be able to have a go at it until the weekend, so I will update you then
cheers

[Tdm]

Any news on whether you solved the problem or not, only asking because I too have recently had carb problems, but hopefully mine are now sorted, but I have yet to take the Stag on a run as have family over and out every day and night this week with the grandkids.

[big lad]

Hi All,
sorry I have not been back for a while.
seemed to have sorted it , through ook me a bit of time, but got it fired up this morning.I t appears that there was a break in the wire form the coil to the dizzy.
it would produce a spark when the engine was not cranked over, but when cranked it would come apart. Took me ages to find that. Runs ok now, but have to put back all the bits and bobs that I took off.
thanks for all the advice

cheers

Tony