Technical Engine dying

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Technical Engine dying

El cargador

Member
Joined
Jan 20, 2016
Messages
292
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Location
Jacarilla ,Valencia
Happy new year to all, My garage got flooded 3 months ago and although the water came only got to the sills there was a lot of humidity.a month later I took the car out for a spin and in about 1-1/2 miles it spluttered to a stop,after 5 minutes it started up and i limped home. Today I took her out and again same distance it spluttered ,lost power and stopped.
Also its running rich, the plugs are black and she doesn't like choke to start.It seems to me to be fuel related.Andy ideas would be gratefully recieved.
 
Check your fuel for water content--if in ANY doubt, drain the tank completely and re-fill with fresh fuel. Check ALL electrical connections on the ignition, including the distributor and coil.
 
Check your fuel for water content--if in ANY doubt, drain the tank completely and re-fill with fresh fuel. Check ALL electrical connections on the ignition, including the distributor and coil.
Hi Hobbler, that is what I suspect ,the haynes manuel has a section on water in the fuel. I've stripped the carb, cleaned and rebuilt it, just about to drain the tank and renew the fuel . I'll let you know if this cures it. Thanks
 
Striped and rebuilt the carb,,cleaned the fuel tank out,renewed the rubber petrol hoses,new filter (repositioned near the tank(if that makes a difference) started and ran nice for about 4 miles then started with the same problems. Checked plugs and they are black. Could it be electrical? It ran perfectly before the flood and damp in my garage!
 
The fact that you have basically totally eliminated mechanical causes of your problem, and the car was fine prior to the flood damage, would leave one to suspect the electrical side of the engine has suffered water contamination. Check the distributor, including the advance mechanism bob-weights---have they become corroded got stuck and are not expanding out (and thus adjusting the timing)--just a thought.
 
El cargador:

Did you post this problem on Facebook as well? If not there was someone who after flooding had a very similar issue. In this case the flooding had only hone up as far as the sills.

When you rebuilt the carb, did you check the float? I have left my car for a period of time and found that it started ok, but within 5 mins it became bogged down and cut out. It turned out my float was perforated and was sinking to the bottom of the float bowl.
 
Check your ignition coil leads plug extenders for moisture this can cause you coil to overheat and fail by being overworked .
 
El cargador:

Did you post this problem on Facebook as well? If not there was someone who after flooding had a very similar issue. In this case the flooding had only hone up as far as the sills.

When you rebuilt the carb, did you check the float? I have left my car for a period of time and found that it started ok, but within 5 mins it became bogged down and cut out. It turned out my float was perforated and was sinking to the bottom of the float bowl.

Hi MOD500 yes i think i did.yes I checked the float max/min it was only slightly out.Things are now pointing towards the coil and or the ignition leads.
 
Check your ignition coil leads plug extenders for moisture this can cause you coil to overheat and fail by being overworked .

Hi Phoenix, I've been scouring the forum and internet like Sherlock Homes on a case, it's looking more like an ignition problem in concrete the coil. Will post the result when Watson gets his finger out of his butt .:)
 
A bit of a longshot - is it possible that with all humidity caused in your garage following the flooding that your air filter element has become damp with water causing your running problems - running rich, not liking choke, meanwhile everything you've checked has been fine or near enough.

This caught me out once with a car garaged overwinter (steel garage very prone to humidity build-up). Easy enough to simply run the car without the air filter element in place and see if it cures the problem.

Al.
 
Hi MOD500 yes i think i did.yes I checked the float max/min it was only slightly out.Things are now pointing towards the coil and or the ignition leads.

Hi El cargador, As well as the max/min level, it's worth removing the float and sticking it into a bowl of petrol to check it actually stays afloat.
It happened to my carb and my spare running carb at the same time so I spent 2 weeks swapping things around before I realised that both floats were sinking!
 
Hi all, I bought a new coil and plugs kept them on me and went out for a drive, 15 minutes in it started stuttering, lost power then stopped. I fitted the new coil by the roadside then drove off ,I thought I'd cured it cos she ran lovely. 2 minutes from home it started again. I check the new coil resistance and got 3.6 on the primary and 8 on the secondary side.i put in 2 new plugs but the old ones were black/sooty the front blacker than the rear.how do I get it to run leaner BTW it is not the original carb for the car Any ideas?
 
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A bit of a longshot - is it possible that with all humidity caused in your garage following the flooding that your air filter element has become damp with water causing your running problems - running rich, not liking choke, meanwhile everything you've checked has been fine or near enough.

This caught me out once with a car garaged overwinter (steel garage very prone to humidity build-up). Easy enough to simply run the car without the air filter element in place and see if it cures the problem.

She starts and ticks over well and choke is ok. I will check tomorrow that the float level is ok as it is running very rich
 
The fact that your car starts and runs well from COLD, and then continues to run very rich., would suggest a problem with the 'fuel enrichment device'-- commonly, and incorrectly, called the 'choke'. It is NOT a choke as there is no 2nd butterfly to restrict air-flow ( the 2nd butterfly would literally 'choke' the air flow through the carb venturi). You mentioned that it is not the original carb--have you still got the original carb? Was it replaced because it was faulty? Is there any other 'Forum' member living fairly close to you who could temporarily lend you another carb?
Lastly, visually check at the cab that the fuel-enrichment device is going fully off when you depress the operating lever. I have seen a situation where the operating cable has got a kink in it and instead of moving the enrichment device to the closed position, the cable was just bending. Also, check that the enrichment device's control cable is correctly adjusted. Back off the screw (on the side of the carb) that holds the cable's outer sheath in place and check that the outer is fully into it, re-tighten the screw. Then undo the cable's nipple at the operating lever (on the carb) and make sure that the operating cable is pulled fully through--re-tighten nipple nut.
 
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