Technical not starting

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Technical not starting

scoopcooper66

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Hi my 71 500 has been standing for a long time. Have syphoned off and replaced the stale petrol. Engine turn and with a squirt of easy start will fire just for a second on the easy start hit, but won't fire again. There is (probably stale) petrol in the float, but assume my pump isn't getting fuel from the tank to the carbs. Is there an easy way to tell what the problem is?

Thank you!
 
I think you have said what the problem is. “Been standing for a long time” If you can kick the engine into a bit more action it may well revive. To revive my 500L recently I unscrewed the brass filter cover on the carb and added new petrol direct into the float chamber.
 
terrifying suggestion. Would undoubtedly mis identify the brass filter cover and pour petrol into all the wrong bits.
Have now also realised that my plugs are completely black and one is oily too. Cleaned them off with wire wall and am now worried about introducing wire wool fragments into the engine if I try them back in.....
 
Cleaning plugs with anything metallic (wire wool / wire brush) is generally frowned upon these days as you can leave metallic deposits that cause shorting across the insulator leading to misfires / fouling. … but I don’t know if that relates more to todays high power ignition systems. Certainly you’d get through a lot of plugs on an old car if you changed them every month instead of brushing off any carbon!

I’m sure if you’ve wiped the plugs down after the wire wool, or better yet sprayed them off with some carb cleaner that they will be fine. Still a fresh set wouldn’t hurt, especially if you’re giving the car a bit of a once over before getting back on the road.

If you were getting a cough / short run from the engine on easy start, then the spark is probably not the problem. Fuel / fuel mixture seems a more likely cause.

As Toshi says above, filling the float chamber with petrol, would be a start. If you’re concerned about removing the fitting, another option is to remove the fuel hose that feeds the carb, and fill the carb using a bit of spare hose and a funnel.

Even better would be to take the carb off and give it a clean out, but I appreciate that’s a more involved task.
 
Cleaning plugs with anything metallic (wire wool / wire brush) is generally frowned upon these days as you can leave metallic deposits that cause shorting across the insulator leading to misfires / fouling. … but I don’t know if that relates more to todays high power ignition systems. Certainly you’d get through a lot of plugs on an old car if you changed them every month instead of brushing off any carbon!

I’m sure if you’ve wiped the plugs down after the wire wool, or better yet sprayed them off with some carb cleaner that they will be fine. Still a fresh set wouldn’t hurt, especially if you’re giving the car a bit of a once over before getting back on the road.

If you were getting a cough / short run from the engine on easy start, then the spark is probably not the problem. Fuel / fuel mixture seems a more likely cause.

As Toshi says above, filling the float chamber with petrol, would be a start. If you’re concerned about removing the fitting, another option is to remove the fuel hose that feeds the carb, and fill the carb using a bit of spare hose and a funnel.

Even better would be to take the carb off and give it a clean out, but I appreciate that’s a more involved task.
Have you checked that the fresh petrol is actually getting to the fuel pump. Remove the fuel DELIVERING fuel to the pump---if nothing comes out, that is probably your problem---it does take some time for the pump to pull fuel through from the tank. You have to either suck petrol through from the tank OR pressurise the tank with an air-line to push fuel through to the pump.
NEVER use wire-wool to clean plugs--a wire brush, possibly. One good method is to hold the plug (carefully, on the spanner 'hex') in vice and use a blow-torch on it to burn off all the fuel/oil residue. If the plugs are as fouled as you say, a new set of plugs won't go amiss---SHORT reach plugs!
 
Thank you all. Fuel getting to the pump but haven’t checked getting from the pump to the carb. Assume so though. Will check tomorrow and maybe try funnelling fuel directly into the carb
 
Thank you all. Fuel getting to the pump but haven’t checked getting from the pump to the carb. Assume so though. Will check tomorrow and maybe try funnelling fuel directly into the carb
If the engine has been sitting a long time, check that the points aren't stuck and that you are getting a spark at the plugs.Take an ignition lead off at the plug, get an old plug (or one of the new ones if you are going to renew the plugs) hold the plug (with insulted pliers, or similar) firm;ly against the engine and get somebody to crank the engine over with the ignition ON. If you have a good spark at the test plug, and fuel in the carb, it should start.
How long has the car been sitting? There is a possibility that the old fuel has fouled up the inside of the carb and the jets and will therfore need a cleanout. As much as I hate using the stuff, if you have a good spark, try starting the engine with "easy-start" ( or brake-cleaner---itis basically the same stuff, but a lot cheaper)---if the engine bursts into life, then it is fair to assume that your problem is with the fuel supply.
 
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