suggestions?

[stys0n84]

What does it mean is wrong if you can't get the car start even by putting fuel directly into the carb?

The engine turns over but there's nothing after that. The plugs look okay I cleaned them up anyway. There is power and fuel. The air filter is fine.

[Volvo Canadian]

SPARK!?

Just remove one lead and peel back the cover if nec. When turning-over the car, hold the lead 1/8 inch from block, and you should see the spark jumping. Alternatively, you can hold the lead in one hand, and touch the block with the other... ):

[tom-madbiker]

at a rough guess i would say ignition coil points or timing set your pointd as reccomended in the book (i cant remember offhand) turn it over with a plug out check the spark should be big fat blue one if not try a different condenser any old one will do ford ect depends on what you can get if still nothing move on to coil check you have pos on terminal if not work your way back to the ign feed or if you have a good spark check leads are on right on cap loosen dizzy bolt get an assistant to crank the engine whilst rotating the dizzy till it fires then time it up i usually use 35 degrees at max advance with vac disconected dont worry too much about what it is at idle

[stys0n84]

Definite spark. Still not firing so it must be lack of fuel getting to the engine. So fitting a working fuel pump should sort it Well I hope it will Coz bolting in a new pump and abit of greasing/ oiling is about my technical limit.

[tom-madbiker]

if its fuel it should start on a bit of brake cleaner squirted down the carb give it a squirt and turn it over it should start briefly

[stys0n84]

What about carb cleaner? Would that work? Or penetrating oil?

[stys0n84]

Got some easy start and it began to kick-in then died, could hear the starter spinning after the combustion stopped.

[Volvo Canadian]

Have you done the check on the fuel pump yet?

[stys0n84]

Its not pulling anything through I put the line in an empty bucket and turned over the engine and nothing pulled through.

When I removed the pump and compared it with a new pump id bought you tell right away it was knackered. The primer arm had no resistance to it compared to the new pump and it didn't push air through

[Volvo Canadian]

That should fix it then, have you got her running?

[stys0n84]

It lives! Got the proper fuel pump today and typically it had no spacer supplied so I had to salvage the one that was there and it snapped when i removed it! So I had to glue that together and was a right FAFF to get the nuts tightened.

It didn't want start up to start with and I thought the battery was going to give up the ghost before the fuel got pulled through.

[tom-madbiker]

im glad you got it running just for your info yes you can use carb cleaner as well bradex easy start is ok but is a little harsh on the engine and if you use it a lot engines become accustomed to it and will not start on anything else

[asneddon]

... easy start is ok but is a little harsh on the engine and if you use it a lot engines become accustomed to it and will not start on anything else

I dont see how this would hold for non-learning EFI systems, ie Carbs. Does it build up a film or something?

I'm asking because I use it all the time on my cars, boats, lawn mower, chain saw etc. Normally when something has been sitting for 6 months the fuel looses some of its octane. Wont start easily, but will run once its kicked into life (mainly thinking of the boat and chain saw).

I've been doing this for decades, and never thought it might be harsh on the engine or cause issues.

[tom-madbiker]

i agree its useful and i do use it on things occasionally but its nearly pure ether and i have found it tends to cause damage over a period of time this observation is based mainly on agricultural vehicles i find using brake cleaner is better on a spark ignition engine and of course i always have it to hand

[Bladerider]

It didn't want start up to start with and I thought the battery was going to give up the ghost before the fuel got pulled through.

I pull fuel through by actuating the lever by hand before bolting the pump on. This is much quicker and doesn't drain the battery. Worth a little spilt fuel.

[Rubic cube]

SPARK!?

Just remove one lead and peel back the cover if nec. When turning-over the car, hold the lead 1/8 inch from block, and you should see the spark jumping. Alternatively, you can hold the lead in one hand, and touch the block with the other... ):

I hope he hasn;t got a pacemaker ho ho

[stys0n84]

I hope he hasn;t got a pacemaker ho ho


I did..

Bzzzzzt ;)

[Derek UK]

I found out the other day that if you grap the wire just where it comes out of the dizzy cap, you can feel the spark pulse. I was just giving them a push down to check if they were all seated OK. This pulsing sensation rapidly reduces as your hand goes back up the wire. My wires are good so no shocks!
Could well be a quick and valid check that you are getting volts to each plug. No other testing done, like removing the coil wire or the rotor, to prove it.

[stys0n84]

This morning I noticed my wipers getting slower and slower and the washer wouldn't kick in I had my dipped lights on . I knocked them off and everything else started to work again.

What could be causing this? Knakerd alternator? X

[Volvo Canadian]

Ugggh, electrical problems.

Always start with your fuse box - corrosion. That little fuse on top is 'probably' the issue, I had similar problems, and that seemed to fix it. Kind-of difficult to understand, but corrosion.