Amazon: Starting Issues + Head Lamps

[thomglick]

1965 Volvo 122 with B20 & single Weber carb

It's been tough to start the Volvo the past couple of months. It'll crank, but not fire. In recent episodes, after 15 minutes of attempts it would finally fire and everything would be fine. This morning after 30 minutes -- and probably murdering the battery -- it would not start.

I'm very inexperienced with working on cars, but I think I've got the gist of what could be the issue:
-- fuel issue
-- ignition coil

Being inexperienced and not having a lot of time to trouble shoot, I tend to take the car to a local shop. I would love to save some money and figure some of this stuff out on my own.

There is fuel in the car. However, it's been parked at an angle for a week -- the fuel tank at the bottom of that angle. I'm curious if it's possible all the fuel has just drained out of the system. Any reason not to try some starter fluid sprayed into the carb?

Curious if this could be related -- Recently, almost in tandem with the starting issue, the headlamps seem to have issues activating.

Thoughts or advice?

[Ron Kwas]

Thom;

If fuel is less than 6 months old, it cannot be considered "old" (with those associated firing issues)...if it is being delivered to carb, and carb has a working enriching system at Start, that is first thing you need to verify. Standing on a hill does not cause fuelbowl to drain...but parking for extended periods (>weeks) can cause atmospherically vented bowl to partially dry...this is quickly replenished when cranking, so enrichening at Start is what I'm back to...

Suspecting Ign Coil without further proof that it is not functioning is raw, unfounded conjecture and I don't buy it!...especially when there are a half dozen things in the Ignition Sys which can also cause no spark. Ign Coils are highly reliable! For Ign troubleshooting info/advice, see: https://www.sw-em.com/Volvo%20Igniti...ition%20System

Systematic troubleshooting is what is called for here, not conjecture...and bringing it to a modern shop where the "mechanic" will laugh at the car for not having a Service Connector to plug his computer into, will likely be fruitless. If you don't want to learn about the car yourself, try to find an experience shop which knows their way around vintage cars with a Kettering Ign Sys.

Headlamps are a separate issue...to be address once you are able to Start...I do recommend if Bat is discharged, using a line powered Bat charger to recharge the Bat before further troubleshooting work.

Good Hunting!

[arcturus]

I agree with Ron. Pull your choke button out and then go round and check that it is actually operating the choke on the carbs by manually checking that the choke mechanism on the carb/carbs, is/are fully lifted.

Just realised that you have Webber fitted. Bad move!