Help with starting issues please :)

[Jakep]

Hi,

Iv got a 1968 totally standard van,

once she’s hot, if i turn her off I can’t start her again instantly, but if I leave her for a minute or so then she won’t start until she’s cooled down, just turns over and over and over making no attempt to start,

I thought it would be fuel evaporating but I turned her over until the battery almost died once and she didn’t fire back up (until she had cooled down 30 mins later) I’d have thought that would have been long enough for the fuel to travel through

Takes a little bit of enjoyment away from her as I can’t nip to the shop or anything,

Thank you

 

[ozziedog]

Hey Jakep
This could be one of several issues but the usual ones are it might need a good service. How long have you had this van ? How long has it been like this? Has it always happened like this ? Did anything get changed or done prior to this van doing this?
First thing I’d do is a good service, as in check the valve clearances because if they’re too tight just slightly then when the motor is warm the clearances will be zero or less because of heat / expansion and that will rob you of most of your compression but as the motor cools off the valve regains it clearance then allows the valves to seat properly in their seats and give you back your compression once more. This must be done with the motor absolutely stone cold, so don’t even try and move the van for a moment with motor running, I usually get mine ready to do without starting the motor that day. The second thing that is most common on these is called a hot start relay. This is an extremely sensible modification that all T2s really need. The power from the battery has to come all the way to the front of the van to the ignition switch and go all the way back again to the starter which is not a problem in itself when everything is brand new, however these ain’t brand new and it does put unnecessary large loads on an old switch, and as the problem gets worse, the driver is forced to crank the motor over and over trying to get it to start which obviously magnifies the problem. So it’s just a relay that’s then operated by the ignition but the relay is quite close to the starter in the noisey cupboard and in between the starter and the battery so a nice short run.

Ozziedog,,,,,,,,,anyway,, there’s other stuff but the stuff the two worst offenders

 

[Jakep]

Hey Jakep
This could be one of several issues but the usual ones are it might need a good service. How long have you had this van ? How long has it been like this? Has it always happened like this ? Did anything get changed or done prior to this van doing this?
First thing I’d do is a good service, as in check the valve clearances because if they’re too tight just slightly then when the motor is warm the clearances will be zero or less because of heat / expansion and that will rob you of most of your compression but as the motor cools off the valve regains it clearance then allows the valves to seat properly in their seats and give you back your compression once more. This must be done with the motor absolutely stone cold, so don’t even try and move the van for a moment with motor running, I usually get mine ready to do without starting the motor that day. The second thing that is most common on these is called a hot start relay. This is an extremely sensible modification that all T2s really need. The power from the battery has to come all the way to the front of the van to the ignition switch and go all the way back again to the starter which is not a problem in itself when everything is brand new, however these ain’t brand new and it does put unnecessary large loads on an old switch, and as the problem gets worse, the driver is forced to crank the motor over and over trying to get it to start which obviously magnifies the problem. So it’s just a relay that’s then operated by the ignition but the relay is quite close to the starter in the noisey cupboard and in between the starter and the battery so a nice short run.

Ozziedog,,,,,,,,,anyway,, there’s other stuff but the stuff the two worst offenders

Thank you!

Not had her long, I’ll check all the stuff you mentioned!

The relay… is it just unplug one and plug new one in? Or is there currently non and it have to be wired in?

Thank you so much for such a long reply!

 

[ozziedog]

With the hot start relay, it’s more than possible that one has not been fitted so it will have to be wired in. Most people fit the relay somewhere around the rear arch or between there and the battery and try to keep it just up and out the way, so if you have one already then I’m sure you’ll notice it. What I know about electric stuff, you can write on your nose in six inch letters but I had a friend do this mod for me. Apparently anyone with more than a half a brain cell could manage this by themselves so I do get ribbed every now and then because I’ve never quite got the hang of it

Ozziedog,,,,,,,,,there’s ‘how toos‘ all over UTube

 

[67panel]

You need to check voltage at coil when cranking as well as at battery, if its below 10V then you will have weak spark. Also check choke is not coming on if sat for a bit, weak bimetal spring needing voltage to keep choke open. Full throttle worth a go on restart. Have fitted ballasted coil before now to cure this weak spark, Bosch red works well but you do need to fit a relay worked of starter to bypass to resistor.