Van won't start !!

[wookie]

Ok, it's a bit of story/saga but I need your help guys as I'm running out of ideas !

At the end of last year my van started to have issues where it would start after a few attempts (took more than it used too) but once off the choke it would stall at every opportunity and I would have to brake with the toes of my right foot and use my heel to blip the throttle to keep it going. Changing the pilot jet made it start better but I still had the stalling problems and then it developed rough running.

I obviously took the decision to take it off the road and dismantled the carb, cleaned it out & used compressed air on all the jets etc and I used a carb rebuild kit to see if I could get it working better, its a brosol 34 PICT 3. However now it just turns over and very occasionally will cough like it wants to start. Oh I also changed the rotor arm plugs and HT leads as a matter of course at the same time.

I managed to get hold of another carb an original solex 34PICT 3 on ebay which the seller said was working fine when they took it off their van. When I've fitted this carb the van definitely wants to start and she coughs repeatedly on startup but unfortunately she still doesn't actually start.

I've checked and there is plenty of fuel getting to the carb (you can see it and smell it) and when I took off the brosol the float chamber was full of petrol and I needed to drain it and fuel looked clean with no debris. I've checked the coil and its getting fat spark when I open and close the points manually. I've checked the plugs and they have a spark too when held to earth and I turn the engine over. I've also checked the idle cutoff solenoid and that works too both on the bench and in situ.

I'm starting to lose faith here, for years she's run fine, the battery is fairly new as well. My father in law has been helping and he brought his jump pack and added that to the battery to make sure we have plenty of juice on startup but lots of coughing but still she won't start.

Can anyone offer any suggestions to help me when I do battle next weekend ? She's completely stock with a vacuum advance dizzy etc and standard points and fuel pump etc.

It would be lovely to get her going again

 

[roybird]

Ok, it's a bit of story/saga but I need your help guys as I'm running out of ideas !

At the end of last year my van started to have issues where it would start after a few attempts (took more than it used too) but once off the choke it would stall at every opportunity and I would have to brake with the toes of my right foot and use my heel to blip the throttle to keep it going. Changing the pilot jet made it start better but I still had the stalling problems and then it developed rough running.

I obviously took the decision to take it off the road and dismantled the carb, cleaned it out & used compressed air on all the jets etc and I used a carb rebuild kit to see if I could get it working better, its a brosol 34 PICT 3. However now it just turns over and very occasionally will cough like it wants to start. Oh I also changed the rotor arm plugs and HT leads as a matter of course at the same time.

I managed to get hold of another carb an original solex 34PICT 3 on ebay which the seller said was working fine when they took it off their van. When I've fitted this carb the van definitely wants to start and she coughs repeatedly on startup but unfortunately she still doesn't actually start.

I've checked and there is plenty of fuel getting to the carb (you can see it and smell it) and when I took off the brosol the float chamber was full of petrol and I needed to drain it and fuel looked clean with no debris. I've checked the coil and its getting fat spark when I open and close the points manually. I've checked the plugs and they have a spark too when held to earth and I turn the engine over. I've also checked the idle cutoff solenoid and that works too both on the bench and in situ.

I'm starting to lose faith here, for years she's run fine, the battery is fairly new as well. My father in law has been helping and he brought his jump pack and added that to the battery to make sure we have plenty of juice on startup but lots of coughing but still she won't start.

Can anyone offer any suggestions to help me when I do battle next weekend ? She's completely stock with a vacuum advance dizzy etc and standard points and fuel pump etc.

It would be lovely to get her going again

I just spent nearly two years sorting bad starting and running, in the end renewing most things including more recently a complete engine upgrade only to find I still had the same issue!!!! A local garage put it on a rolling road and found the problem; the inlet flap on the air cleaner was jammed, hey presto runs like a dream now, thing is at what stage did I solve one issue and create another? I can provide details of Tin Tin for anyone interested by the way

 

[mike202]

Have you checked valve gaps. (Tappets), or Timing etc. ?

To eliminate the air filter being a problem I would imagine removing it temporarily would solve this issue.

 

[67panel]

As you have fitted new plug leads double check they are on correct

 

[thejinx]

 

[thejinx]

Have a look at the above. Mine is different to this. my number 1 is at the 1 o’clock position on the dizzy as I remember. So go back to basics find TDC check your points are good or just get a electronic ignition fitted.

 

[Camperdan]

How old is your fuel.... it goes off really quickly these days. It might look clean etc. but if the volatility is gone it will be a nightmare to start... if at all.

Perhaps this might not be what was your original cause of rough running... but if you've had it off the road for a while and the fuel in the tank is say a month or more old... I'd suggest putting some fresh in.

One other thought... Is your fuel cut-off solenoid in the side of the carb working... Can you hear it click in/out when you turn ignition on/off? If not then it might be faulty?

I've suffered both of the above issues in the past and in both cases it behaved similar to what you're describing.

Good Luck

 

[Graham L]

View attachment 782

For a Vacuum Advance distributor which he has this is wrong , the plug leads need to be moved 90 degrees anticlockwise

No 1 @ 1 o'clock
No 4 @ 4 o'clock
No 3 @ 8' o'clock
No 2 @ 11 o'clock

Wookie
Go back to basics it sounds like you have fuel.
Check your plug leads are connected as per my explanation above and your static timing is right, pulley mark in line with the case, rotor arm pointing to no 1 plug lead etc.
Have you tried pouring a small quantity of fuel directly down the carb to bypass the float chamber and jets etc?

 

[Mechanoid]

You didn't mention if you changed the points in the dizzy. I had this problem years ago with mine and it turned out the points had worn out on the heel that runs on the cam in the dizzy. I did what you did and checked the timing but it was the dwell period that was off.

Other than that , did you do a compression test?

 

[JohnVW]

Just another thought would the rubber connectors on the inlet manifold if perished also cause a starting problem ?

 

[wookie]

Thanks everyone, I’ll try again next weekend and update you. Much appreciated

 

[thejinx]

Wookie what was the outcome

 

[Mechanoid]

Yeah Wookie, we'd love an update on what you found.