So frustrating !!!!

[rvwp]

Hi all, having spent 2 years completely restoring mt TR6 from ground up I have at last been starting to enjoy driving the car. However what I am finding exrtremely annoying is this apparent "feature" of the 6 that if you don't use it for a couple of weeks then starting can be a b----r.

 

I know this has been the subject of discussion before that's where I have got the idea it's a "feature" of the 6 PI system. Clearly the problem is either evaporation or loss of pressure in the injection lines when left for any period of time. My MU and Injectors are all from KMI and I'm confident are top quality.

 

However this business of having to crank the engine over continuosly for quite a few minutes to get fuel through to the Injectors is very frustrating. Luckily I put a larger battery than specified and a high torque Starter motor so I can keep up the cranking until eventually it stars to fire.

Once running it's fine and will always start easily if only left for a couple of days.

 

All my pressures at the MU are correct and I am running a Bosch pump with a KMI calibrated PRV

 

PLease somebody tell me that it has'nt got to be this way. I'm dreaming about my Sunbeam Tiger that I sold in favour of the 6. That great easy starting V8 lump!!!

 

Regards Rich

[Richard Crawley]

Ever since I’ve had my car it’s always needed a bit of cranking if I leave for more than a few days but will always start without too much trouble. It’s down to loss of pressure &/or evaporation in the injector lines & I assume you’ve read the archive posts on starting method & possible problems with braided fuel lines; another theory that surfaced recently was the overall condition of what are now very ageing injector poppet valves which probably don’t get looked at by some of the reconditioners. The octane boosters used of modern unleaded fuels don’t seem to help matters either as they seem much more prone to vaporisation/evaporation.

 

A few minutes is a lot though if you have to do that every time; mine will usually start in less the 5 x 5 second bursts (ordinary starter & 69 a/h battery); when I recently returned from Spain after 5 weeks, it took a bit more but fired up after around 10 bursts. Have you checked the fuel line pressure? if it’s a bit low it won’t help. I normally check/set the PRV on the car & don’t just rely on the as received bench setting.

[RobinTR6]

Ever since I’ve had my car it’s always needed a bit of cranking if I leave for more than a few days but will always start without too much trouble. It’s down to loss of pressure &/or evaporation in the injector lines & I assume you’ve read the archive posts on starting method & possible problems with braided fuel lines; another theory that surfaced recently was the overall condition of what are now very ageing injector poppet valves which probably don’t get looked at by some of the reconditioners. The octane boosters used of modern unleaded fuels don’t seem to help matters either as they seem much more prone to vaporisation/evaporation.

 

A few minutes is a lot though if you have to do that every time; mine will usually start in less the 5 x 5 second bursts (ordinary starter & 69 a/h battery); when I recently returned from Spain after 5 weeks, it took a bit more but fired up after around 10 bursts. Have you checked the fuel line pressure? if it’s a bit low it won’t help. I normally check/set the PRV on the car & don’t just rely on the as received bench setting.

 

I'm no guru but 4 TR down the line and the only thing I do is to turn the ignition on then wait 30 secs or so for the pressure to build, a bit of choke, turn over 2/3 times and hey presto . STARTS

[trfella]

Think of it this way - you are circulating oil around your engine prior to starting, and that can't be a bad thing

[john.r.davies]

One bodge might be to squirt "KwikStart" or similar down the plenum, or just onto the filter, when you have turned it over a few times.

It WILL start - the question is, will it then run long enough to bring in the injectors?

Only trial and error, how soon to use the squirt, etc. will tell.

 

John

[Wilfried]

Hi all, having spent 2 years completely restoring mt TR6 from ground up I have at last been starting to enjoy driving the car. However what I am finding exrtremely annoying is this apparent "feature" of the 6 that if you don't use it for a couple of weeks then starting can be a b----r.

 

I know this has been the subject of discussion before that's where I have got the idea it's a "feature" of the 6 PI system. Clearly the problem is either evaporation or loss of pressure in the injection lines when left for any period of time. My MU and Injectors are all from KMI and I'm confident are top quality.

 

However this business of having to crank the engine over continuosly for quite a few minutes to get fuel through to the Injectors is very frustrating. Luckily I put a larger battery than specified and a high torque Starter motor so I can keep up the cranking until eventually it stars to fire.

Once running it's fine and will always start easily if only left for a couple of days.

 

All my pressures at the MU are correct and I am running a Bosch pump with a KMI calibrated PRV

 

PLease somebody tell me that it has'nt got to be this way. I'm dreaming about my Sunbeam Tiger that I sold in favour of the 6. That great easy starting V8 lump!!!

 

Regards Rich

Are you sure that the petrol pump is really running and pumping during these long minutes?

Is it necessary to crank the engine during these minutes or would it be enough to have only the fuel pump running?

Is the "safety switch" ok? I mean the thing that cuts the pump when you have in impact. Try to shorten it for a test.

Wilfried

[88V8]

Most annoying.

With my crank pulley troubles, I'm sure the battery hasn't been charging properly, if I had to crank for more than a minute or so I'd be sunk.

I let the pump run until the note drops, then pull out the 'choke' and let it run some more, then set the choke about half-way.

It turns over rather lethargically on its undercharged battery and ye old starter, but normally gives a kick after a few seconds, then a pause during which I crank without result, then a few kicks, increasingly so, then it starts.

Probably would be quicker if I pulled the 'choke' out fully to start but there's been a tendency to foul on cold start so I pull it out gradually and as little as I can.

 

Even so, I'd say less than a minute's cranking in all, even after a couple of weeks.

 

I have plastic injector lines which are high enough above the rocker box to be rubbing on the bonnet, ie as far from the engine as possible. Mine's a Prestige system, I haven't got a pressure checker yet.

 

You say you're confident of the line pressures, so.... um, thinking of Jersey Royal's thread on dribbling, perhaps you could remove the injectors and see if they dribble with the pump on and the engine not turning over.... dribbling would dispel all the line pressure and empty out most of the fuel, that might be a factor...

 

Ivor

[pinky]

Hi all, having spent 2 years completely restoring mt TR6 from ground up I have at last been starting to enjoy driving the car. However what I am finding exrtremely annoying is this apparent "feature" of the 6 that if you don't use it for a couple of weeks then starting can be a b----r.

 

I know this has been the subject of discussion before that's where I have got the idea it's a "feature" of the 6 PI system. Clearly the problem is either evaporation or loss of pressure in the injection lines when left for any period of time. My MU and Injectors are all from KMI and I'm confident are top quality.

 

However this business of having to crank the engine over continuosly for quite a few minutes to get fuel through to the Injectors is very frustrating. Luckily I put a larger battery than specified and a high torque Starter motor so I can keep up the cranking until eventually it stars to fire.

Once running it's fine and will always start easily if only left for a couple of days.

 

All my pressures at the MU are correct and I am running a Bosch pump with a KMI calibrated PRV

 

PLease somebody tell me that it has'nt got to be this way. I'm dreaming about my Sunbeam Tiger that I sold in favour of the 6. That great easy starting V8 lump!!!

 

Regards Rich

 

Hi Rich,

 

i have the same set up as you apart from having a 123 distributor

i have no problem starting even after a couple of weeks so to answer the question you do not have to put up with it

they do need a good battery i use a battery conditioner this charges and discharges the battery keeps it tip top

i have the cable connected to the battery, running down to the grill it sticks out through one of the slots in the grill, the cable is connected to

a rubber connector with a cover cap on it this fits into one of the squares in the grill achieving a tight fit,

so when i drive the car into the garage i connect it up nice and easy no lifting of the bonnet

allso great for camping you can use it to blow up camp bed/lights/etc

 

i would allso look at the plugs to see if they are performing correctly allso if they are getting covered in oil

my experience is limited but i have found an engine set up correctly starts immediately

 

hope this helps let us no how you get on

 

pinky

[V8 Lady]

As discussed in previous threads. We have had similar problems with the V8 that has stood for a while.

Current super unleaded and old super do not mix and you end up with a milky substance in the tank that does not ignite. Drain the tank and start again.

Also if there are any pre unleaded rubber fuel lines replace these with unleaded ones as the old ones look OK on the outside but collapse internally. Try the easy things before spending money on replacing the expensive bits.

 

Surprised Alec has not added his 2d worth on this but we have been away a lot in September and October and still trying to catch up on 2 gardens and the water ingress in the house ! Anyone want a stone house in Conservation Area Somerset/Dorset/Wilts Borders ??

[victor72]

Does car have a Bosch pump powered by original 14/030 wiring? My starting problems were rectified by fitting a Revington relay kit using 28/030 gauge wiring feeding the pump.

[preport]

I used to have this problem. Now I let the petrol pump run for a few seconds before firing the starter motor. If the starter motor is used straight away it 'steals' all the current from the petrol pump to allow it to catch up. Using this method means my 6 fires almost immediately - though it always runs rough for a few seconds.