Guest Posted February 28, 2005 Report Share Posted February 28, 2005 I seem unable to get the tuning on my 3A quite right after it was uprated for unleaded, gas flowed etc. Smoothest running when hot does not equal easy starting from cold and I think I need to take it to a really good specialist. Can anyone recommend anyone in reasonable reach of Derbyshire? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
john minchin Posted March 15, 2005 Report Share Posted March 15, 2005 You need compression, a decent spark and a richened mixture in the cylinder for it to fire up. If you have still got the H6 carbs is the choke actually pulling out the jet from the bottom of the carb body ? and is the throttle jacking cam actually open the throttles over the standard idle speed. The float bowls are at the correct level aren't they. A slight inlet manifold leak will not assist starting. If the compression is very high then I understand a sports coil may be required / or a ballast ignition system to give the spark when cranking. Plug gaps are correct I guess and ignition timing must be good already. I presume that it is spinning over at a good speed. As a diagnostic / temparoary measure I use Bradex Easy Start, which is a highly volatile spray can applied stuff to squirt onto the air filters. Magic stuff for the lawn mower etc. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
unclepete Posted March 21, 2005 Report Share Posted March 21, 2005 john if memory serves me right i seem to remember that 'easy start' and 'damp start' sprays were popular in my teenage years getting the old banger going on cold mornings. i also remember that the cars (and bikes) used to get 'addicted' to the stuff? we used to have to lift the bonnet and give them a squirt all the time, hot or cold, summer or winter. there was talk about these sprays damaging the engine with continued use? beware pete :cool: Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jonlar Posted March 21, 2005 Report Share Posted March 21, 2005 johnif memory serves me right i seem to remember that 'easy start' and 'damp start' sprays were popular in my teenage years getting the old banger going on cold mornings. i also remember that the cars (and bikes) used to get 'addicted' to the stuff? we used to have to lift the bonnet and give them a squirt all the time, hot or cold, summer or winter. there was talk about these sprays damaging the engine with continued use? beware pete :cool: Pete, you're spot-on, Easy Start contains ether to the best of my recollection, great to sniff!! and would very often cause a real bang noise on ignition. As you say it was always said that once used regularly, engines wouldn't start without Easy Start. WD40 was introduced as a damp repellent (NOT silicone based [amended 30/03 after being corrected by Graeme - Thanks!]) ans was never intended as the "penetrating/release type" product is so often used for today. There are far better products than WD40 for that use. It is quite a good lubricant for plastics and nylon etc. as well as driving out the dampness. It was said that WD40 was sprayed over US Navy aircraft (on flat-tops) after wash down. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Posted March 27, 2005 Report Share Posted March 27, 2005 Many thanks for the helpful clues ...will follow up carefully! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Posted March 27, 2005 Report Share Posted March 27, 2005 Many thanks for the helpful clues ...will follow up carefully! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
graeme Posted March 27, 2005 Report Share Posted March 27, 2005 Jonlar, Interesting what you say about WD40, as the manufacturers take great pride in advertising being "Silicone free and always has been". Cheers Graeme Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jonlar Posted March 27, 2005 Report Share Posted March 27, 2005 Jonlar, Interesting what you say about WD40, as the manufacturers take great pride in advertising being "Silicone free and always has been". Cheers Graeme That is interesting Graeme, I must be honest, I haven't looked at the contents listing, but when it first appeared as a main market product - anyone remember when it was? 25 - 30 years ago or so? - it was advertised as leaving a drying silicone film behind, or am I remembering it all wrong? It was pushed for moisture exclusion from distributor caps and things to the best of my memory. The best unseizing compound was Plusgas or similar and penetrating oil a Holts or 3 in 1 type product with graphite in a spirit/very light oil? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jonlar Posted March 30, 2005 Report Share Posted March 30, 2005 Graeme and everyone, can anyone give the part number for Humble Pie, I need a bulk supply. WD40 is NOT silicone based as I erroneously said above (now corrected) and never has been, as Graeme says above, the manufacturers make this point in the current can labelling. I had always understand - wrongly - that it was silicone based and this gave it the superb damp and water repellent qualities that it has. http://www.wd40.co.uk/ My apologies to all for misleading information. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jonlar Posted April 13, 2005 Report Share Posted April 13, 2005 I used some WD40 yesterday and think I may have an idea why I was so convinced it was silicone based. I think it's the smell, I remember when we had a hardware shop, one of the reps brought around some new polish samples containing silicone. This polish had a very similar smell to WD40. I think it's comparatively recently that WD40 has been marked as silicone-free, although it always has been, the tin I used yesterday is a couple of years old and has no markings. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
unclepete Posted April 13, 2005 Report Share Posted April 13, 2005 Had the same tuning problem after fitting an extractor manifold. could not get the mixture right even with a colour tune. could not get the carbs to sycronise. get the idle right only to rev the engine and see the tick over increase to 1400 rpm. spent 40 odd quid on a rebuild kit, new needles and jets. whilst taking them all apart for the second time I noticed that the butterfly on the left carb was not fully closed, flicked it open and it shut fully, flicked it open again and it again did not fully close. the bloomin return spring clamp was loose!!! Took 1 minute to fix and another 10 to tune. expensive and time consuming lesson??? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Richardtr3a Posted May 5, 2005 Report Share Posted May 5, 2005 I had a problem withthe plugs fouling up in traffic jams when the temperature became really hot. It turned out to be a fuel level fault and the new floats made a great improvement. An new radiator worked wonders for the overheating. Good luck Quote Link to post Share on other sites
james christie Posted May 11, 2005 Report Share Posted May 11, 2005 If I may add my two pennyworth. I also have had a lead free conversion and extractor manifold fitted three or four years ago and had the same problem. My deduction (well Carl's of Revington) was that the higher flow of air was making the jets on the H6s open too quickly and the mixture too rich. He solved it by experimenting with different springs. It's near perfect now and I've got 110 horses at the rear wheels apparently Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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