McMuttley Posted November 1, 2015 Report Share Posted November 1, 2015 Ran fine yesterday, started ok today, 6 miles and just stopped, fires briefly then stops again. fuel in new plugs steam / smoke from crank vent and oil filler cap on head cover one splash of oil on inner wing oil pressure not climbing v much on starter motor ? head gasket ? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RobH Posted November 1, 2015 Report Share Posted November 1, 2015 (edited) You say 'fuel in' but is it getting to the carbs ? Are the float chambers full ? If not, probably a fuel-pump failure or some blockage in the fuel feed. Low oil pressure is worrying but could be nowt to do with not running - what does the dipstick show? Is the oil level low? Have you lost any water ? Unless there is lots of it, the steam/ smoke may just be condensation boiling off after a short run. A head gasket problem probably would not stop the engine running completely - just make it run rough. Edited November 1, 2015 by RobH Quote Link to post Share on other sites
McMuttley Posted November 1, 2015 Author Report Share Posted November 1, 2015 looks like coil or condenser - v weak spark, anyone on the M20 at sidcup got spares! fires up and runs for 5-10 secs then stops - rac man thinks combo of carbs too rich and spark too weak Quote Link to post Share on other sites
McMuttley Posted November 1, 2015 Author Report Share Posted November 1, 2015 oil splash was a mis-diagnosis - drips from dip stick - oil full - header tank not empty Quote Link to post Share on other sites
McMuttley Posted November 1, 2015 Author Report Share Posted November 1, 2015 what is wierd is that i took it out for a 15 min spin yesterday and it felt really strong Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RobH Posted November 1, 2015 Report Share Posted November 1, 2015 Fingers crossed he can sort it out. Back in the day the RAC chap would be on a bike and would have had a spare coil in the side-car. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
GT6M Posted November 1, 2015 Report Share Posted November 1, 2015 If yours has the Ceramic type ballast resistor, fitted to block, next to coil then it could well be the wire has broken /corroded away an just mek,n intermitant contact. It will fire ont starter, as its being by passed, so was this the thing ye meant when ye said it runs for 5 or so secs,!!! M Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Paul Down Posted November 1, 2015 Report Share Posted November 1, 2015 It could well be the coil if it starts from cold but cuts out when warm they have a habit of doing this. If it is the coil make sure you get a decent one, lots of rubbish being peddled on line. Best of luck! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
hpremote Posted November 1, 2015 Report Share Posted November 1, 2015 Hope you're safely recovered/returned home. My bet would be condenser. Good luck, Tim. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
saggy Posted November 1, 2015 Report Share Posted November 1, 2015 Narrow it down a bit... Could well be lousy spark for reasons as others have said, but also check distributor cap/rotor for wear, spark 'tracking' and general dirt therein. Any of these could give you dirty plugs as well as over fuelling from sticking floats etc although you might see fuel overflowing from the vent on the top of the float bowl cover. However, to rule out (or in) a fuel supply problem, simply pull off the fuel pipe by the front float bowl and crank the engine. If you only get a piddle then either there is a blockage of the pump needs attention. If you have a good squirt then it's back to electrics. Good luck Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Richardtr3a Posted November 2, 2015 Report Share Posted November 2, 2015 We are all waiting for the diagnosis so we can carry the necessary spare. Please give us an update. Richard & H. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
McMuttley Posted November 2, 2015 Author Report Share Posted November 2, 2015 Hi Richard, car back in garage, slightly scary tow back behind RAC van with just 5-6' of tow rope and no clue what was in front or when he might brake ! Dizzy seems to be fine - was only rebuilt a few months ago, fuel was flowing, but will check carbs cleanliness again at the weekend. Starts, runs for a few seconds and then dies - will not start again for say 2-3 mins Multimeter has packed up so can't check anything at home, ordering new coil to see if that gets it firing better, then HS6 carbs will be sent of for winter refurb as they look rough as ...... Would add coil and dizzy bits to your spares list as they are unobtabium on a sunday morning - I also keep a wife in the boot for pushing car off motorway ! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RobH Posted November 2, 2015 Report Share Posted November 2, 2015 Just because the distributor was re-built recently Austin, don't assume its all OK. Even brand new condensers can fail. The waiting for a few minutes could be due to something electrical having to cool down - though it could even be something silly like a blocked breather causing a vacuum in the fuel tank but I think it would run for more than just a few seconds if that was the case. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ianc Posted November 2, 2015 Report Share Posted November 2, 2015 Fuel filter bowl full of rubbish? If tank is shedding fine particles of rust, can cause this sort of problem, although usually engine will restart within about a minute after the particles have settled in the bottom of the bowl. Ian Cornish Quote Link to post Share on other sites
saggy Posted November 2, 2015 Report Share Posted November 2, 2015 Ah! McMuttley... You're amazing - You have just given me that Eureka moment. I've got coil, dizzy etc as spares for Sunday mornings but I must get me .... a spare WIFE Quote Link to post Share on other sites
McMuttley Posted November 3, 2015 Author Report Share Posted November 3, 2015 Go for NOS wherever possible, be careful of foreign imports Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RogerH Posted November 3, 2015 Report Share Posted November 3, 2015 Hi Austin, are you off the slip road yet? I don;t think this is the answer but next time you TRy to start the car pop open the fuel cap. If it runs correctly then the tank isn't vented correctly, or blocked. Roger Quote Link to post Share on other sites
McMuttley Posted November 3, 2015 Author Report Share Posted November 3, 2015 Hi Roger - yes thanks, it did take the wife quite a while to push up those steep hills in Chislehurst tho - nearly missed the GP ! New vent installed earlier in the year, but we did pop it just to prove to RAC man that there was at leat 15 likes of fuel in there - no rush of air. New Lucas coil, condenser and rotor / points arrived this morning thanks to Tom and a speedy FedEx van. Will try in order of coils, condenser, kick, swear, points etc. On the basis that the carbs need re-building, will then have a go at taking apart basic bits and cleaning, then even if I feck that up they will be sent off for rebuild anyway - if I could just remember who I have loaned my copy of ..... Su Carburettors Tips & Techniques .... 2 years ago it seemed a pointless purchase - doh Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Steve R Posted November 3, 2015 Report Share Posted November 3, 2015 Hi Austin There are plenty of You Tube videos on how to service the carbs, I used a Morris Minor manual for reference when I did mine. I only used half the rebuild kit.......then I read it again Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Peter Cobbold Posted November 3, 2015 Report Share Posted November 3, 2015 Sounds very much like a Doretti with TR3 engine we cured a couple of weeks ago. It would run 8 miles than stalled, restarted biefly, but had to be towed. Happened twice. All plugs were sooty black. It was the atmospheric air bleed to the underside of the SU pistons blocked by a rubber gasket holding air intake trumpets. The two ports need to be opened up to full bore of the holes, not just pierced with a nail. So check the gasket holes between SU and filter housing. Peter Quote Link to post Share on other sites
McMuttley Posted November 3, 2015 Author Report Share Posted November 3, 2015 Thank you Steve and Peter, have been to YrATube and indeed there are many videos, if only there were / was one headed 'HS6's on a 4 engine in a (red) 3a that blows blueyblack smoke' Have found the SU book - ironically it makes them sound far far far more complicated than the videos ! Of course the chain TRaction has started, whilst the carbs are out, why not sort that stinky exhaust out with a phoenix (from the sooty ashes) then whilst the manifold is off, sort the head, whilst the head is off, maybe the cylipistons ! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Peter Cobbold Posted November 4, 2015 Report Share Posted November 4, 2015 (edited) Thank you Steve and Peter, have been to YrATube and indeed there are many videos, if only there were / was one headed 'HS6's on a 4 engine in a (red) 3a that blows blueyblack smoke' Have found the SU book - ironically it makes them sound far far far more complicated than the videos ! Of course the chain TRaction has started, whilst the carbs are out, why not sort that stinky exhaust out with a phoenix (from the sooty ashes) then whilst the manifold is off, sort the head, whilst the head is off, maybe the cylipistons ! Austin, Black smoke is carbon from running way too rich. The atmospheric bleeds on an HS6 are the two upper holes on the filter mounting flange. If those holes are blocked with gasket you've found a possible answer to rich running. Partial blockage prevents the piston from lifting fully, the 'constant' depression increases and too much fuel is delivered. The bleed location is #19 here: http://roversd1.info/2600/carburetor-drw.jpg The two upper holes on each filter mounting flange are the ones to check: http://s585.photobucket.com/user/NO_SPRK/media/20150518_130523_zpseo9wkce7.jpg.html On other hand if this is a problem that has suddenly presented without anyone messing with the SU, then I'd suspect sparks. Peter I have yet to read an SU book, or engine textbook, that describes exactly how the 'constant depression' is created. Edited November 4, 2015 by Peter Cobbold Quote Link to post Share on other sites
McMuttley Posted July 28, 2016 Author Report Share Posted July 28, 2016 Well, as an update, finally think I might have identified the problem. As a reminder, last October, after a quick left right flick on the roundabout over the M20, the car just rolled down the slip road and died. As a result, over winter replaced coil, condenser, HT leads, points, dizzy cap, had carbs rebuilt, new fuel lines, new extractor, new exhaust (X3) etc etc etc and now all seems to be fine However, the other weekend, different motorway roundabout, A21/M25 this time, same left right flick - same effect, car just died ? ? ? This time it did get going and it ran fine - in fact 250 miles to Gaydon and back without a gl/hitch. Whilst having a lorry part my hair for me (both of them) at the side of the motorway roundabout as i fiddled under the dash to establish why the car had initially died ...... Eureka moment - maybe ........ i felt sparks around my fingers to the car of the ignition switch. My radio / speaker mount sits atop the tunnel and is a tight squeeze behind the dash / in front of the heater. As a theft deterrent measure it isn't bolted down to allow it to be put in the boot. The sparks were arcing between the starter wires and the radio mount/speaker. What I am guessing was happening was that the left right flick resulted in the (metal) radio / speaker assembly sliding back toward me just a bit of an inch and hitting the rear of the ignition / starter switch wires etc, causing a short - thus the electrickery paralysis - significant first time (coil / condenser blown ?) - second time just a momentary short to the ignition circuit ? (I removed the radio.) Now, most of the above parts needed renewing / replacing anyway, so not all lost, but is it the case that a short of the starter button wiring or one of the gauges could cause the car to stop ? If so, i will need to find a way if ensuring that the radio can be lowered ? (ps, can a MOD replace the work 'HELP', with 'NOT' in the title of the thread ? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
cvtrian Posted July 28, 2016 Report Share Posted July 28, 2016 Sorted Quote Link to post Share on other sites
barkerwilliams Posted July 28, 2016 Report Share Posted July 28, 2016 Glad you have sorted tyour problem, but does anyone actually steal car radios these days? I thought it was a crime of the 1970's & 80's? Alan Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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