4a. Won’t start after full rebuild. Any ideas what to check next pse?

[Steven Whitaker]

Need a bit of help please.  After full engine rebuild including carbs my 4a won’t start.  Earlier in the week I got it spinning over, and checked for a spark and all appears to be ok.  I added fuel today from a temporary tank (new fuel) and I feel like it’s trying to start but not running.  Fuel is gravity fed.  Have a look at the video.  I’ve checked the valve timing and that appears to be ok.  I’ve set the points, plug gaps and the carbs have had a full rebuild too.  Whatever I do with the choke and throttle there is little/no difference in outcome.

Its had new everything including carb rebuild kit, needles, jest, gaskets, coil, plugs, leads, condenser, points, distributor cap, pistons, liners, full head rebuild with new valves and unleaded conversion.  There is fuel in the float bowls, with new valves in there too.  Does anything look wrong on the pics?

Front carb seemed wetter than the rear when I lift the slider.  Can’t see any evidence of fuel in the cylinders when I remove the plugs.  Earth is good.  Battery is good.

What should I check / do next please?

 

Thanks in advance.

Steven.

 

 

[RogerH]

Hi Steve,

make sure that the timing mark on the crank pulley is set correct.  It can split in two and be put together 189'  out of place.

 

Roger

[Steven Whitaker]

Thanks but no fan pulley as got the narrow belt conversion.

[keith1948]

No vacuum advance tube connected?

Keith

 

[Steven Whitaker]

Hi Keith.  No.  Do I need it?  Didn’t think it’d make much difference?.  Just want to know the car will run even roughly before it goes for finish paint.  But I can find and fit it, if you think it’ll make a difference?

[RogerH]

13 minutes ago, Steven Whitaker said:

Thanks but no fan pulley as got the narrow belt conversion.

How have you set TDC and basic timing.

 

Roger

[had17462]

Have you put the dizzy 180degrees out 

[roy53]

dizzy 180 out ?  i take it that in your picture that the 2 rockers on 1 do rock in that possition

try a spray or drop of fuel directly into the carbs.

Roy

[keith1948]

27 minutes ago, Steven Whitaker said:

Hi Keith.  No.  Do I need it?  Didn’t think it’d make much difference?.  Just want to know the car will run even roughly before it goes for finish paint.  But I can find and fit it, if you think it’ll make a difference?

A friend of mine years ago couldn't start his Peugeot after an engine rebuild because he hadn't connected it. At least it is an easy fix if that is the issue.

Keith

[keith1948]

Also can't see if you have the earth connection from the front engine plate to the left chassis. On mine I have connected earth wire from front engine plate to top of left turret where the horn normally fits. That is a better earth point because chassis has spacers to body and earth may not be as good.

Keith

[Steven Whitaker]

40 minutes ago, RogerH said:

How have you set TDC and basic timing.

 

Roger

I put car in gear and found tdc when cylinder 1 valves are both closed.  I think this is right?

Edited November 19, 2023 by Steven Whitaker

[Steven Whitaker]

22 minutes ago, had17462 said:

Have you put the dizzy 180degrees out 

Is that possible as from memory the connection is offset to stop that happening?  It’s a while since I built the engine!

[Steven Whitaker]

22 minutes ago, roy53 said:

dizzy 180 out ?  i take it that in your picture that the 2 rockers on 1 do rock in that possition

try a spray or drop of fuel directly into the carbs.

Roy

 

[Steven Whitaker]

Yes Roy, both rockers are free when the rotor arm points to pushrod tube one.  I think this is tdc on compression stroke.

[Steven Whitaker]

5 minutes ago, keith1948 said:

Also can't see if you have the earth connection from the front engine plate to the left chassis. On mine I have connected earth wire from front engine plate to top of left turret where the horn normally fits. That is a better earth point because chassis has spacers to body and earth may not be as good.

Keith

Yes, I’ve done this Keith.  I have a spark.  Tnx.

[Malbaby]

Cannot find the video....."Engine will not start"......Does the engine fire at all?

[Steven Whitaker]

19 minutes ago, Malbaby said:

Cannot find the video....."Engine will not start"......Does the engine fire at all?

Hi.  The video is the first file.  Is it not working?  It spins then tries but don’t think it’s quite firing.

[BlueTR3A-5EKT]

Is the black tube on the adaptor in the rear part of the inlet manifold balance tube blanked or breathing to atmosphere?   Needs to be blanked and air tight.

[Lebro]

If it cranks over then the earth connection is ok. My first thought was ignition timing.

Bob

[Michel Higuet]

To see if the motor can talk inject a little of START PILOT if it don't talk think "ignition" if it start running and direct stop think "carburation". (On the third pics the fuel is empty but it was taken before filling the little tank or the it was not yet open I suppose ).  

[Rob Salisbury]

This usually works for me with a reluctant engine, take all the plugs out, spin the motor with one of the plugs earthed to see if you have sparks, then spin the motor for a few more seconds with the throttles wide open to get some fresh air into the cylinders,  with a funnel put a few mls of petrol into each cylinder, put the plugs back in and see if the engine will run, if it doesn't run then ignition or valve timing is the problem,  if it runs and stops then fuel is the problem.                                                                                           Cheers Rob

[iain]

Is part 34  Driving Gear Inserted 180 out? Dizzy will line up with the offset drive slot but still be wrong. Easy to check move you leads round in the cap by 180 degrees. 

Edited November 20, 2023 by iain

[Michel Higuet]

Regarding the pics, the distributor is ok, the firing order 1 -3 -4 -2 too, the HT coil + an - is OK too, cyl 1 in in compression time and valves closed so OK. 

So put a sparkplug against the motor and look the sparks ( if he has not already done this ) and inject Start pilot in the carbs ( sort of Ether ). 

valves closed so OK? difficult to judge with the angle of the pic take, Cyl 2 has exhaust valve open, intake closed but the push rod seems lower than the 2 of cyl 1 but that could be a visual distortion from the angle of pic. Steven says there in balance so I think OK too.

 

Edited November 20, 2023 by Michel Higuet

[BlueTR3A-5EKT]

If you lot won’t say it…..

[Bfg]

Excuse me if I'm mistaken but from the video it appears, from the angle of the lift quadrants on the carb's linkage rods, that the choke is not on and you are not even blipping the throttle.  From cold my car's engine will not start without these.

Pete

p.s.  If I might also suggest ; the in-line fuel filter is the wrong way around.  It is more usual is for the fuel pipe feed to go into the clear bowl side of the filter, so that you can see if there is a blockage around the outside of the paper element.  The way around yours is would takes any blockage or sediment inside the paper element, which is then not visible.  Most likely this will not be the cause of the engine not starting from a motorcycle petrol tank, but it is worth reversing for everyday use especially if the fuel tank has been disturbed during restoration and paint.   Fuel feed from a small capacity motorcycle fuel tank petcock (possibly with filter inside ?) may be a bit limited for much more than starting the engine.  

Edited November 20, 2023 by Bfg