poor starting

E

emmerson

0
Still having major starting problems with my Dodge. Cold start is not too bad, not good, but it will eventually start. However, it will not attempt to start when warm, even though everything ignition has been renewed. Now its begun a new game-take off the distributor cap when its hot, and it's full of condensation! Why? Oh, and I've now broken the carbon brush in the cap, with part of it stuck in the cap, and the other half disappeared, so it now is totally useless, until I can get another cap. When it won't start, it always seems to have petrol, and spark. This morning there were three of us looking at it, with a total of over 80 years experience, but its beaten us.
What do I do next? Btw, when it does eventually start, it drives well.
 
Curious stuff, sometimes these weird quirks crop up with a particular vehicle - mine was a VW golf which would conk out after 20 odd miles then would conk out for 20 minutes then start and drive perfectly for another 20 - as I replaced more parts it covered less miles, ignition system & fuel supply, 3 krypton tunes - it would only do 8 miles (went like stink though[}:)])

I wish I could offer you a crumb of comfort and suggest what your problem might be - I ended up selling the car to someone who only needed to drive 6 miles in one go to catch the surf so I never solved it[V]

Best of luck - logic dictates it has to be something[:0]

Think I remember you mentioning fuel evaporation not being the cause - was that right?

Bessie - four star commerdation
 
quote:
Originally posted by emmerson

Still having major starting problems with my Dodge. Cold start is not too bad, not good, but it will eventually start. However, it will not attempt to start when warm, even though everything ignition has been renewed. Now its begun a new game-take off the distributor cap when its hot, and it's full of condensation! Why? Oh, and I've now broken the carbon brush in the cap, with part of it stuck in the cap, and the other half disappeared, so it now is totally useless, until I can get another cap. When it won't start, it always seems to have petrol, and spark. This morning there were three of us looking at it, with a total of over 80 years experience, but its beaten us.
What do I do next? Btw, when it does eventually start, it drives well.



Oh God, not more ignition woes...

I'm surprised you've not beaten it to a pulp. Have you looked at any of the recent electronic ignition/dizzy threads that have been on here lately? Good luck!
 
the condensation in the dizzy does,nt bode well [xx(] you could try making a small hole in the body so it can breathe and dry out.
sounds bizzare, have you checked compression hot and cold [?]

"you were only supposed to blow the bloody SLIDING doors off no.3"
 
I think Tim is on the right track.
It may be worth you borrowing a compression leakage tester - the std gauge only tests instant compression - not how long the valves/rings hold compression for. This is a test more usually performed on diesels, but its a worthwhile test for the symptoms you describe.

You should be able to hold 110+ on a tired engine for 30 seconds (anything less and you've got probs) and 140+ for 60 seconds on a fresh one

Cheers
Jules

RatSport www.ratsport.co.uk
 
No, Andy, I've not beaten it yet, but I've kicked it a few times! Compression tests all good, but not tried "holding" the pressure.
I've used it locally a couple of times over the last few days, and it starts OK,PROVIDED I let the key go. As the starter stops, the engine fires, and runs well, but I have to catch it just right, or it just churns and floods itself. When I fitted the new coil, someone whose name escapes me, said to make sure I fitted a non-ballast coil, which I did, but is this correct? Should it in fact have a ballasted coil? As I believe Ive said before, I vaguely remember this happening years ago with a Vauxhall, and that proved to be the coil. I suppose the only way to find out is to buy a ballasted coil and try it. I fitted another new dizzy cap yesterday, and haven't had the condensation problem since, but where the heck did the water come form in the first place?
And now to add further to my troubles, I've found what appears to be terminal rot in my Moggy Traveller!
Hey, ho, onward and upward!!
 
Hi, Had a problem akin to this with one of my Imps,engine spun over OK but would only start as key was released.It turned out to be caused by a bad engine earth. I put another strap on it and it solved the problem, might be worth checking.

back to my "rootes"
 
I think I had a similar problem with the van a while ago, it turned out to be the big thick cables round the starter solenoid had come loose (and were covered in oil)

Whats wrong with the morris? Nothing is really terminal, (tell that to Tim with the Slyyyyyder...) everything is available for them (well it was a few years ago!)

Rupert

www.littleyellowcar.co.uk
 
Martin, that may just be the problem. When I bought the van, the inertia starter was fubar,so I replaced it with a Morris Minor one, and fitted a separate solenoid. Is this the root(e) of the problem?
But if so, why does iot no occur when it's cold.
BMM, the Moggy has so much rot which has been botched in the past that I think it is beyond my skills (and finances)to repair. I had a restorer come to look at it yesterday, and he walked away shaking his head!
 
a hot starter is less efficient than a cold one, i too have had similar problems with starters when hot [xx(] my a60 v6 was fine from cold but VERY lazy when hot :(

"you were only supposed to blow the bloody SLIDING doors off no.3"
 
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