No Start = Carb Issue?

[flipstah]

So Calgary got hit with a brutal coldsnap and now the Rover is having issues starting.

Fuel is leaking out and not creating a vacuum to feed the carb, so it won't cold-start.

The baattery is fully charged and the engine is warm through a block heater and an oilpan heater, but it won't finish cranking.

From what I understand, when you pump the gas, the carb is fed gas so that you can start it. The choke is up and once it starts, you level out the choke until idle has calmed down then you push the choke all the way then you're on your merry way.

Whenever I pump the gas, fuel is leaking near the carb. Smoke is sputtering out of the exhaust but it just won't finish the ignition process.

I'll post pictures on the weekend when it's SLIGHTLY warmer but what do you need in order to troubleshoot the issue with me?

I'm stumped but I think it's the carb.

[pquin]

Sounds like it is starved of fuel.
Pumping the accelerator only pumps fuel into the carb body if there is some in the float chamber to begin with.
Make sure that your fuel filter is unblocked and that your lines aren't full of frozen water.
Try pouring a few ounces of fuel directly into the carb intake before you crank it over.

Paul.

[island dormy]

Hello

Paul may be right the engine may not be getting the extra fuel it needs for a cold start. If the externally pump jet circiut is leaking fuel onto the outside instead of into the carb it will not start when cold and you may end up with a FIRE caused by gas running over a hot exhaust if it does start.

Cold weather always shows up faults, the flat rubber in the cold start and acceleration circuit pump which supplies extra fuel for starting and acceleration may be broken because of the cold or just old age. Try pumping the accelerator pedal manually while watching the carb.Maybe the leak will show up.

I am just guessing but have had this happen while living in Calgary. I must say though the old Dormobile always started no matter how cold out it was.

Good luck Victor 1962 Dormobile

[flipstah]

https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net/ ... 9541_o.jpg

The cold snap gave an issue but today is warm (-5c) so time to see what's happening. Got all the appropriate heaters and battery charger plugged in.

https://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.net/ ... 8583_o.jpg

The engine bay needs a wash big time.

https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/ ... 3530_o.jpg

After much patience, Garth lives! This general area of the carb is the root of my burden. The idling isn't steady either so a rebuild is in order.

https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.net/ ... 8193_o.jpg

Also, anyone know where I can buy an appropriate filter for a Weber carb? This one is too small.

I'll have videos up of what it sounded like from start to finish. I'm just happy he starts again!

[Greg S]

From the other place this stuff is posted---- "You mean this?" Yes, that's an electric fuel pump and hopefully it works. Does it pulse or whir when powered up?

To help with your carb issues and whether it needs a rebuild or not, have a read at this Webber info for your carb. Huge amount of troubleshooting info here.

http://siteground237.com/~gunsandr/show ... leshooting

[flipstah]

From the other place this stuff is posted---- "You mean this?" Yes, that's an electric fuel pump and hopefully it works. Does it pulse or whir when powered up?

To help with your carb issues and whether it needs a rebuild or not, have a read at this Webber info for your carb. Huge amount of troubleshooting info here.

http://siteground237.com/~gunsandr/show ... leshooting

Some clicking sounds are heard in the cabin but I don't think it's the pump.

[Greg S]

Okay, now you have it running but as Red90 says, sounds like your mixture is off. Could also be effected by timing. Did you adjust timing as previously suggested, closer to TDC? If so, now adjust it to 5 degrees BTDC and make sure the advance weights in the distributor are free to move, not stuck. Get her running again and see if it has the same symptoms. If so, then it is your carb adjustments. Sounds like a combination of the two to me.

Do you have a timing light? You need one. They are antiques now so find a friend who has one and get them to give it to you or go to a pawn shop and pay next to nothing for it as they are obsolete (except for your Land Rover). You don't need a fancy one. With a Series 3 you are spoiled! You have timing marks on the crank pulley on the front of the engine. Older ones had to be timed by marks on the flywheel. Good luck with that!

[RobTheGob]

Do you have a timing light? You need one. They are antiques now so find a friend who has one and get them to give it to you or go to a pawn shop and pay next to nothing for it as they are obsolete (except for your Land Rover). You don't need a fancy one.

Princess Auto has a few timing lights in stock. They go on sale for quite cheap pretty regularly and you can quite often get them to sell at the last sale price, if you ask nicely.

They are extremely cheaply made (these days) - but if you are gentle with it, it will likely last for as long as you need it to!

[TOLON]

The timing settings in the green bible (series II/IIA anyway) are static so you can just use a test light to confirm position. I'm not sure if LR ever released any dynamic timing info, I think most poeple just set according to "ear" LOL

[Greg S]

A static light is good enough to get it running, beyond that is questionable. Don't waste your time setting it by ear, to do that you have to be an incredible expert or spectacularly LUCKY.
Get an induction timing light (old type, simple). The type that plugs onto #1 spark-plug wire.
Wipe the font crank pulley clean so you can see the notches in it and the arrow pointer on the front of the engine. Some people will fill the little notches with white chalk to make them easy to see. These are what you are going to be looking for in the flashing timing light.
Start the engine and get it so it is somewhat warmed up.
Shut off engine and pull spark plug #1 wire off the plug and plug the timing light's wire spring adapter onto plug, then the plug wire back onto the adapter. Some fancy types have a clip that you simply clip around the plug wire but I had plug wires this wouldn't read through.
Start the engine again and let it idle. It may idle a bit rough because it is disrupted by the timing light.
Unplug the vacuum advance hose from the carb and plug the connection into the carb. Because it is sucking air into the carb, a tiny piece of paper or plastic can be put on it and the vacuum holds it there through the procedure. A tiny chunk of tape works too and probably won't be blown off by the fan if you rev it up.

Watch out for the fan and belts and point the timing light past your alternator towards the crank pulley. Pull the trigger on the light and it will flash in sequence with #1 plug. The flashes will make the white chalk mark seem to stand still.
Compare the notch on the pulley with the markers on the pointer. The longest one is usually 0 degrees, then the shorter ones are 3 BTDC and 6 BTDC or sometimes 5 or ?

Adjust the distributor so it is set at 5 or 6 degrees BTDC at an idle.

To adjust the distributor, there is a clamp bolt going into the block, loosen this so you can rotate the dizzy (just tiny [TINY] increments). Many distributors also have an aluminum wheel on the side that you can use to make minor adjustments. It should be set at the zero marker on this, then you can make an adjustment of a few degrees + or - with this wheel. You might have to scrub this clean to see the marks and which is zero. There is also an arrow on it to show you which way to adjust it for + or _.

When you rev the engine you will see the pointer/ notch move A LOT. It is supposed to do this and can go as much as 40 degrees. You aren't measuring this, you are measuring the timing at idle. The wild swings as the engine speeds up is useful to indicate proper timing advance by the weights and vacuum but that is a different course.

[TOLON]

Here are the STATIC timing settings depending on which engine you have:

2.25litre: 7:1 engines 6 deg. BTDC; 8:1 engines 0 deg. TDC; 8:1 (emission controlled) 6 deg. ATDC

[island dormy]

Hi everyone.
Not really sure what we are trying to fix anymore on poor flipstahs rover but when using a timing light the same timing degree settings are used as when the timing is set using a simple test light. However like Greg S. says the vacume advance should be plugged at the carb end and the engine HAS to be idling very very slow so the mechanical advance weights in the distributor do not start to advancing the timing( Usually 400 to 500 rpm.) If its a old series truck with a generator the red low charge light should be glowing bright red, on a rover with a alternator just set the idle speed dead slow.

Set it using either method, turn your idle speed back up to normal about 700 rpm. then go for a test drive put it in 4th gear high range and at about 30mph floor it, if the engine starts rattling (Pinging) you need to back off the timing a few degrees and do the test again. If there is no pinging, advance the timing a little and test again. You want to find the spot where pinging just barely starts to happen then back the timing off just a little.
Using this road test will remove any variables caused by a stretched timing chain, bent timing mark indicator or carbuned up engine, it will find the perfect running spot ( with the most power and smooth running) for just about any old school engine with a mechanical distributor that has the points or electronic ignition set up correctly to start with.

Timing can also be set using a old style vacume gauge hooked up to a source of Manifold vacume ie. the brake booster line, you can not use carb vacume. Just keep advancing the timing by turning the distributor body (engine will run faster) until the vacume reading will not go any higher then back off about 3 degrees on the vacume gauge (engine will slow down as you turn the distributor in the other direction. Road test just to make sure.

Good luck hope you get it running better.

Victor 1962 Dormobile

[red90]

Okay, to clear up what I meant on timing...

1) Check the base timing and adjust.
2) Attach the vacuum advance and see if it advances... This tells you it is working.
3) Rev the engine up and see if the timing advances. This tells you that the centrifugal timing is working.

This was meant to be one quick thing to check and then adjust the idle mixture. Probably take less time that typing this. If he needs a timing light, pop on over.