Engine Won't Start

[Guest mdav1970]

Weak starter? i had a similar issue last year, tried all sorts of messing with coils, plugs, earth leads etc. turned out starter was on the way out and just wouldn't turn the engine quick enough to start it from cold. New higher power starter off ebay immediately solved the issue.

 

so you could be looking at the wrong thing and just swapping things round making it worse?

[Big Jim]

Have you got the water type choke? or is it converted to cable? It's sounding more like it needs choke to start it. If it's the water type, they are easy to open up and clean so they work correctly, if it's cable, then it may need adjusting. A lot of pinto's won't start initially unless choked. You need to find out which is the correct coil for the engine.

[Longboarder]

 

Car won't start, but as soon as I put a rag over the air intake it started fine

That does sound as if it is a fueling on cold start problem. I don't see how a rag over the inlet affects spark strength (or anything else apart from mixture strength).

Perhaps a strip of the carb is in order looking at all the jets, choke function, accelerator pump, float height and needle valve.

 

You may have a coil problem too but stick with the old coil for now.

 

Nigel

 

While you have the engine running it might be interesting to put the voltmeter across the battery terminals and check you have about 14v (to confirm alternator is charging).

Edited April 4, 2016 by Longboarder

[Guest matvic]

Yep, got 14V.

I think there is a new problem now. It appears a the spark plugs are all sparking every time with a strong spark on the one it is supposed to spark.

Hard to describe - spark, spark, SPARK, spark, spark, spark, SPARK, spark - that would be no3 over 4 revolutions.

Won't start at all. I assume the current is spreading (don't know how) so there is not enough in the strong spark.

All help appreciated.

[Guest 2b cruising]

If you have spark and fuel, you need to have both the spark at the right time and the suck squeeze bang blow at the right times.

So, have you got four compressions,

Have you checked your ignition timing.

Have you checked all your valves are opening and closing.

Have you checked your cam belt.

Start from scratch on the above.

Sometimes it's difficult to keep calm when things are not going right but do your best to do so.

Even if it's as serious as a stripped cam belt, it's not to bad.

It is said that patience is a virtue. WHERE THE Fs MY SHARE OF THE STUFF THEN.