1980 Aircooled taking ages to start...

[silverandfire]

I’ve had my T25 for a while now and shes always had trouble starting when ive not used her for a couple of days. It takes about 30 seconds of turning over the engine the she starts! I have to keep the revs up a little for another 30 seconds before the engine will idle nicely.

If I have had the van running the previous day then it generally starts much better after just a couple of turns.

I was thinking maybe the fuel is having to be pumped all the way from the fuel tank when starting, as if it is gradually withdrawing back to the tank when the van isn’t being used. This might explain why the starting trouble is worse after a week being sat there but is fine when used daily.

Any other thoughts ideas?

Note: The original twin carbs have been replaced with the single jobby

Thanks

[Ian Hulley]

Are you 'setting' the choke ?

Ian

[sarran1955]

Hello,

Assuming your carburettor electrics are standard and working:

If you take the air filter off , look into the carb venturi, open the choke flap,(which should be closed with the ignition on), and have a trusty assistant push the throttle pedal to the floor.

You should see a squirt of fuel from a little brass tube into the venturi.

If not, then your carburettor bowl may be draining down, due to a slight leak from the access screw to the bottom (side)of the bowl.

You do not say what your replacement carb is, please enlighten me

Cordialement,

[silverandfire]

You do not say what your replacement carb is, please enlighten me

Cordialement,

I believe its a single Weber conversion. This one from JK i think...

http://www.justkampers.com/shop/weber-s ... 11144.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Heres a photo or two...





Thanks!

[silverandfire]

Are you 'setting' the choke ?

Ian

I'm not sure what this is...

The single weber conversion was fitted when I bought the van and ive been unable to find any information about it really. I dont know much about its use or how it works/does things.

[Ian Hulley]

On a watercooled van before you start the engine you press the accelerator pedal to the floor and lift off slowly, then turn the key and the engine starts and the choke flap in the carb makes the engine run rich (i.e. faster tick-over) until it warms up and as it senses this the choke is automatically opened until it is fully open and the engine runs at 'normal' operating temperature and tick-over. Don't know how this works in the wonderful world of oil-cooled engines ... is it on an electrical timer ?

Ian

[jason k]

not the best carb for this engine,

under choked and run very lean from the box.

take it to a rolling road and get it jetted at the very least, and start saving for a pair of dellorto drla s

[jason k]

.

[jason k]

ps that looks like a cj motor from a bay,it also looks to have no elec ignition as it looks like its got a 009 dizzy too.

[cygnak]

Mine had one of these when i got it, got rid and changed to Dells but it did start on the button with the webber on. As Jason said, it looks like you may either have the wrong distributor on or the wrong vacuum unit, it should have an advance and retard pipe. Mine was mounted the other way round to yours. Does sound like your choke is not working correctly though.

[silverandfire]

Ive checked the engine code and its stamped CU but i'm not sure how to go about identifying the dizzy. As soon as I saw this engine I knew it didnt look quite right.

Too many bits with pipes missing and odd cables going nowhere...

Heres a couple more pics:

[silverandfire]

Looking at the photos, I can see there is a second vacuum port on the dizzy with no pipe attached. Any idea what it should be connected to? Im guessing a port on the carb maybe?

[BOXY]

Here's a picture Bigherb posted to show the lay out on the vac-lines.

http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee16 ... 645640.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The one on the dizzie would go to the air-box and the balance pipe that would run between the twin carbs manifolds. This would retard the timing to after TDC for improved idle. The other air-box vac pipe goes to the black plastic air inlet. I think this is something to do with hot / cold starting?

[cygnak]

Dizzy should be stamped, should end in 007. I didn't see the second vacuum in the first picture, as said this is your retard. My webber had a second vacuum tube for this.
I noticed you have a fuel filter in your engine bay, it shouldn't be there. There should just be one by the fuel tank.

[silverandfire]

Quick update:

I was having a look over the engine bay this weekend and noticed one of the HT leads was loose on its spark plug. Had a look and the contact inside the lead had been pushed right up inside and wasnt actually making contact with the plug. Worse still, the plug itself was half undone!!! That explains the petrol smell ive been putting up with and recent lack of power.

I've had the van almost a year and I cant believe ive only just bothered to have a proper look at the engine! I tightened the plug back up and fitted a set of new leads and new dizzy cap and what a difference its made! Much better on 4 cylinders.

Ive still not been able to find another port on the carb to connect the retard vacuum to. I will check the dizzy number.

I noticed you have a fuel filter in your engine bay, it shouldn't be there. There should just be one by the fuel tank.

Added to my list - thanks!