Need advice from the forum sages

[MarrV]

Done as told, park plugs clean & two table spoons of petrol into carb but not firing.

[ghost123uk]

Dear oh Dear, this is getting a very long thread now (but don't worry about that) so I cannot remember what has/has not been done, but just check this (= 30 second job). Take the oil filler cap off the cam cover and look inside while someone turns the key. Can you see the camshaft rotating as it should ?

[MarrV]

Dear oh Dear, this is getting a very long thread now (but don't worry about that) so I cannot remember what has/has not been done, but just check this (= 30 second job). Take the oil filler cap off the cam cover and look inside while someone turns the key. Can you see the camshaft rotating as it should ?

The cam is turning but I do not know what it would look like if it was rotating as it shouldn't

(although not as fast as I found have imagined it should - but then I have never looked at a cam while it moves before)

[ghost123uk]

If it's moving that is ok then. I was just checking the cam belt had not broken (which would have been bad as on these engines that would damage the valves and often the pistons too).

What next folks ? (The van is in York = anyone nearby )

[kevtherev]

Ruby worked great for around 600 miles then one day we went to turn her over & she would not fire. She turned over for ~1 second then died.

so the pump pumps fuel OK
The carb is delivering it to the engine.
With the choke on and extra fuel it will not fire.

I can only think it is an electrical component failure, or the ECU, low battery, weak spark, timing (still),

But I'm sure you can understand remote mechanics is at best difficult...

[MarrV]

Ruby worked great for around 600 miles then one day we went to turn her over & she would not fire. She turned over for ~1 second then died.

so the pump pumps fuel OK
The carb is delivering it to the engine.
With the choke on and extra fuel it will not fire.

I can only think it is an electrical component failure, or the ECU, low battery, weak spark, timing (still),

But I'm sure you can understand remote mechanics is at best difficult...

Indeed I do, so am immensely grateful for any and all help!

Will recharge the battery on trickle charge to make sure that that is not an issue. weak spark would be an ignition coil issue?

Should I try checking the timing belt?

As for ECU, I know where it is is the any way to check if it is / isnt working?

[ghost123uk]

Good point on the quote there Kev,

Ruby worked great for around 600 miles then one day we went to turn her over & she would not fire. She turned over for ~1 second then died.

Do you mean it turned over for ~1 second and died, or, ran for ~1 second and died ?

If the former, how well / fast is it spinning over now (compared to how it used to, before this problem occurred).

You will be if it turns out to be the one in Kevs list ^^^ that says "weak battery"

[ghost123uk]

Should I try checking the timing belt?

No.

As for ECU, I know where it is is the any way to check if it is / isnt working?

Not really. Though a healthy blue/white spark would indicate it is OK. Usual procedure (well for me anyway) would be to swap it for a known good one (= 5 min job) and see what happens.

[MarrV]

8 weeks ago when we first started is ran for ~1 then died.

Now it does not run at all.

It should not be the battery but thought might as well cover all possibilities.

Trying to recall correctly, I think it "caught" when the ignition key stopped being turned, ran for a second or so then died out. Happened a few times before it would not catch again. That is 8 weeks ago though!

[mrhutch]

hold on...

ECU? Carb?

does not compute.

[silverbullet]

Double E D I T. Not making any sense thanks to weather/sinuses. Check that carb "adaptor" for air leaks.

[kevtherev]

hold on...

ECU? Carb?

does not compute.

ok ok.... Ignition control switch TCI

[itchyfeet]

Worth trying carb adaptor for air leaks for sure as you reported your plugs were pretty much dry when removed, lots of failed starting would usually leave them wet with fuel

also you reported sparks were white but that can be mistaken for yellow so im thinking weak sparks a possibility, perhaps bad connection to coil, ignition switch failure etc add a temporary 15A fused connection from thd batt to the plus of the coil in addition to the wiring thats there.
as said by kev could be coil, cooked perhaps.

[kevtherev]

Worth trying carb adaptor for air leaks for sure as you reported your plugs were pretty much dry when removed, lots of failed starting would usually leave them wet with fuel

also you reported sparks were white so im thinking weak sparks a possibility, perhaps bad connection to coil, ignition switch failure etc add a temporary 15A fused connection from thd batt to the plus of the coil in addition to the wiring thats there.
as said by kev could be coil, cooked perhaps.

This is the sort of issue that requires a very methodical approach from the poster, eliminating for sure everything connected with the ignition of petroleum vapour compressed in a cylinder that could possibly effect it's failure.
starting with fuel delivery
moving to spark
ending in timing

nothing sinister here just trying not to use the scatter gun approach

[itchyfeet]

Worth trying carb adaptor for air leaks for sure as you reported your plugs were pretty much dry when removed, lots of failed starting would usually leave them wet with fuel

also you reported sparks were white so im thinking weak sparks a possibility, perhaps bad connection to coil, ignition switch failure etc add a temporary 15A fused connection from thd batt to the plus of the coil in addition to the wiring thats there.
as said by kev could be coil, cooked perhaps.

This is the sort of issue that requires a very methodical approach from the poster, eliminating for sure everything connected with the ignition of petroleum vapour compressed in a cylinder that could possibly effect it's failure.
starting with fuel delivery
moving to spark
ending in timing

nothing sinister here just trying not to use the scatter gun approach

we are 5 pages in and advice has been to be methodical, together we are helping him methodically work through, whats scatter gun about that?