Club 80-90 Forums

Hi,
I have very recently bought a 1985 caravelle gl which i am loving. When viewing the van it was start perfectly everytime i started it. Since I have had it you have to be really carefull to keep giving it some throttle as soon as you turn the key to keep it ticking over for about 30 seconds before it will tick over on its own. If i was to simply turn the key and not give it any throttle it will start for a second then cut out and both the battery light and oil light will come on and stay on until i turn it off. Not a major problem as I can just warm it up for 30 secs but I would really like to know whether this is normal for a 1.9 petrol engine, I figure this is the sort of thing you may have to do with old vehicles like this? Just getting used to all its little quirks at the mo.
Thanks for your help.
HT

hi mate....only 30 secs....you are lucky!! Some don't start at all...


Seriously, those that know engines will come along and give you the technical stuff on checking the choke etc....but I find that my velle, even when used every day, needs some throttle to idle...and its worse when cold.

Glad you are loving the van...I love mine (4) too. And they all start differently too - sme burst into life, One I have to talk to very nicely, tell it how wonderful it is, and she may or may not go on the first turn....Monday morning at 7.30 is not a good time, but Friday at 4 is!!!


take care, and someone sensible will be along shortly!!

Em
x

Thank you, I realise now I reckon I am just being silly, the only time it would affect me is if I am being really impatient and leave without letting her warm up properly and then have to stop straight away. I'm just thinking too much, I reckon i'm gonna get a rollocking at work soon cos I read about t25's all day long. I've only had her a week and already im planning what to do to it next etc. so nice having a new hobby! Thanks for the reply.
Take it easy
Harry

Hmm sounds like the choke is not setting fully in the colder weather.

do you set the choke before cranking the engine?

Hi, sorry I dont really get it, Am I right in thinking its an automatic choke, the engine is the original 1.9 watercooled engine. How do i 'set the crank'? my haynes manual arrived this morning so that should hopefully avoid me asking so many silly questions. In the maunal it shows how to set the choke valve gap etc. is this the sort of thing i need to be looking at. Any help would be really appreciated.
Thanks
HT

you have to depress the throttle pedal fully, and you will usually feel a kind of clicking sensation on your foot, that fully opens the throttle and the choke (if the engine is cold ) will fully open, you then turn the key (crank it). it maybe an automatic choke but that really means it knows when to open and close, before any initial startup if the engine is likely to be cold you should always fully depress the pedal, release your foot then try and start it. if it is already hot, I tend to not give it any gas otherwise it will most likely flood.

HT wrote: 'set the crank'?

eh?

nawww set the choke as clartsonly describes

you have to depress the throttle pedal fully.. that fully opens the throttle and the choke (if the engine is cold ) will 'set', you then turn the key (crank it)

sorry got my words mixed up, I did mean to say set the choke, I have tried that but to no avail. I will see if I can hear that clicking noise when I do it. Cheers
Harry