Engine starts but will not run

woolfie1948 · Dec 22nd, 2011, 13:34

I thought I had solved the problems I was having with the 164 following the dizzy overhaul and was looking forward to seeing if it had solved the pinking problem. I did post that by getting the petrol flowing all was well and engine running.
I went for a drive up to the village but by the time I got there (under 2 miles) I could feel the engine hesitating so parked in the car park. Ten minutes later I came back and it would not start so phoned for SWMBO to bring tools and of course as soon as she arrived it started! There followed a nightmare drive home as every 100 yards the engine cut.
In order to make double sure the electrics were ok I changed points, condensor, rotor arm, and cap.
I still feel it is probably a petrol problem so ordered new pump from Brookhouse and fitted this morning with new petrol pipe from metal pipe to pump and from pump to carbs with new inline filter.
It will now start every time I spin the starter but runs only for 1-2 seconds or sometimes up to 5 seconds then dies. The fuel gauge showed a little above the red but put an extra 5 litres in just to be sure.
Any ideas please?

940_Turbo · Dec 22nd, 2011, 13:48

Checked the diaphragms in the carbs?

woolfie1948 · Dec 22nd, 2011, 14:22

Thanks but carbs rebuilt by gower and lee not long ago.

woolfie1948 · Dec 22nd, 2011, 14:32

Is it possible that they could cause problems so soon, less than 12 months?
Do you think there could be a blockage somewhere in the carbs even with an inline filter in place?
I thought if that was the case it would not start at all.

940_Turbo · Dec 22nd, 2011, 18:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by woolfie1948

Is it possible that they could cause problems so soon, less than 12 months?
Do you think there could be a blockage somewhere in the carbs even with an inline filter in place?
I thought if that was the case it would not start at all.

It's one of the obvious things to check, and I've seen patten diaphragms fail in under 12 months. With a holed diaphragm the car will start and idle, but it won't rev.

You have to be systematic with this stuff. In essence all it needs is fuel, spark and compession to run. Check each element systematically. Jumping in somewhere in the middle and arbitrarily swapping bits tends to get you into trouble and unnecessary expense.

woolfie1948 · Dec 22nd, 2011, 18:38

Thanks for that info. - The car starts but does not idle but I will check them anyway.
If they are ok I would appreciate your opininion on an idea I have just had - to connect a temporary pipe from a can of petrol to the pump and see if it then runs.
The previous owner had a new tank put in July 2009 and I put a new inline filter in when I had the carbs done earlier this year, however it had more muck in than I would have expected today when I changed it, so wonder if they did a second rate job and there is some kind of blockage. Having said that I had no problem today sucking the fuel through the new pump and filter up to the carbs today before trying to start it.

940_Turbo · Dec 22nd, 2011, 19:11

It's possible that there is muck in the tank, or that there is a bit of dirt in a jet or in a float chamber valve. With the air filter off you can see the fuel being drawn out of the jets as you open the throttle. It should look even from carb to carb. The pistons should also lift evenly.

Have you pulled off the fuel cap? One of the other classics is a blocked tank breather. The fuel pump will gradually pull a vacuum in the tank at which point the fuel won't flow. You'll hear a vacuum hiss when you take the cap off after the car has run.

woolfie1948 · Dec 22nd, 2011, 20:21

I did try taking the filler cap of but still would not run/tick over.
I hope to be given enough time off from my chores tomorrow to check out your other ideas but unfotunately it will not yet run long enough to look at the pistons so need to get to that stage first.
One thing that concerns me a bit is that I could see air bubbles in the petrol in the clear tube that I used when sucking petrol through the pump when I first put it on.
Thanks again for your interest.

arcturus · Dec 23rd, 2011, 09:04

If you think it's fuel, and air bubles? Yes, try a can with gravity feed. It is possible for a new condensor to fail. It gives the symptoms of fuel starvation. Good luck.

woolfie1948 · Dec 23rd, 2011, 12:33

Just been out and connected clear pipe from can of fresh 97 octane petrol to carbs and no difference - runs for a second or two then dies. I tried this around 10 times just to be sure petrol was coming through ok.
Taken top off both carbs and can see no problem with diaphrams and pistons moving freely.
I put in new (from Brookhouse) condensor last week - I suppose I could go out and get another locally but seems like a very long shot.
Any ideas what to try next please.

Dec 22nd, 2011, 13:34	#1
woolfie1948 Senior Member Last Online: Jul 5th, 2021 21:30 Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: watford	Engine starts but will not run I thought I had solved the problems I was having with the 164 following the dizzy overhaul and was looking forward to seeing if it had solved the pinking problem. I did post that by getting the petrol flowing all was well and engine running. I went for a drive up to the village but by the time I got there (under 2 miles) I could feel the engine hesitating so parked in the car park. Ten minutes later I came back and it would not start so phoned for SWMBO to bring tools and of course as soon as she arrived it started! There followed a nightmare drive home as every 100 yards the engine cut. In order to make double sure the electrics were ok I changed points, condensor, rotor arm, and cap. I still feel it is probably a petrol problem so ordered new pump from Brookhouse and fitted this morning with new petrol pipe from metal pipe to pump and from pump to carbs with new inline filter. It will now start every time I spin the starter but runs only for 1-2 seconds or sometimes up to 5 seconds then dies. The fuel gauge showed a little above the red but put an extra 5 litres in just to be sure. Any ideas please?

Dec 22nd, 2011, 19:11	#7
940_Turbo . Last Online: Jul 14th, 2013 14:28 Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: MK	It's possible that there is muck in the tank, or that there is a bit of dirt in a jet or in a float chamber valve. With the air filter off you can see the fuel being drawn out of the jets as you open the throttle. It should look even from carb to carb. The pistons should also lift evenly. Have you pulled off the fuel cap? One of the other classics is a blocked tank breather. The fuel pump will gradually pull a vacuum in the tank at which point the fuel won't flow. You'll hear a vacuum hiss when you take the cap off after the car has run. Last edited by 940_Turbo; Dec 22nd, 2011 at 19:14.

Dec 23rd, 2011, 09:04	#9
arcturus arcturus Last Online: Apr 10th, 2024 08:21 Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Sagres Portugal	If you think it's fuel, and air bubles? Yes, try a can with gravity feed. It is possible for a new condensor to fail. It gives the symptoms of fuel starvation. Good luck. __________________ life's too short to drink bad wine

Dec 22nd, 2011, 13:48	#2
940_Turbo . Last Online: Jul 14th, 2013 14:28 Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: MK	Checked the diaphragms in the carbs?

Dec 22nd, 2011, 14:22	#3
woolfie1948 Senior Member Last Online: Jul 5th, 2021 21:30 Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: watford	Thanks but carbs rebuilt by gower and lee not long ago.

Dec 22nd, 2011, 14:32	#4
woolfie1948 Senior Member Last Online: Jul 5th, 2021 21:30 Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: watford	Is it possible that they could cause problems so soon, less than 12 months? Do you think there could be a blockage somewhere in the carbs even with an inline filter in place? I thought if that was the case it would not start at all.

Dec 22nd, 2011, 18:38	#6
woolfie1948 Senior Member Last Online: Jul 5th, 2021 21:30 Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: watford	Thanks for that info. - The car starts but does not idle but I will check them anyway. If they are ok I would appreciate your opininion on an idea I have just had - to connect a temporary pipe from a can of petrol to the pump and see if it then runs. The previous owner had a new tank put in July 2009 and I put a new inline filter in when I had the carbs done earlier this year, however it had more muck in than I would have expected today when I changed it, so wonder if they did a second rate job and there is some kind of blockage. Having said that I had no problem today sucking the fuel through the new pump and filter up to the carbs today before trying to start it.

Dec 22nd, 2011, 20:21	#8
woolfie1948 Senior Member Last Online: Jul 5th, 2021 21:30 Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: watford	I did try taking the filler cap of but still would not run/tick over. I hope to be given enough time off from my chores tomorrow to check out your other ideas but unfotunately it will not yet run long enough to look at the pistons so need to get to that stage first. One thing that concerns me a bit is that I could see air bubbles in the petrol in the clear tube that I used when sucking petrol through the pump when I first put it on. Thanks again for your interest.

Dec 23rd, 2011, 12:33	#10
woolfie1948 Senior Member Last Online: Jul 5th, 2021 21:30 Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: watford	Just been out and connected clear pipe from can of fresh 97 octane petrol to carbs and no difference - runs for a second or two then dies. I tried this around 10 times just to be sure petrol was coming through ok. Taken top off both carbs and can see no problem with diaphrams and pistons moving freely. I put in new (from Brookhouse) condensor last week - I suppose I could go out and get another locally but seems like a very long shot. Any ideas what to try next please.

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