fuel Posted April 18, 2011 Share Posted April 18, 2011 Hey guys, I have an '83 MkV Cortina wagon with the 2.0 Pinto engine. It has developed a hard to start issue where it refuses to start. It first happened when I parked on my lawn with the nose pointing up a hill, and at that time the fuel tank was just about empty so I thought being on a hill and tank nearly empty that the tank pick up was exposed. I rolled it down onto a flat surface and then tried to start it, where it refused to start still. I put some more gas in it from a gas can bringing the tank up to about 1/3 full. I pulled out the spark plugs and they didn't seem overly wet, and they looked to be near new with flat edged electrodes and a 0.7-0.8mm gap. I sanded up the electrodes and put the plugs back in and it started up first pop. I thought I had it sorted it out but today it refused to start after being driven for about 30 mins (the last time it was when it was dead cold). It too was parked on a slight incline so I thought it had something to do with being parked with the nose pointing up. This time it had 1/2 a tank, and when I pulled the air filter housing off the throttle plates were wet with fuel, and would squirt in more fuel when I moved the accelerator. I pulled the plugs out again and they were bone dry, but I cleaned them up with emery paper and put them back in anyway but it still wouldn't start. It eventually started after winding it over countless times without touching the throttle. Then later in the day it did it again, on a flat surface, it eventually restarted after a few more goes sitting there and trying. And then again the last straw when I was just about stranded in town with it not starting. Again I pulled off the air filter and it was wet with fuel yet the plugs were bone dry. I left the air filter housing off and it started up right away, but I don't think it has anything to do with the air filter housing being on or off. The air filter is clean. I should also mention it has new points, while the dizzy cap & rotor, condensor and spark plug leads look near new. As soon as it starts it runs fine with no mis-firing or rough running, nothing to suggest there is an ignition or carb fault - it's just when you try to start it up again after leaving it to sit 10-15 mins while it's still warm. When it has eventually started, you can stop it and re-start it immediately with no problems. Any thoughts? This thing really is living up to it's pommie reliability reputation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beaver Posted April 18, 2011 Share Posted April 18, 2011 I had a pinto a few years back and it kept fucking plugs for some strange reason. spent hours trying to get it to start, then put new plugs in and boom first pop. thats no help really sorry haha. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gaz Posted April 18, 2011 Share Posted April 18, 2011 Welcome to the wonderfull world of Pintoness Gaz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gaz Posted April 18, 2011 Share Posted April 18, 2011 Just read ya post. Sounds like your floding it, are ou giving it gas before trying to start? What carb, 32/36? Gaz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fuel Posted April 18, 2011 Author Share Posted April 18, 2011 I think it's just the standard 32/36. I would have thought if I were flooding it that the plugs would be soaking wet? Every time I pull them out they are bone dry, not a hint of fuel on them at all. Looking through the spark plug hole and you can see the top of the pistons are dry also. You can wind it over with the plugs removed and not much fuel vapour appears to come out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beaver Posted April 18, 2011 Share Posted April 18, 2011 check/replace fuel filter? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fuel Posted April 18, 2011 Author Share Posted April 18, 2011 where is the fuel filter? there isn't one in the engine bay anywhere. Also if fuel filter was blocked the carb prob wouldn't be getting fuel? the carb definitely dumps fuel when you dab the throttle, yet it doesn't seem to end up on the plugs! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beaver Posted April 18, 2011 Share Posted April 18, 2011 probably doesnt have one...prehistoric motor etc. its just my default go to option for nay starting problems haha, always worth checking/putting one in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horse25 Posted April 18, 2011 Share Posted April 18, 2011 id clean the carb, clean the jets/fuel bowl/carb filter etc, from memory, its just removing the filter, disconnect choke, then five screws, may work, but like you say you're not getting any fuel beyond the carb, that's where id look Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
- i5oogt - Posted April 18, 2011 Share Posted April 18, 2011 id clean the carb, clean the jets/fuel bowl/carb filter etc, from memory, its just removing the filter, disconnect choke, then five screws, may work, but like you say you're not getting any fuel beyond the carb, that's where id look this is where i would start too... those webbers are normally pretty good but can have issues especially if it hasnt done many kms recently. my old daily is normally hard to start first thing but seems to start fine later on in the day... but thats cos its got hardly and compression on cylinder number 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
d.p.n.s Posted April 21, 2011 Share Posted April 21, 2011 pull the fuel line off the carb and try start it to make sure you are getting fuel after the pump and to the carb. if so then i would do what dave/horse25 said and pull the auto choke off unscrew the 5 srews and give it a good clean out and blow out all the jets paying atantion to where the fuel comes into the carb it has a little bit on it that when the bowl is full the float stops the fuel i have a few in the past and that was blocked with the smallest bit of shit you would ever find but still able to jam it shut so no fuel go in. once its all back together and she runs then i would say slat a filter in there between th pump and carb to help stop anyother issues. good luck mate dan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keltik Posted April 22, 2011 Share Posted April 22, 2011 If its got the water choke rather than the electric one, on the back of the float bowl opposite the accelerator pump will be the fuel enrichment valve/diaphragm. Pop the vacuum hose off this (short one that goes down to the carb base) and you will probably find it wet with fuel. The diaphragm perishes and allows fuel to leak straight from the float bowl down into the intake which makes starting it a bitch. Would also explain why this problem was worst when parked on an incline. If its the electric choke version - my guess would be a dodgy main float needle valve. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horse25 Posted April 27, 2011 Share Posted April 27, 2011 any update on this Fuel? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sholdowa Posted May 4, 2011 Share Posted May 4, 2011 Problems I've had with pinto starting: 1. 12V supply to the coil fell off = massive voltage drop on cranking 2. Starter fucked = massive voltage drop on cranking 3. Carb needed rebuilding - especially float height resetting 4. Fuel pump knackered ( including a perfectly fine one but the piston on the cam was worn real short. 5. Filters - rust in the tank. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fuel Posted May 4, 2011 Author Share Posted May 4, 2011 any update on this Fuel? appears to have been fixed with the carb overhaul. I was going to do a ballast resister + coil conversion to help it start when cranking but it appears to start fine how it is now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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