Rob-mu Posted July 25, 2012 Share Posted July 25, 2012 Hi A quick run down: Helping my partners dad find some enthusiasm with his Leitch lotus 7 project that has been sitting along time as the motor was worn out.managed to find a fresh one on trademe for a good price and the enthusiasm has returned(even I'm getting into it) . It's a Internaly stock ford 1600 crossflow motor with twin dcoe40's ,exhaust,electronic ignition etc The issue is when trying to start the thing it simply won't start unless we pour a little fuel into the main jet but when we do that it fires right up and will idle fine even turning it off straight away it will restart fine .giving it a quick rev will make it splutter and not smooth but thats another issue I guess?(we are positive that the timing is correct) With a bit of research we have discovered the idle jets are more suited to a 2.0l not the 1600 so have ordered some correct ones. Could this be the issue?The carbs were re jetted for the 1600 (obviously not correctly) about 20 years ago but used to run ok with the previous motor. The car has been in storage for the last 15years so we are going to re kit the carbs as well. So my question is what could be stopping the initial start up? Sorry if this topic has come up but I did have a good search Rob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sholdowa Posted July 25, 2012 Share Posted July 25, 2012 From what I remember, I used to pump the throttle 5 times before trying to start it, and then baby it to get it idling. That was without a choke. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob-mu Posted July 25, 2012 Author Share Posted July 25, 2012 Thanks for the reply We have tried that with no luck,does not sound like it wants to fire at all. Dont have the chokes setup ether Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unclejake Posted July 25, 2012 Share Posted July 25, 2012 I have had a bit to do with the pre-crossflow Ford engines on DCOEs and there is a lot of possibilities to list. The obvious one is that the fuel is stale. Where are you located? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob-mu Posted July 25, 2012 Author Share Posted July 25, 2012 Fuel tank has been removed cleaned and fresh 95 octane Christchurch Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unclejake Posted July 25, 2012 Share Posted July 25, 2012 Well done with the fuel. CHCH is a bit far away for me to pop by, but after reading your description again I am not completely clear on what the issue is. - There are four main jets. Where are you pouring fuel to get the engine started? Most of what you describe could be caused by one stuck float valve .... which seems likely given the history Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tim13 Posted July 25, 2012 Share Posted July 25, 2012 accelerator pumps working ? if you look down carbs and open throttle how much fuel comes out ? hope that helps , cheers Tim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rookie Posted July 25, 2012 Share Posted July 25, 2012 Yea, before you go replacing jets, I would get the thing running first. I too echo what has been said re float bowls and pump jets. I would definitely rekit the carbs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob-mu Posted July 25, 2012 Author Share Posted July 25, 2012 Awesome info guys cheers.after a quick bit of research it looks like you are on the money Will wait till the kits come and report back Rob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob-mu Posted July 25, 2012 Author Share Posted July 25, 2012 - There are four main jets. Where are you pouring fuel to get the engine started? I presume you meen 2 main/2 idle jets per carb? The fuel is getting poured into the wing nut/inspection cover where the jets are accessed .a very small quantity is getting poured in and it starts right up.and continues to run not just until the fuel getting poured in gets used up. Rob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob-mu Posted July 25, 2012 Author Share Posted July 25, 2012 accelerator pumps working ? if you look down carbs and open throttle how much fuel comes out ? hope that helps , cheers Tim Should I expect to see fuel coming out when motor is off or Only running? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rookie Posted July 25, 2012 Share Posted July 25, 2012 Have you checked the idle jets? But seriously I would be surprised if the carbs were in working order after 15 years, they will need a rebuild. For the pump jets you will see fuel squirt into the intake when you twist the throttle shaft. I assume you have googled about DCOEs? http://www.classicrallyclub.com.au/docs/Tips_tuning_Weber_carburettors_DVAndrews.pdf http://www.expeditionlandrover.info/2trSite/WeberDCOEinfo.htm http://7faq.com/owbase/ow.asp?HowDoI%2FTuneWeberCarburettors http://cnx.org/content/m37431/latest/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unclejake Posted July 25, 2012 Share Posted July 25, 2012 -There are four main jets. Where are you pouring fuel to get the engine started? I presume you meen 2 main/2 idle jets per carb? (Yes - UJ)The fuel is getting poured into the wing nut/inspection cover where the jets are accessed .a very small quantity is getting poured in and it starts right up.and continues to run not just until the fuel getting poured in gets used up. Rob Ahh. That makes float valves even more likely (or a fuel pump problem). Don't buy any jets yet. The float valves will often come right by gently tapping the carb with a small hammer. I fixed a Mustang with your same issue with a hammer two weeks ago. I wouldn't fit the carb kits yet either. Get the thing running first if you can. I don't think pump jets will cause your exact issue, but you don't need the engine running to test them. The pump jets will spray neat fuel into the inlet manifold when the butterflys are opened abruptly. Summary: 1) Ensure the fuel pump is delivering the carbs fuel. They like about 3psi. If you have a 15psi pump on there the thing will never run. 2) Tap the tops of the carbs repeatedly with a small hammer 3) Try to start the engine, and if it only runs after you manuall add fuel then you should take to tops off and check the float valves. Good luck. Keep us updated as this sounds like a fun project. EDIT: From memory the actual idle jets are burried way down in the bowels of the float bowl. The idle mixture screws on the manifold flanges may well need adjustment, but if this has been a running car then it should run with those untouched for now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob-mu Posted July 25, 2012 Author Share Posted July 25, 2012 Thanks for the links will have a look when I get home.some of them look familler as we have printed off a small forest worth of info Have cleaned the idle jets I seem to be getting no fuel coming out when pumping the throttle haha! Do the rebuild kits normaly come with the required parts to freshen up the pumps? Thanks Rob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob-mu Posted July 26, 2012 Author Share Posted July 26, 2012 Have already had a spend up at burton power.purchased some new jets (the ones in it now are more suited to a 2.0l from the specs i have seen)as they Wernt very expensive and a pair of rebuild kits. Will try getting it running in the meen time Will try what you have suggested tonight and let you know,fuel pump is regulated to 3 psi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rookie Posted July 26, 2012 Share Posted July 26, 2012 Yea pump jets can get stuck, they were on my Alfa. You probably wouldn't go a miss if you pulled the top off and made sure the float bowl was filling with fuel, the pump jet ball bearing was free and all the jets and passage ways are clean. Also go to http://www.Lotus7.co.nz, there are a bunch of super knowledgeable guys over there on the semantics of them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob-mu Posted July 26, 2012 Author Share Posted July 26, 2012 I don't think pump jets will cause your exact issue, but you don't need the engine running to test them. The pump jets will spray neat fuel into the inlet manifold when the butterflys are opened abruptly. Oh scratch what I said about no fuel delivery .(I may have been looking at the wrong thing ) So the pump jets are on the intake manifold side of the butterflys?, maybe some of my questions are best left until I am home so i can have a look for myself as my memory doesn't serve me well . Regards Rob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob-mu Posted July 26, 2012 Author Share Posted July 26, 2012 Also go to http://www.Lotus7.co.nz, there are a bunch of super knowledgeable guys over there on the semantics of them. Lotus 7 was my first port of call ,but to register was going to take longer then my patience would allow. But will get the ball rolling on joining Rob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob-mu Posted July 26, 2012 Author Share Posted July 26, 2012 Well had a little play last night ,got it starting by itself thanks to unclejake and the hammer tip. Took the top off the carbs and they are pretty dirty inside(bottom of bowls are covered in black crap) So all I need to do now is in the tuning as it splutters and dies when on the throttle Rob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beaver Posted July 26, 2012 Share Posted July 26, 2012 I would pull the carbs apart and give them a good clean out before tyring to tune them (if thety are still full of crap) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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