Starting issues

[skeeter]

Hi all,

 

I have been using my 1600e as a daily driver for a few weeks and it has always started on the first or second turn of the key.

 

Yesterday morning it took about two minutes of cranking to get it to start. I put this down to the fact it had sat for a couple of days. But the the same happened in the evening when I finished work.

 

I stopped for fuel on the way home and it was a pig to start when I returned to the car after paying.

 

The odd thing, once started it runs absolutely normally, idles well and pulls the same.

 

As it struggled to start after only a couple of minutes I can't beleive it is fuel as the carb would still have been full. Also, can't beleieve it is an electrical break down as the car runs normally once started. The strength of the cranking seems as it always has been and the battery seems fine.

 

Going to poke around tomorrow, but does anybody have any bright ideas as to what it might be?

 

Ken

[katana]

It may be cranking fine, but drawing significant current causing battery volt drop to the ignition system? Load test on the battery if only to discount it?

[skeeter]

Thanks - I will check that tomorrow. I had assumed that since the engine was cranking well the battery was fine.

[puddy]

If its still on points and condensor , fit a quality replacement for both or ideally

 

go electronic ignition like I have with my x flow , never have any problems statring

 

summer or winter ( I use it all year round )

 

puddy

[skeeter]

Yes t still on points/condenser set up. Will have a think about that as I quite like the originality, but not at the price of being able to use it.

 

K

[skeeter]

So, been out this morning, the dizzy cap, rotor arm and points all look pretty much brand new.

 

Battery tests at 12.77v but I don't know how to load test it. I have put it on charge and the charger is showing as "charging" which may or may not be good. Going to give it a while and see what that does.

 

Question, I have a much heavier duty battery in the garage for my Lotus, if I connected this up I suppose I risk melting stuff?

 

Ken

[colr6]

You won't melt anything using a bigger battery

[skeeter]

Ok, so wife is home so got her to crank the car with the dizzy cap off. I can't see a spark between the points. This therefore seems to be the reason behind the non starting.

 

Why this is? No idea.....

[skeeter]

Google appears to be my friend. Suspects now coil or condenser. So going to probe around with my multimeter.... 

[colr6]

No spark at points is low tension side, check for feeds at coil with ign on and also when cranking. Check and reset points gap, if you have feed/ gap and still no spark condenser could be faulty.

[skeeter]

It turns out that I am now officially a mechanical god!

 

Checked th voltage to the coil, looked fine, then I looked at the little thing just in front of the coil in the picture. This has a spade connected wire on the bottom which was hanging off.

 

Plugged it back in and hey presto - instant start!!

 

I feel EPIC!

Thanks for all the ideas.

 

Ken

[colr6]

[khanlad]

Anyone need an auto electician? Skeeters your man!