At 12:38 PM 7/24/99 EDT, Kevin wrote:
>
>Hi Spitfire experts:
>
>Can anyone help me with an intermittent problem with my 76
>spitfire(electronic ignition) not starting? Occasionally, the engine will
>turn over just fine but will not fire! Sometimes it floods as well. I have
>replaced the coil and charged the battery, but it still happens about every
>third time I drive the car.
>Any suggestions about what to look for, test, etc. would be greatly
>appreciated
Kevin,
When it doesn't start, check for spark. Pull any plug wire, stick a
phillips screwdriver in the socket of the plug wire. Hold the screwdriver
so the shank is about 1/4" or so from a major metal piece of the car/engine.
Then have someone try to start the car. You should see a nice spark. If
not then your problem is electrical. Otherwise you problem is probably
fuel.
Can you give any more info on when it doesn't start? Such as, is the
engine hot. Have you just driven quite a ways or just down the street?
Is it a hot, humid day?
If the problem is electrical:
1. You could have a problem with either the dist. cap or rotor button.
You can replace them and see what happens.
2. Check all of the electrical connections from you electronic ign. module
to the car/eng. Did you install it? Are the connections simply 2 wires
twisted together and wrapped with electrical tape? They should be
soldered.
3. Check the electrical ground strap from the eng. to the body/chassis.
Be sure that the ends of the wire are clean and shinny, and the there
is clean metal where it connects.
4. When was the last time the plug wires were replaced. In the evening
(so it is fairly dark) started the car. Spay the plug wires with water
from a spray bottle. Look for some faint sparks, and listen for a "ZAP".
This is an indication that the wires are breaking down and the spark is
going to a ground and NOT to the plugs.
Now on to fuel. When it doesn't start, do you smell gas? If so the carb
is flooding the eng. or leaking out the fuel. So here are some things
to try:
1. You can try spraying some starting fluid into the car and see it the eng.
will start. If it does and then dies, your problem is fuel.
2. It could be trash in your fuel tank blocking the pick up tube,
3. Fuel leaking out of the carb,
4. The choke could be stuck on (making it too rich to start if it is a hot
day or the eng. is already hot from a previous run). What is your gas
milage like?
5. Could be junk in the float bowl, or a sticking needle valve (try tapping
on the float bowl with a screw driver handle to free it and see if the
eng. will start).
John T. Blair WA4OHZ email: jblair@exis.net
Va. Beach, Va Phone: (757) 495-8229
48 TR1800 65 Morgan 4/4 Series V (B1109)
71 Saab Sonett III (71500840) 75 Bricklin SV1 (0887) 77 Spitfire
Morgan: www.team.net/www/morgan
Bricklin: www.bricklin.org
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