Plus 2 start problems

[OriginalFire]

Hi there,
I'm having difficulty starting the plus two and was wondering if you guys could help me out.
I don't know much of the car itself as it was passed down to me.
The car has the weber carburetors installed.

I was able to get it started once and I was letting it run idle then it suddenly died.
I topped up more gas into the tank and I wasn't able to start it due to the battery being low.
The next day after charging the battery I was able to start it, but I closed the choke too quick and the engine died.
Now I have been unsuccessful at starting the car at all.
I'm doing the procedure of
Pull choke
Pump gas two times
Ignition

Battery is also on a full charge.

Here is a video of the car as I'm trying to start it

https://drive.google.com/file/d/16Nxuo4 ... p=drivesdk

Any suggestions?



Thanks,
Jon

[Chrispy]

Are you getting fuel to the carbs? Remove the jet cover and have a look. Could be the fuel pump. Is it the standard mechanical unit or is there an electric one?

[512BB]

Good morning Jon and welcome to the board.

If your car has Webers fitted, you NEVER use the choke, not even in winter. Not sure about -40 where you are.

All things being equal, and the ignition and carbs set up reasonably accurately, just 2 or 3 pumps on the fast pedal will prime the cylinders, on with the ignition and then the starter motor.

In your case, the engine may be flooded, so remove the plugs and observe. If they are wet and stink of petrol, dry them off with an airline, or just leave them out of the engine for a couple of hours. Let the cylinders dry out at the same time.

Check the gaps on the plugs, adjust to 20 thou., give or take, and pop them back in. Do not pull the choke or press on the petal this time. Attempt to start the car and all should be okay. If the cylinders have dried out completely, you could punp the pedal once or twice.

Just to go back to the begining, after removing the plug leads, before removing plugs, I always blow in the plug well with an airline or suck with hoover hose. This to remove any debris that always seems to accumulate there.You do not want any crap falling into the engine.

Good luck with it, keep us posted.

Leslie

[alan.barker]

NEVER EVER use the Choke.
Only some pumps on the Accelerator. When you removed the Plug leads did you put them back in the correct place
Alan

[Grizzly]

As above it's so unusual to require the choke to get an Elan started if you have used it and suddenly started getting problems i'd check the plungers haven't jammed.


On a car thats stood you want to do all the simple stuff (fresh Plugs/oil/oil filter, set of points, maybe a rotor arm, have a good look at the Distributor cap and leads for any damage (especially if the leads go round the back of the head), check the timing, fresh carb O-rings, clean pump jets, fresh fuel etc then once it's running check the carb balance and idle mixture) and see where that leaves you.


Some thing i always check now on webers is the venturi springs, if they are loose you tend to find lot of neat fuel knocking about in the chokes/venturi's/air box and thats not good (huge fire risk) so they should be checked as a matter of course.

[vincereynard]

First try "Easy Start" or the equivalent. Removing the hose and squirting into the airbox should have some effect. It is fires OK it eliminates ignition as a main problem.

Fit new plugs. I've had mine completely refuse to even fire, not a cough. New plugs, it started on the button.

[OriginalFire]

Thanks for all the replies!

I'll inspect the spark plugs this weekend and see what happens from there.

[jimj]

On our Sprint engine S3; I NEVER, EVER use the choke, it`s not even connected. From cold, I pump the accelerator 2 or 3 times, turn the engine and as it fires catch it on the accelerator, brrrm. It`s on Dellortos.
On our Sprint I ALWAYS, ALWAYS use the choke, pump the accelerator 5 or 6 times, turn the engine and as it fires catch it on the accelerator, brrm. It`s on Dellortos. After a few seconds I slide the choke back in.
Both cars were set up on a rolling road so I don`t know why they are different, but they are.

Back to the original question; there are so many variables that might prevent a car starting or, more particularly, running smoothly. If you`ve got air, fuel and a spark it should, at least, fire, it`s probably the spark.
Jim

[Chrispy]

I use the choke on my +2 which has Webers. Only when it's cold (for here that's <15degC) and only till it gets a little heat into it. If I don't it just wants to stall. In warmer weather there is no issues.

[OriginalFire]

Finally got some time to check the spark plugs.

Pulled them out and noticed they had quite the build up on them.
I swapped them out for brand new ones and I was able to get the engine started with no problems!

Video:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1sZu1k ... eiiByv4UR2

Thank you everyone for all the help and replies!

Now onto the next thing to fix. Headlights not popping up, but the lights turn on. I'll leave that for another thread sometime XD.

[alan.barker]

Hi Originalfire,
just one last question which i can't stop myself from asking.
After you fitted the new Plugs did you use the Choke to start or just pumped the Accelerator
Alan

[OriginalFire]

Hi Originalfire,
just one last question which i can't stop myself from asking.
After you fitted the new Plugs did you use the Choke to start or just pumped the Accelerator
Alan

Hi Alan,

When I first started it. I pumped the gas 3 times. Then ignition. Car started but quickly died.
The second time I got it going after pulling the choke about 1/4 way.


-Jon