Elan S4 starting problems

[diablo]

Hi you all
My car is very very difficult to start . From my previous posts , I suspect the carburation ; then I remember having read that very often the carburetion trouble are ignition trouble . I went back to the ignition ; I had fitted a pertronix with a Lucas racing coil . The pertronix needs a 3 ohms coil for 4 cylinder engine ; the Lucas is 1,5 Ohm . Hourrah ! That's the problem , I ordered a pertronix 3 ohms coil and ......no improvement . The engine started OK only after I put some drops of fuel in the carbs , this made me think a fuel level problem . I had checked this many times ; 8mm float height was OK . I decided to check the level in the carb with a vernier depth gauge . Result : 35 mm ! it should be 25 .
I have change the float height to 6 mm ; fuel height in the carb is now :25/26 mm . Why ??? I read a member of the forum had the same problem . Now , the car starts first kick ; but I have still to finalyse the tuning of the Weber .
Thanks for your informations
Diablo

[nmauduit]

Hi Diablo,

glad to see you're good on your way... I don't remember where you are located, but for your information when the time comes to fully test your car there are a few track days organized this side of the channel by a nice bunch of chaps you can find under SCCT, I try to attend at least once a year (next is Oct 13: I should go if all goes well with the current todo list)

[diablo]

Hi mmauduit
I live in Normandy , close to the seaside , just between Dieppe and " La baie de somme " . My next step is to bring my car to a guy , close to Rouen , this guy has a little garage where he maintains some racing lotus . I think he will be able to cure my last weber tuning trouble . My hope is to use my car as a normal car , no racing use . For the track day , why not when my Elan drives normally ; where is this event ?
Cordialement
Diablo

[nmauduit]

Hi mmauduit
I live in Normandy , close to the seaside , just between Dieppe and " La baie de somme " . My next step is to bring my car to a guy , close to Rouen , this guy has a little garage where he maintains some racing lotus . I think he will be able to cure my last weber tuning trouble . My hope is to use my car as a normal car , no racing use . For the track day , why not when my Elan drives normally ; where is this event ?
Cordialement
Diablo

Hi,

I'm east of Paris, not that far... when the car runs. I think I've been told about the guy you refer to, though have not met him yet.

The next SCCT track day is Oct. 13, I have enlisted so should get on with finishing off the servicing (and improvements...) list long overdue by then. This one is a bit far in Clermont, on the Michelin test track (hald day dry, half day wet ... sounds fun and a promise for good training). I'm planning to go with a trailer this time. I've been to events in Monthlery with them, a place gorged with automotive history, but the 80+ years old speed ring is in poor condition, there are regularly events in Magny Cours also... a bunch of friends passionate about their cars, most of them maintaining it themselves, and quite considerate with beginners, too.

Nic

[diablo]

Hi
Not too far from me is Croix en Ternois circuit where classic cars and motorbikes races occures . There is also a private track in Abbeville , where the gendarmerie come to learn driving fast their new fast cars .
I know very well Monthl?ry , last time I went there , many years ago ,was with my Lamborghini Miura , good old times .

[Chancer]

Sounds like 3 of us are not too far away from each other in the scheme of things.

Frequent visits to Croix en Ternois are what started the ball rolling resulting in my eventual move here.

I drove Abbeville once, very tight, more of a kart circuit but great in a 7

There is another great circuit nr at Folembray, lovely quarry setting set away in the woods but sadly afflicted like many by noise complaints.

My favorite but please please dont spread the word is Clastres, just like Croix was in the good old days but even more laid back and I dont want that to change for the worst, selfish I know.

Jonathon Palmer has bought the ex American airfield circuit at Laon Couvron but after the initial fanfare I have it on good authority the reality of starting up and operating in France has sunk in he has an understanding of the phrase bouffer son brin it will just be a millionaires and egotists playground anyway.

[diablo]

Hi Chancer
I think you refer to the small karting circuit in Abbeville , but , close to the airfield is another large one , called the Stadium I think , where many sport car clubs rent the circuit for open tracking days . The owner has a wonderfull collection of very interesting cars ; and the police and gendarmerie rent the circuit for training on their new toys ( megane RS ) . There is a website : www.stadium-automobile.fr

[Chancer]

Thats definitely the one I used, very sinuous and suited to a monoplace or Se7en, when I described it to French friends they referred to it as the karting circuit, I had never realised that there were both.

I distinctly recall seeing the airfield beside, I'll have to find out what is going on there and visit.

Editted.

Oh dear, typical French website, tells you what has happened but not what will be happening, and even that has not been updated since 2011

Look at the rubrique "ils sont venus au Stadium" and the first article albeit 7 years old features a young man from the next village to me who I have been fundraising for for several years, quite a coincidence.