Lotus Elan and Lotus Elan Plus 2 Forums

Hi All,
I have just completed tidying up the wiring on the car , along with making the headlamps work, as well as sorting all the electrical problems, also fitted a new hi torque starter motor.



Now I have a problem - even though the car was running before I started the electrical work.

I have a spark
I have compression
I have reset the timing , again, again and noted the comments checking that the No 1 rotor is in 10 oclock position, and set at 10 degrees BTDC.

I have strong smell of petrol after a bit of cranking - however just noticed that 1&2 cylinders were dry and No 3&4 wet with petrol.

Could this indicate a fuel starvation problem.

Checked plug against block and have a clear spark

Anyone any further tips - apart from topping up the fuel tank.?

Would dropping a small amount of petrol in each cylinder verify the fuel problem.

Thanks in advance

Check for fuel/levels in the float chamber the pin mounting that hold the float can brake if not removed with care if this has happend in the past and a repair has now failed it could be jamming the float .Or it is some other dirt or grime ,quicker to have a look then type about it.
Neil

Have you checked that the spark is firing after the compression stroke and not the exhaust stroke?

nico wrote: rotor is in 10 oclock position,

Are you sure that corresponds to No. 1. segment in the distributor cap when the engine is at TDC on the firing stroke?

Hi. If it were one of the float chambers only, then wouldn't it be firing on two of the cylinders? And you've not mentioned touching the carbs at all. If it's not firing at all then I would check the timing of the sparks first. I had a similar problem with mine when I mixed up the ignition leads. I had to rotate the engine until the exhaust port next to the oil filler cap was fully open, and work out the position of number one lead on the distributor from that. Worked first time once I'd gotten them right.

All the best.

Sean.

Have you checked that you have power to the coil when cranking?

I was having to crank the twincam over 15 or 20 times before it would fire from cold. I realised that although I had 12v to the coil before starting when cranking I had no volts! I found I had put the ignition feed on the wrong terminal on the ignition switch - on correcting this she fires first time,

Richard

RichardS wrote:Have you checked that you have power to the coil when cranking?

[quote="nico"]I have a spark
Checked plug against block and have a clear spark
[quote="RichardS"]

Galwaylotus wrote:

RichardS wrote:Have you checked that you have power to the coil when cranking?

nico wrote:I have a spark
Checked plug against block and have a clear spark

RichardS wrote:

I am not quite sure how [someone will tell us!] but the engine would start eventually, despite not having any power to the coil when cranking. So some sort of a spark must have been getting through - presumably just before or after cranking? It would take quite a while from cold though. Since correcting the wiring at the ignition switch starts on the first turn of the starter!

Richard

Thanks everyone for the comments and suggestions - but could someone enlighten me as to how the blue /white cold start wire that feeds to the coil via the solenoid which has now been removed following the installation of a reduction geared starter motor, as the red /white trigger wire from the ign switch now feeds directly to the starter motor.

I have read that a diode may need to be fitted and ask -what are these and how is this wired in as i understand this is a eletrical one way check switch in simple terms!

I am putting in fresh fuel to eliminate the issue of old fuel being a problem.

Regards
Nico

Nico,

The white wire should go through a ballast resistor on it's way from the ignition switch to the + side of the coil providing around 8 or 9 volts when running. The white/red wire that used to go from the ignition switch to the solenoid should now go the the Super Starter. The blue/white wire can be attached to a second terminal (screw type) on the Super Starter and attached to the + side of the coil to provide 12V to the coil when starting.

wellll it sounds like its time for a shot of quick start [ether] then you will know --ether it will start or it wont ---ed