Burnt Valves are a common cause for a car that will not start when hot.
Larry Miller
http://www.ado13.com
Ever Wonder How Much Deeper The Ocean Would Be Without Sponges?
----- Original Message -----
From: Elliott, Patrick <patrick.elliott@attws.com>
To: 'Jeff Boatright' <jboatri@emory.edu>; Charles D. Sorkin
<cdsorkin@ix.netcom.com>; <spridgets@autox.team.net>
Sent: Wednesday, July 28, 1999 11:40 AM
Subject: RE: Midget behaving badly again... what to do?
> The only difference is that a push start will spin the engine much faster
> then the starter will. I had a motor with burnt valves and no
compression.
> I couldn't start it with the starter, but it would push/bump start
> everytime. I learned to park on a hill.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Jeff Boatright [mailto:jboatri@emory.edu]
> Sent: Wednesday, July 28, 1999 7:23 AM
> To: Charles D. Sorkin; spridgets@autox.team.net
> Subject: Re: Midget behaving badly again... what to do?
>
>
> Charles,
>
> The most confusing thing to me is the condition that, whereas the starter
> turns the engine, you need a push to start. A push only does what a
working
> starter does, which is turn the engine. Possibly the car has time to cool
> off by the time you push it? In any event, the fact that it push-starts
> seems to me to rule out a lot of things like a bad coil or regulator, etc,
> because, again, you're only turning the engine whether you use the starter
> or you push.
>
> A change in idle rpm with increased engine heat sounds like some type of
> air leak around the carbs or manifold. You can test for this by spraying
> carb cleaner around the carbs and manifold while running. If you use a
> non-cumbustible spray, the engine rpm will drop if it gets sucked in.
> Typical wear points for leaks are the throttle shaft bushes on either carb
> body. You may also wa to check that the carbs are firmly bolted to the
> manifold and both to the head.
>
> Pumping the gas pedal doesn't do anything with SU carbs.
>
> I run my car in all types of weather, including the hottest days in
> stop-and-go traffic in Atlanta. These cars can take it. In fact, I'm
runing
> a 1275 with the older radiator from a 1098. Your cooling system must not
> have leaks and must be clear of debris.
>
> If you think you have symptoms like some listed in the Motorhead catalog,
> call them and talk to them about this. While you're at it, order their
> spridget tune-up video. Doing your own tune-up by following the video may
> fix this problem and it certainly will give you a better appreciation for
> how your car works, or is supposed to work. If you do this today, you may
> get an answer over the phone and you should get the video by the weekend.
>
> Good luck and let us know how it goes,
>
> Jeff
>
>
> At 8:36 AM -0400 7/28/99, Charles D. Sorkin wrote:
> > Dear List:
> >
> > For those who are interested in the continuing saga with my '74 Midget,
> the
> > following problem has been coming up since the weather has been above 95
> > degrees:
> >
> > When cruising along in stop-start traffic, and the engine starts running
> > warm, the idle has a tendency to slow down to 500-600 rpm, which causes
> the
> > car to have a tendency to stall out when at a complete stop. Secondly,
> > during these conditions, twice now I have attempted to restart the car,
> and
> > though the starter turns the engine, it will not restart. I tried
> > restarting first with the choke in, then out, and then with several
pumps
> of
> > the gas pedal. The eventual solution was the embarassing push start.
(The
> > first time was upon returning home after the Positive Earth Drivers Club
> > event in NJ... I stalled out at the toll booth on the Garden State
> Parkway.
> > The clerks came over to tell me how cool these cars are, but that they
> were
> > a maintenance nuisance. I thanked them for their insight. Fortunately,
> > they were good natured about giving us a push!)
> >
> > I noted in the Motorhead catalog that they briefly mention this as a
> symptom
> > so something (though they do not say what), and suggest disconnecting
the
> > hose that connects the carbs to the air cleaner. (I think).
> >
> > What could be the casue of this difficulty, and how could it be
addressed?
> > Is it simply a matter of setting my idle higher (to adress stalling
out)?
> > Should I understand that LBCs just don't do well in near-100 degree
> weather?
> > What would cause the difficulty in restarting under these conditions?
> >
> > For those that remember my previous carb-related questions, I expect to
be
> > replacing my throttle springs shortly. Since I sprayed some WD-40 on
> them,
> > and resisted touching the gas pedal when starting, the earlier RPM
problem
> > (engine roars to life) is much less severe.
> >
> > Regards,
> >
> >
> > Charles
> > '74 Midget
> > cdsorkin@ix.netcom.com
> > Bloomfield, NJ
>
>
> Jeff Boatright '65 Sprite MkIII __o_\__
> http://userwww.service.emory.edu/~jboatri/
>
>
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