Hello John,
You wrote:
My 1966 TR-4A won't start. The car is in the midst of a rolling
restoration and doesn't get much use. (a couple of hundred miles in four
years.)
Any suggestions on how to approach this problem?
The best approach is to start at the beginning, and work from there.
remeber that you need three things to make the engine go bang; spark,
compression and fuel. Check in that order.
1. Check points. Probably best to replace if they got oilly. Otherwise use
brake cleaner to clean, then file contacts flat. If they got oilly, then
they're probably pitted. Set at .010".
2. Check wiring internal to distributor and to coil. Replace or tighten as
needed.
3. Check condenser and wiring. Replace if any doubts.
4. What color are plugs? Should be tan/sand colored. Check gap. Should be
.025-.027".
5. While you have the plugs out check the valve/rocker gap. (It's easier to
turn the engine by hand with the plugs out). Should be .010" cold. Inspect
for broken springs.
6. Meter the sparkplug wiring. Should be zero for solid core, or a few
ohms for resistive.
7. Check the timing. Set at static zero to begin with, then advance using
the distributor adjustment screw one mark.
8. Disconnect the white wire going to the "+" side of the coil, and check
the compression. Should be within 10-20 lbs of each other. Any wild
readings need to be rechecked. Squirting a teaspoon of motor oil into a
cylinder will affect a reading if there is a ring problem, not valves.
9. Reconnect the white wire, and connect a timing light to #1, and try to
start. Repeat on all cylinders. Light should flash on all cylinders.
Flashing means you're getting spark. That's good.
10. Pull the tops of the carb reservoirs, check for fuel and "stuff" in the
bowls. If you have a fuel pump with the lever pump a few times to see if
there's flow. You can do the same by pressing the solenoid button. Make
sure the igintion is off.
11. Check float height. Should be 3/32". Use a drill bit to measure.
12. Based on the plug color you might want to adjust the carbs
leaner/richer (probably leaner) a few flats at a time. Or, if unsure, set
the jets to the initial setting of "two turns" and try to start.
13. Open the choke wide open and try to start. This would indicate an air
leak. Once you get it running use carb cleaner around carb. throttle shafts
and manifold to locate.
Hopefully you found the problem in one of the above steps.
Good luck,
John in San Diego
'67 TR4A
'71 Volvo P1800E
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