Subject: Re: [Mgs] Poor start

From: "PaulHunt73" <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 14 Feb 2013 15:07:07 -0000

Once the carbs are full the pump shouldn't click more often than once every 
30 secs, and in practice less frequently than that, until the engine starts 
and you start using fuel.  Flooding it will use fuel of course, but cranking 
speed is much less than a cold-start fast-idle speed so usage will be 
correspondingly less.

Condition of plugs, points?  State of tune of ignition and carbs?  Choke 
operation (possibly OK if it flooded)?  Induction leak (possibly not ditto)? 
If the plugs are flooding it points to an ignition problem more than a fuel. 
If you have a timing light clip it onto the coil lead and each plug lead in 
turn and watch for regular flashing while cranking.  While on 1 and 4 check 
that the timing is around 8 to 10 degrees BTDC.  Note that if you have a 12v 
powered timing light the reduced voltage during cranking may not be enough 
to work the electronics, so you will have to power it from an alternative 
12v battery, either a charged spare or another vehicle.  If you have the 
old-fashioned orange neon 2-wire timing light this should work in any event.

PaulH.

----- Original Message ----- 
> This B has always started right up with no excessive cranking. Any 
> thoughts
> where I start looking?
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From: Paul Root <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 14 Feb 2013 09:14:32 -0600

It would be the usual diagnostics. Start at the coil and make sure you are
getting spark to all cylinders. Put the timing light on each wire in turn.

Check timing. Check continue of the points. Check the cap for cracks, etc.

Check gas getting to the carbs. Check the needles move freely, choke is
working, check for air leaks. Check the condition of the plugs and re-gap.

Check the condition of the ignition relays. I had one burn out on me a couple
of years ago, and I tore apart my whole ignition system looking for it,
including pulling out a new dizzy that I thought may have been defective.

They say 90% of fuel problems are ignition and 90% of ignition problems are
fuel. I say 90% of my problems are things I "know" are "right". :-)

Is Missouri clear enough to drive the MG? I'm jealous.

Paul.

Sent from my iPad

On Feb 14, 2013, at 8:52 AM, Monte Jane Morris <[email-masked]> wrote:

> Hi all,
> I've been lurking for years without a problem to research, but one has
> recently cropped up.
> For the past 8 years, our B sits idle 6-8 months per year. It usually
> starts right up after the fuel pump fills the bowls but this year is
> different.
> I had to crank and crank and it flooded. I waited until the next day and
> cranked for a while and then it started and ran fine. Yesterday, it was
> again hard to start but ran fine on the way to town. If you turn it off for
> a few minutes, it will start right up but if you let it set 10 minutes or
> more it requires cranking about 3 times for 15-20 seconds each. I don't
> notice the fuel pump clicking excessively when this happens (in fact, I
> don't notice it clicking at all but it probably shouldn't in this short
> amount of time). Once it starts, it runs fine both in town and on the
> highway.
> This B has always started right up with no excessive cranking. Any thoughts
> where I start looking?
> Thanks,
> Monte
>
> 1979B, de-smogged with HIF's, carbon canisters, and a points dizzy
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From: "Stephen West-Fisher" <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 14 Feb 2013 10:32:04 -0500

First thing I would verify is that the pump is acting correctly. Turn the
key to ignition and verify the pump clicks for a bit and then stops. "A bit"
can be very short if your fuel system is in really good shape. If you don't
hear anything I'd check the ground inside the boot behind the license plate.
If it clicks a lot and doesn't really stop (Paul's timing is correct) then
check your carbs as you may have a sticking float or needle valve. This
generally includes lots of fuel smell as well.

--
Stephen West-Fisher
N4IK
-----Original Message-----
From: [email-masked] [mailto:[email-masked]] On
Behalf Of PaulHunt73
Sent: Thursday, February 14, 2013 10:07 AM
To: Monte Jane Morris; [email-masked]
Subject: Re: [Mgs] Poor start

PaulH.

----- Original Message ----- 

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From: "PaulHunt73" <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 14 Feb 2013 15:45:13 -0000

Think about it ...

"I had to crank and crank and it flooded."

"If you turn it off for a few minutes, it will start right up but if you let 
it set 10 minutes or more it requires cranking about 3 times for 15-20 
seconds each."
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