34 replies to this topic

[jezjsa]

Hi.

bit of background to the issue of now not starting...

 

this is a 998 A+ engine and i've just fitted a 12g940 head to it.
 

ive also replaced the spark plugs.
I took the alternator off to clean and paint it.

Its had new gaskets etc.

new oil filter.

All now back together again.

 

So once i 'thought' i had everything back together, i went to start the engine, with the choke on.

 

The car started straight away, and sounded great - amazing i thought!

 

Then noticed oil flooding all over the floor - a lot of oil..... so immediately stopped the engine to investigate - had been running less than 15 seconds.

Couldnt find any leaks and the oil drain plug was still in.... then realised i'd forgot to refit the new oil filter! 

 

So... cleaned up all the oil, fitted the new oil filter, filled it back with oil to the correct level.... went to start the car.... and now it wont start.

it turns over, just wont fire. I've taken the spark plugs out and can smell fuel on them.

Ive recharged the battery overnight thinking it might just have been flat.
Came this morning to try again and still the same thing.
Ive attached a jump pack to the battery but still it wont fire, even though before the oil leak it fired fine.

The fuel pipe is fitted to the correct carb outlet, not mixed up with the overflow one. As i took photos before and after.

Any suggestions? Any thougths what to try next?

 

[Lplus]

Whilst fitting the oil filter/ cleaning up the mess, did you disturb/damage  the electrical connections to the coil and or distributor around the front of the engine?

[jezjsa]

No. I’ve checked all those connectors… afterwards. I was quite careful with those.

[jezjsa]

Could it be that the plugs were covered in fuel from turning over several times? I’ve got them all out trying to dry them and maybe the cylinders!

[bpirie1000]

Have you checked if there is still spark.

Go for the basics and work up from there...

If you have nomspark check electrics..
If you have a spark try taking the rocker cover off and manually spin the engine over a full rotation. Look at each valve and make sure they open and close.

Also if you can check the compression on all four cylinders.

Try priming thenoil pressure by pre-fill the oil filter(as you have done), take out the plugs and spin it a few times on the starter just for a few seconds at a time. The dash lamp will go out pretty soon if you have oil pressure and it should be good again..

A few things for you to try there..

[slidehammer]

Could oil or what you used to clean the mess up afterwards have got into anything that is preventing an electrical connection and spark?

If it was working and only stopped after the oil situation, it is unlikely to be fuel related as that is all on the other side of the engine.

Edited by slidehammer, 26 February 2024 - 01:16 PM.

[johnR]

As above, check fuel filling float chamber, check for spark, if you have both and haven't disturbed the position of the dizzy try pouring a little fuel (tiny amount) in the mouth of the carb then immediately turning it over. 

[jezjsa]

Bit of an update on progress of checking stuff…
1. Pulled fuel pipe from carb and fuel spurted out so fuel getting that far.
2. Spark plugs damp and smell of petrol if I turn engine over.
3. I removed all spark plugs and turned engine over a few times. Then refitted them.
4. Took one of the spark plug leads off, put a screwdriver in the end and placed the rest of the screwdriver a few mm off of one of the head nuts and turned over to see if I got spark… AND NOTHING.
5. Put a test light on the positive terminal of the coil and it lit up… a bit weak but it lit up.
6. Before all this ordered a compression test kit!
7. Re the dizzy… it has not been moved since before the cylinder head swop.

Before point 3 I filled the oil filter with oil.

So now what can I or should I test?
I do have another coil … worth fitting to see what happens?

I’ve not check the valves since I set the clearances the other day but as I initially said.. it started first time after the mild rebuild …

[bpirie1000]

Point 4 replace the screwdriver with spark plug..

Does the actual plug in the cylinder give you a spark?

What colur wires do you have on the distributor? Barllast or non ballast?

[jezjsa]

I’ve just taken the ht lead off the distributor and placed near the stud bolt… turned over engine and no spark.

Spark plugs are not sparking…

This is so weird as everything worked fine until I had the engine oil spill due to stupidly forgetting to put the new oil filter back on 😳

I’ll take a photo of wires to coil in the morning as I’ll need to resize the images as too big on iPhone.

[jezjsa]

ok so las night i realised i'd placed the 2 wires that come out of the distributor to the coil the wrong way around! Could that have blown the Lumenition module inside?

I've added some photos...

Also, the coil has a red lead that runs from positive all the way back to the fuse box, so i put my test light at the fuse box end and it lit up just fine.

 

 

Attached Files

•  IMG_0247.jpg   57.33K   3 downloads
•  coil.jpg   53.12K   9 downloads
•  engine.jpg   110.28K   19 downloads

[sonscar]

Incorrect polarity most likely means the unit is toast.Sorry,Steve..

[bpirie1000]

Nip back to points see if you get anywhere..

Or just try new laumentation

[jezjsa]

thought as much... bugger. ok that will teach me to check the bloody colour of wires! lol. OK i'll see if the old one still works as i changed it a year ago when trying to debug a flat spot!

Thanks for all the help so far - very useful - will update here once i get this changed over...

[bpirie1000]

Would also say the radiator top hose needs the kink removed

But that will not stop it from running....obviously....