My 65 Australian MKI

[gr8kornholio]

Ok. I'll fire it another time and then check the plugs.  Lot less work then taking off the carb.

[mascher]

I've fouled a lot of spark plugs while trying to get cars running. The best way I've found to clear them is to heat the electrode end with a handheld propane torch like a Bernzomatic. You'll see a secondary flame on the end of the spark plug as the fuel burns off. and shortly after this disappears the plug is usually ok. I usually do this out of direct sunlight (not hard in Seattle) so I can see when / if the electrode starts to glow dull red. The plug will get hot but no hotter than it gets in normal use.
Kelley

[gr8kornholio]

So fired it up again and same results.  Not surprised.  Then I pulled the plugs but only #1 was wet.  2-4 were dry.

[94touring]

Maybe you're actually lean?

[MiniDave]

Same engine, same carb so the mixture shouldn't have changed any from before....the only thing that has changed is that it sat for three years. Mine sat for way shorter than that and did the same thing....fixing the choke o-ring fixed it - started perfectly after that.

Only other thing is to make sure the float isn't stuck closed, and that the piston moves freely in the dome - oh and that there's oil in the top of the carb.

YMMV

[gr8kornholio]

New plug wires. Possibly one bad one?  Or a dead plug in #1?   

So the choke thing could cause only one plug to be wet? 

[MiniDave]

Check the other things first before removing the carb.....my plugs weren't wet at all, but fixing the choke fixed the problem

[gr8kornholio]

So in messing around with the plugs and wires discovered that the connector on #1 is a little finicky to get it to snap on.  So got that all sorted late and it was still wet inside so waited until today.  When I fired it, it sounded better, but still died.  Checked all the plugs and were dry.  Made sure all wires were snapped on and tried again.  This time literally nothing.  O well try again after running errands.  Halfway down the alley I realized I didn't remove the rag from the carb intake.  No air no bang. Oops. So when I got home I pulled the rag and tried again.  This time it ran longer. Several seconds before dieing.  Had to go back to work but looks like progress.  Plugs are still dry.

[gr8kornholio]

SUCCESS!!!   Had to modulate the throttle to keep it going but I'd say it's running enough to put everything else on, radiator and all that and then mess with dialing in timing and carb.  Thanks for all the tips.

[MiniDave]

Cool! Progress is always exciting.....

[gr8kornholio]

Yea time to finally put in a parts order and get this thing on the road

[BruceK]

Super!!

[gr8kornholio]

Foiled again, not sure if y'all remember about a year ago I received a shipment from MED that looked like Ace Ventura had delivered it.  With the timing plate missing and the chain rusting.  Well MED was great and took care of it.  Well today I found out something else was missing.  The upper radiator hose.  Guess in all the wth I didn't realize it was missing from the hose kit.  Have contacted them so will see what happens. 

[MiniDave]

That's one of the problems with ordering stuff way out ahead of the project.....the other is you can't find it so you wind up buying another, only to find the original one 5 min after the new one arrives!   ::)

[gr8kornholio]

Yea that's what I was worried about until I found the pic I sent MED and could clearly see it missing.  That and it was never my intention for this to take a year to get to this point.  I got the car back in the fall and fully expected it to be on the go by spring.  Still shooting for spring, just a year late.

[gr8kornholio]

So got the clutch and brakes bled.  Clutch wasn't bad cause I could see it while pumping the pedal.  Brakes different story.  Used the jar with fluid method.   Clutch took awhile to actually get going which was odd since it's so short.  Brakes took a lot but then they were completely empty.  Did all 4 then the backs again.  Pedal feels good.  Will definitely check them again before actually driving.  Especially with my sloped driveway.

[MiniDave]

How close are you to taking it around the block?

Take some video!   77.gif

[gr8kornholio]

Pretty close. Waiting to hear from MED as guy I've been working with is out.  Don't know if I'll have time this weekend to flush block coolant passages and put radiator in. Have all the stuff just need time.  Will do on the video.

[gr8kornholio]

Flushed the cooling passages today.  Good news it was fairly clean, bad news the thermostat housing to block and heater valve to block both leak.  Heater valve is new so not sure why it is.  The thermostat housing may need replaced as it doesn't look terribly smooth on bottom. 

[MiniDave]

I've taken a flat file to those, you might be able to clean it up that way. Also, you can use the cork gasket under the t-stat housing, it's way more forgiving - just use some Permatex sealant under it.

[gr8kornholio]

Ok so entire cooling system is in and filled.  After replacing the bad battery and everything hooked up it won't start.  Just turns.  Like it's not getting fuel.

Disconnected the fuel line from carb to check the pump, and it's working.  If I spray a little carb cleaner in it fires briefly off that so figure spark is working.  Can I check this with timing light?   I've done the arch it to the block but was obviously holding something I wasn't supposed to and got shocked.

So what would be causing the carb not to be delivering fuel?   Only thing I've done to the carb since I fired up prior to installing the radiator was added oil to the dash pot. 

Any ideas?

[Willie_B]

How old is the gas and does it ethanol in it? Water settles to the bottom of the tank where the pickup is.

[MiniDave]

Check to see if the needle is stuck, not letting gas into the float bowl....ethanol can swell the rubber tip causing it to stick.

Also, what WillieB said. Water in old ethanol fuel is a real issue.....

[gr8kornholio]

It's 2 months old but ethanol free.

Can moving the dash pot piston up and down to check for oil knock the needle out of alignment?

Just checked and piston and needle move together freely.

[cstudep]

I think Dave is referring to the float needle sticking. Not sure what carb you are running (external float bowl like the HS or integrated like HIF) but I have had a hell of a time with a sticking float needle in one of my dual HS4's and it absolutely drives me crazy. I have yet to go through all the hassle to pull the carbs off to figure out why it always wants to stick. I also use what is supposedly ethanol free fuel that I also add fuel stabilizer to before winter and if I am going to let it set for very long I also pull power to the fuel pump and let it idle until it dies.

Still have an issue with the float sticking in one carb. Tapping on the float bowl tends to dislodge it and get it working most times.

It never occurred to me that any water in the tank would settle to the bottom, where the fuel exits the tank....... :-[