Jim:
I'm not completely certain, but the Healey sounds pretty normal to me.
It has been my experience that most Healeys (and many other British cars!)
have the 'heat-soak' problem that you describe - I know my Healeys both do,
as did our now sold HS4 equipped MGB.
Assuming all ignition / carburation adjustments are correct or very close,
when the engine is shut off, particularly in hot weather, heat soak will
expand the fuel in the float bowls a short while after shut off - this can
take a couple of minutes or so. If the engine is restarted immediately - no
apparent problem, same thing if it sits for 20 - 30 minutes or more and
begins to cool a bit.
If the restart is done in, say, 5 - 15 minutes give or take, heat soak has
expanded the fuel in the bowls, and the engine is in an immediate but
momentary rich, 'blubery' condition, until cooler fuel makes it's way into
the system, and a bit of air is moving through the engine bay. That heat
soaked fuel actually percolates from one or both of the jets momentarily -
that's what causes the rough running.
If your friend/customer says that the condition was not present before, I'd
be willing to bet that the carb and/or ignition settings were off a bit,
enough to possibly mask the condition. If the cold start and driveaway is
now good, and the car runs well at cruise and under load, ( and there are no
fuel leaks or carb venting problems), I'd have to say that you've probably
got it about as good as it's going to get.
Finicky cars, aren't they!
Earl Kagna
Victoria, B.C.
BT7 tri-carb
BJ8
----- Original Message -----
From: "James Shope" <healeymanjim@JoiMail.com>
To: "healeys" <healeys@autox.team.net>
Sent: Wednesday, April 28, 2004 8:14 AM
Subject: 100 car problem
thanks for all the help. checked out the vent system yesterday. smoothed
off
the nut which had corrosion and made sure system was venting. it started
perfectly and i drove it around until heated up to about 170-180 on gauge.
once shut off it will start smoothly if it sits for just a minute or two.
problem comes in when let to sit for 5-15 minutes in direct sun. if allowed
to sit longer, it starts smoothly, which tells me the heat has evaporated
all
excess fuel. i have not noticed any fuel streaming out of manifolds, and
neither my moss catalog or manual show any kind of drains like on my bj8. i
do not understand how the fuel is getting into the engine if it has proper
venting to allow for expansion of the fuel. maybe a louvered hood is the
answer but she says she did not have this problem in the past so i am at a
loss to decipher the problem. oh well, back to the drawing board.
healeymanjim
|