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Re: Kids, Cars, and a no start LBC

To: Frank Clarici <spritenut@Exit109.com>, Spridgets <spridgets@autox.team.net>
Subject: Re: Kids, Cars, and a no start LBC
Date: Mon, 18 Dec 2000 21:43:22 -0800
References: <3A3EB5E0.27743DCF@exit109.com>
Sometimes even the pro's overlook the basic ones.  Here are some to check.
Will the car start when cold right away on starting fluid?  If so the weber
still might not be jetted rich enough to start.  The weather where I'm at
is really mild, but with my weber DCOE, the float bowl tends to evaporate
out.  I have to let the fuel pump run until the float bowl is full, then it
fires right up.
How about the ground strap?  If the starter isn't getting a good enough
ground, it will act as if it is draining the battery faster than it really
is.  Does the starter initially sound like it is turning the engine over at
the same speed that the other cars turn over at?
Really dumb one but easily overlooked.  Is the coil wired backwards?  Been
there done that too.  Enough energy to start it when it's warm out, but not
enough when colder.
Oil weight too thick?  If the engine has less miles on it/ built to tighter
tolerances, might need to drop down to 5w30 oil if not doing so already.
Mobil has a new 0w30 synthetic for really cold weather.  Might just be the
ticket to the engine turning over easier.
Last winter you pulled out the ignitor and went back to points right?  Did
you narrow up the spark plug gaps to the minimum gap?
Other list advice has been to swap parts from the cars that start OK.
Sounds like the battery drains too fast, so how about swapping the battery
and starter at the same time from one of the sprites that starts O.K..  I'd
keep moving the parts from the same car to see if the problem moved too.
You can find this!
David Riker
74 Midget
63 Falcon
70 Torino
http://home.pacbell.net/davriker
----- Original Message -----
From "Frank Clarici" <spritenut at Exit109.com>
To: "Spridgets" <spridgets@autox.team.net>
Sent: Monday, December 18, 2000 5:12 PM
Subject: Kids, Cars, and a no start LBC


> Gang
>
> Can someone please explain to me WHY my daughters A40 just refuses to
> start when it's cold?
>
> This Fall she did buy her own Mitchibitchi but already sold it because
> she learned herself that Jap cars .... oh never mind, but atleast she
> learned a lesson. Now she is back in the drivers seat of the A40, for
> any new listers it is basically a Sprite with an Italian styled body but
> made in England by BMC. 1275 engine rear wheel drive.
> It just never starts when it's cold.
> I removed the ballist resistor coil so it has a regular coil now. I
> thought this was my problem last year. Apparently not. I have replaced
> the starter since last year, the timing is where I think the trouble
> lies because if zI retard the timing it starts but it pops and sputters
> when driving because the timing is too far retaded. Once it fires up I
> have to advance it so it runs properly.
> I have replaced the dizzy, the valves are adjusted fine, the battery is
> new and the alternator shows 14+ volts on the volt gauge.
> This is driving me and my daughter nuts.
> This morning I had to jump start it with a Sprite, now the Sprite was
> sitting next to it and just as cold but it fired right up. Just for
> laughs, I fired up all 3 Sprites and no problems with any of them just
> the A40. I went thru this all last winter. I have even cut the wire to
> the radio memory and rewired the power windows thru the ignition so
> there is nothing on over night.
> The Starter just weezes out just before it kicks every time, it does
> this for 10 minutes and then the battery is dead. If I retard the dizzy,
> it starts but then I have to advance it so it runs decent. This should
> not be.
> What the heck is wrong? Too much compression maybe? It is a stock 12cc
> high compression engine with new rings and bearings, no rebore, no head
> skim.
> Carburation is a 40 DCOE Weber, never any problems with it and it has a
> cold start hooked up.
> I am open for suggestions.
> --
>
> Happy Healeydays
> Frank Clarici
> Toms River, NJ
> Too Many Sprites Again

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