Scott Christie wrote:
>
> Coming back from the Bowie show yesterday (100 degrees in the shade!), I stopped
> to get gas and turned the car off - big mistake. After pumping gas I tried to
> start the car and GOT NOTHING. The generator light went on, but not even a
> click-click-click from the starter. Panic ensued, and after trying everything I
> could think of, I noticed I was on top of a hill, and there was a side road next
> to the gas station going sharply downhill. So, I did the ol' push start method
> and got home. Whew! After the car cooled down in my garage I tried starting it
> and it fired right up!
> Any explanations from the experts out there?
>
> Finally, what does a water pump about to die sound like? I have a rattling sound
> under the hood, and it sounds like the water pump. Any clues?
>
> Scott Christie
> Series 3 Alpine Registry
> Push start expert
Hello Scott And Fello Sunbeamers:
Several years back I had the same exact starting problem, although with
my Series V with the dual Strombergs. It would also stall out on me
(when sitting at idle at a stop light, etc) occassionaly. I finally got
this solved (with a rebuild by Tiger Tom's in Pennsylvania, USA) with a
carb rebuild. Turns out that with the worn throttle shafts, air was
leaking in, throwing off the air/fuel mixture. This is several years
back so I'm not positive this was the cause, but the complete rebuild
totally eliminated the problem. The car started right up again, even
when very hot.
Here's another tip I remember from that same set of Strombergs. When I
got the carbs back from the rebuild, I followed the exact instructions
in the shop manual for adjusting the needles and the fuel mix. They
would NOT idle smoothly. Finally, using a carb synch tool, I fould that
the back carb, even adjusted exactly like the front, was flowing
considerably more air. I took the carbs off and found that the butterfly
valve on that back carb had some metal worn off it at the bottom where
it made contact at idle. The front butterfly was basically as new.
I solved the problem by adjusting the FRONT butterfly so that it stayed
slightly open, even at idle, thus equalising the airflow of the two
carbs. Then, I re-adjusted the fuel mix and was able to get a very
smooth idle and acceleration curve.
I'm sure it would have been better to have just found new butterfly
valves but that would have been too easy!!
As far as a water pump is concerned, when they start "rattling", my
experience is that it's usually the bearing on the impeller starting to
go bad. Take a rubber hose, put one end to your ear and the other to the
pump. If it's going bad, you should be able to hear it more clearly this
way and pin point the problem. Could also be the generator or alternator
making a similar noise. Listen to those with the hose (I'm a
poet!!??)also.
Good luck!!
Steve Sage
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