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Triumph Herald help


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A mate is building a kit car - a Faithorpe Electron. The car is Triumph Herald based - chassis and engine. Rebuilt engine - new rings, new mains, new big ends, valves lapped in. Can't get it running. Checked valve timing, ignition timing, carbs were rebuilt by a specialist company. Whilst I was on holiday, he had an "expert" fit electronic ignition, who had allegedly done the ignition timing, which was actually a mile out. 

Can't get the car to run properly. If you squirt easy start into the twin carbs it fires up and then dies. It has a new fuel pump and fuel is getting into the carbs. Floats move freely The spark is fine. It just doesn't seem to be sucking the fuel through the carbs. It has plenty of compression. Checked carb to manifold for air leaks - none.

Any ideas?

 

Edited by Gordon R
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Lord that brings back memories! I had a Vitesse 6 and a Bond Equipe 2 Litre once upon a time. Has the owner selected the full use option on the lever switch on the petrol tank that otherwise stops the engone drawing fuel from the reserve portion of the tank. Have the rubber diaphragms on the carburettors got a pinhole or tear? Has it Stromberg or whatever the other sort were? I forget! Zenith?

3 minutes ago, scarecrow243 said:

if it has the diaphragm carbs check the needle pistons that they have oil in them and are moving freely  also check the diaphragms for any holes as they won't suck up so the needle won't let fuel in

Like he says. This!

Edited by enfieldspares
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Are the plugs getting wet ? A lot of carb experts but a lot of cowboys as well

have you double checked timing not 360 deg out ( spark on exhaust stroke )

is it getting compression at right point ?

could valve timing be way out ?

plug leads on the right way round ?

Good earth caught me out before 

Agriv8

Edited by Agriv8
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Plug have some fuel on them - could be the easy start.

Double checked timing on compression stroke.

Double checked valve timing.

Double checked leads and firing order.

Brand new earth strap, engine to chassis - chassis to battery.but also checked it is earthing properly

 

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I owned a Saab 99 with Stromberg carb, and on one occasion the engine would start and run perfectly at tickover, but but not go any faster.   All due to a hole in the diaphragm, which I was able to mend with a piece of sticky tape and drive 200 miles home.   Same thing happened again about 5 years later.   New diaphragms were readily available and very cheap in those days (early 1980s).

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Easy start is horrific stuff, use carb or brake cleaner instead. Same results but without the shattered piston rings.

Had a few Heralds back in the day but can't think of anything not yet mentioned.

Plug leads in correct order would be my top priority. Caught me out more than once.

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11 hours ago, Gordon R said:

Twin SU's - already thinned out the oil in the dampeners.

 

 

Used to love these on my Spitfire. Lift the bonnet, sit on the wheel and try to balance the carbs by listerning to the induction roar through a stethoscope. 

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Can you smell petrol fumes from the exhaust on turning over? is the engine not clearing on the exhaust stroke, so not able to draw fuel in? Had a GT6 with similar problem after laying up for 2 years. Blockage in the exhaust.

FB

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Sadly, exhaust is brand new and manifold is clear. Will try smelling the exhaust - good idea, which I hadn't considered.

Late last night, me and the mate were looking at the timing. When number 1 cylinder is on TDC the rotor arm appears to be 180 degrees out. I thought that the dizzy might have been inserted 180 out, but it will only go in one way (offset lugs). Then tried moving all plug leads through the same 180, but it wasn't having it. Tonight, will use the timing light to double check timing, as we lost it when removing dizzy and replacing it.

 

 

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It has been a while but when you fit the distributor even if the body can only go in one way the rotor can end up anywhere. 

Check the correct firing order, check the direction the rotor turns when running and check leads are in right order in relation to the rotor then check timing.

Whatever it is it'll be summat simple

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You say the exhaust is new, that doesn't mean its not a Friday afternoon job. Too much back pressure (increasing) will definitely stop the SU carbs drawing fuel properly. Bit anti social I know, but can you disconnect the exhaust at the manifold and then try and start it, if it runs might save a lot of fruitless searching for something that doesn't exist.

Again thinking out loud. If the engine runs on Easy start for a short time is it building too much back pressure hence starving the fuel and stopping. Sorry not wishing to teach my grannie etc etc.

 

FB

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Are you using fresh petrol and not 2 year old E10? 
Also, a Herald was never designed to run E10, try some E5.

After standing all Winter my mower will not start on E10, even fresh stuff. Starts first pull every Spring on E5.

Edited by London Best
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7 hours ago, Gordon R said:

Sadly, exhaust is brand new and manifold is clear. Will try smelling the exhaust - good idea, which I hadn't considered.

Late last night, me and the mate were looking at the timing. When number 1 cylinder is on TDC the rotor arm appears to be 180 degrees out. I thought that the dizzy might have been inserted 180 out, but it will only go in one way (offset lugs). Then tried moving all plug leads through the same 180, but it wasn't having it. Tonight, will use the timing light to double check timing, as we lost it when removing dizzy and replacing it.

 

 

So if dizzy goes round once every time engine goes round twice and its not running suspect it’s suppling spark when piston arround tdc on exhaust stroke?

Get engine to tdc on piston 1 - dizzy out  rote engine 360 drop dizzy back in and re-check and see if it will run

good luck

Edited by Agriv8
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Posted (edited)

Agriv8 - I think you have my phone bugged. Just got off the phone to my mate suggesting we do exactly that.  Nice to hear we might be on the right lines. 🙂

London Best - using fresh E5 petrol - about 6 weeks old.

The new starter solenoid he bought is kaput and the new one arrives next week. I suggested we go back to basics and start the valve and ignition timing from scratch.

Edited by Gordon R
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5 minutes ago, Gordon R said:

I suggested we go back to basics and start the valve and ignition timing from scratch.

And a new set of plugs!  Even if the plugs are already new. 
I once had an engine which would not run on a new set of plugs even though it was firing spasmodically. Another new set proved that 5 of the first new set of 8 were duff.

 

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2 hours ago, London Best said:

And a new set of plugs!  Even if the plugs are already new. 
I once had an engine which would not run on a new set of plugs even though it was firing spasmodically. Another new set proved that 5 of the first new set of 8 were duff.

 

Rover v8 by any chance London best - the can be picky about plugs - especially on origina std Lucas ignition coil .

we used to run a v8 off-road buggy engine tuner specifically ordered a certain type of ngk’s to be used ( expensive) but it did run well on them

As for bugging phones of fellow PW members na - not my style. 

2 hours ago, London Best said:
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1 minute ago, Agriv8 said:

Rover v8 by any chance London best - the can be picky about plugs - especially on origina std Lucas ignition coil .

we used to run a v8 off-road buggy engine tuner specifically ordered a certain type of ngk’s to be used ( expensive) but it did run well on them

 

Got it in one!

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As daft as it sounds have you tried changing the fuel brand. 
I had a Webber twin carb. Would refuse to run on Sainsbury’s (if I recall) fuel. 
every other brand no issues. 
 

 

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