Series 2a 2.25 petrol struggling to start

This site contains affiliate links for which LandyZone may be compensated if you make a purchase.
Series 2a Mark

Series 2a Mark

Active Member
Posts
138
Location
Scotland
Hi there, first time series owner here and really struggling to get my engine to start, brand new battery, new coil, distributer sparking and new plugs. All sparking too. Checked they carb is getting fuel and can see it squirting from jet down into carb. When I crank over it coughs and splutters and sounds very close to starting however, wont actually start. Any ideas or anything I’m missing? I’m not that familiar with distributors so not sure if timing is slightly out ? Thanks for any help, Mark
 
Series 2a Mark said:
Hi there, first time series owner here and really struggling to get my engine to start, brand new battery, new coil, distributer sparking and new plugs. All sparking too. Checked they carb is getting fuel and can see it squirting from jet down into carb. When I crank over it coughs and splutters and sounds very close to starting however, wont actually start. Any ideas or anything I’m missing? I’m not that familiar with distributors so not sure if timing is slightly out ? Thanks for any help, Mark
Click to expand...
It could be the timing, has the distributor been moved or taken out? If you are confident you could mark the dizzy position, loosen the clamp and turn it slightly to see if it makes a difference, as a rough rule of thumb the lead for No1 cylinder (front of the engine) should point to that cylinder. Have the plug leads been put on in the right place, in the right order, 1, 3, 4, 2, dizzy turns anti clockwise. If all that is correct it could be your condenser (battery like object inside the dizzy) Not unknown for even new ones to be duff.
 
Has it ever started in your ownership? What have you done to it?
It is very easy to fit a distributor 180° out. Check TDC on #1 and that both valves are fully closed, then see where the rotor arm is pointing
 
Thanks a lot for the replies so far, I have only replaced the coil , only owned the landy for a couple of days. I hasn't ran in about 6 years. The leads all look to be in the correct position and I haven't touched the distributer other than to take cap off and make sure there was no moisture. Now when I'm cranking over and pumping accelerator it's half running for a few seconds then it just dies? When I say half running I mean very roughly . Thanks again.
 
Series 2a Mark said:
Thanks a lot for the replies so far, I have only replaced the coil , only owned the landy for a couple of days. I hasn't ran in about 6 years. The leads all look to be in the correct position and I haven't touched the distributer other than to take cap off and make sure there was no moisture. Now when I'm cranking over and pumping accelerator it's half running for a few seconds then it just dies? When I say half running I mean very roughly . Thanks again.
Click to expand...
Like i said, it's worth checking the distributor. You've no clue what the previous owner has done
 
Could it just be that the carb has got gummed up through lack of use? Have you tired cleaning it through? Could be that the new petrol is dissolving the crud a little bit which is why you are getting a bit more of a responce now, but jets etc could still be partially blocked. Also, is the air getting through, i.e. filter ok? Last thing, bit weird, sure there is no birds nest in the exhaust!;)
Static timing on the dizzy would be good enough to get it started.
 
Nothing looks like it's been touched distributer wise in the past but I could be wrong. Worth checking later when I get back out. If the carb was gummed up with old fuel and debris would I still see the small jet of fuel that I saw when I looked down through the throttle shaft in the carb ? I took the fuel like off to the carb inlet port yesterday and there's fuel being pumped to that point when cranking over. Would it be best to strip carb out and make sure jets aren't blocked as a precaution?
 
The squirt you see is just the accelerator pump, this can work even if the main and/or idle jet are blocked. Definitely worth taking the jets out to see what condition the rest of the carb is in
 
That's great. I will strip that out and take it apart this evening and make sure all clear etc. Hopefully that will get it going. First series so sorry for any basic questions, just starting out mechanically wise and getting my head around everything. Cheers
 
Absolutely +1 to what @kermit_rr said. Sadly accelerator jet proves nothing except that fuel is getting to it!
These are relatively simple engines, so not hard to work on.
Get some carb cleaner and methodically take the jets out and clean them all, including the float chamber inlet valve. Do not poke anything hard into any jets though, they are too sensitive to any damage.
Better still, get a rebuild kit and replace all with new. They ain't usually expensive.
I'm assuming you have a manual that tells you how to set the carb up etc?
Do you know how to set up static timing? Although if it runs even roughly chances are it ain't far out.
If it runs when you pump the accelerator, then dies, it tends to point to the need for a carb overhaul.
Best of luck.
 
If you aren't used to old fashioned distributors then you have a bit to learn. Have you checked the contact breaker and the gap between the points? If the gap is too small you won't get a decent spark. Without a dwell meter you can only do this with feeler gauge. Also if the points need replacing and/or the gap resetting then the timing will not be bang on and that needs a strobe timing light. Although you can set it statically, and then get it more or less bang on by ear.
Get back to us, there are plenty of old skool guys on here who will help!
Oh and absolutely +1 to the condenser altho if it runs at all the chances are it's OK.
 
+1 on the points, the gap needs to be pretty precise, also agree about the condenser, they can fail completely or just have an intermittent fault. Try taking the air filter off the carb and pour an egg cup full or two of petrol down the throat of the carb then try starting it. If it then runs for a couple of seconds, the carb needs cleaning/servicing

Col
 
Cheers again. I have stripped carb off and will have a loom at this this evening to make sure it's all clear etc, put back on tomorrow and try and if still having problems il go back to distributer and a bit of trial and error. I have got a good bit to learn regarding the timing etc, sure il get there in the end, thanks
 
Have u tried starting it on easy start being sprayed into the carb??? Or pour some neat fuel directly into the carburettor and crank it over....
 
I had tried a very small amount of easy start as well as fuel on different occasions and it still wouldn't go. Tonight I have stripped open the carb and the jets are all clear, next to no debris or anything in the float chamber, everything seems to be fine with it. So tomorrow I will refit the carb to the engine. Would you say it sounds more like a timing issue since the carb looked okay? Thanks again.
 
Series 2a Mark said:
I had tried a very small amount of easy start as well as fuel on different occasions and it still wouldn't go. Tonight I have stripped open the carb and the jets are all clear, next to no debris or anything in the float chamber, everything seems to be fine with it. So tomorrow I will refit the carb to the engine. Would you say it sounds more like a timing issue since the carb looked okay? Thanks again.
Click to expand...
If you check things then you know they're right. Piece of mind. Worth replacing the points/condenser as a dead/dying condenser will give all sorts of problems
 
I will do, would it have to be online for a condenser or is that something I could grab tomorrow ie halfords? I assume not but just wanting to try when I have some time tomorrow. Thanks,
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

haza88
Please help cylinder head and block identification
Replies
4
Views
838
haza88
haza88
A
Engine cutting out 2.25 petrol
Replies
3
Views
1K
Tony Monsantoe
Tony Monsantoe
akosmo1
Series 2.25 petrol Thick black smoke
Replies
3
Views
895
Anaconda
A
styleruk
2.25 petrol rough idle
2 3 4
Replies
60
Views
2K
styleruk
styleruk
J
Series 2a cutting out on incline
Replies
18
Views
892
tottot
tottot
Back
Top