Starting Engine for First Time.

Well Im spending money trying to build this bloody thing back up and I dont even know if the thing will start.
This ones going to be a bit scary for me as Im not much good with electrics ect, remember when I tried it with my defender I ended up blowing the starter motor up as I had it wired the wrong way.
Im going to temporarily fit Radiator and get plugs, fuel ect rigged up and get it started off battery.
Waiting for Rad and hoses to come .
So at the moment I have Dizzy in and hopefully in or near enough at the right place TDC and pointing to number 1. When I seen the leads were numbered I thought great I just need to put them on numbers on top of black cap, but it is not numbered so havnt got a clue which goes where. it has the marks on manifold 1342, but does it go from left to right ?
Also there is 1 green wire coming from dizzy where does that go?. and a positive and negative on coil. ?
Then theres the fuel line from can where does that go, does it go to Carb ?
Sorry but Im asking all sorts again, but need to get this right in case I blow something else up.
Will fit Rad housing to try and hold it in place.,

I don’t own a petrol series but carb and dizzy are fairly standard.

Firing order is 1342 and plugs go on the dizzy in that order

the green wire will go to the negative on the coil and the positive of the coil needs 12v to it, usually from the ignition switch but I don’t know if a series is ballasted or unballasted though.

Do you have a Haynes or workshop manual? It will all be in there

Before you try to start for first time turn engine over with the lead from coil to dizzy diconected this allows oil to be pumped around before it fires.
Dont bunch plug leads like that keep them seperate.
Fuel pipe can go to lift pump or to carb if you go carb way can must be higher than carb..

flat said:

I don’t own a petrol series but carb and dizzy are fairly standard.

Firing order is 1342 and plugs go on the dizzy in that order

the green wire will go to the negative on the coil and the positive of the coil needs 12v to it, usually from the ignition switch but I don’t know if a series is ballasted or unballasted though.

Do you have a Haynes or workshop manual? It will all be in there

Click to expand...

flat said:

I don’t own a petrol series but carb and dizzy are fairly standard.

Firing order is 1342 and plugs go on the dizzy in that order

the green wire will go to the negative on the coil and the positive of the coil needs 12v to it, usually from the ignition switch but I don’t know if a series is ballasted or unballasted though.

Do you have a Haynes or workshop manual? It will all be in there

Click to expand...

Thanks not sure what ballasted means.
So would they go on dizzy cap this way round ?

A ballast resistor is fitted between 12v supply and coil but if electronic dizzy fitted you dont need one.
If firing order is 1342 then when at tdc on 1 rotor arm should be pointing at where no 1 lead fits on cap you then fit all other leads in firing order...

border said:

Thanks not sure what ballasted means.
So would they go on dizzy cap this way round ?

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To answer your questions in reverse order. The firing order is as it says, but you need to find out if the rotor arm turns clockwise or anti clockwise! Just watch it with the dizzy cap off when you turn the engine over, unless there is some kind of arrow or other indication on the rotor arm or the dizzy.
A ballasted coil means that on start up, i.e. when the key is turned to "start" full 12 volts is applied to the coil, but once the vehicle's engine starts, then the current passes to the coil via a ballast resistor which extends the life of the points.
https://mossmotors.smartsupportapp....-a-ballasted-or-non-ballasted-ignition-system

If you ain't got a Haynes manual or summat, get one!!!

Stanleysteamer said:

To answer your questions in reverse order. The firing order is as it says, but you need to find out if the rotor arm turns clockwise or anti clockwise! Just watch it with the dizzy cap off when you turn the engine over, unless there is some kind of arrow or other indication on the rotor arm or the dizzy.
A ballasted coil means that on start up, i.e. when the key is turned to "start" full 12 volts is applied to the coil, but once the vehicle's engine starts, then the current passes to the coil via a ballast resistor which extends the life of the points.
https://mossmotors.smartsupportapp....-a-ballasted-or-non-ballasted-ignition-system

If you ain't got a Haynes manual or summat, get one!!!

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Im sure mine turns anticlockwise

border said:

Im sure mine turns anticlockwise

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In which case the way you have numbered them on your previous pic is exactly......opposite to what it should be.

Stanleysteamer said:

In which case the way you have numbered them on your previous pic is exactly......opposite to what it should be.

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So could this be right ?

border said:

So could this be right ?

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you've got the numbers on the dizzy right now. Cylinder one is traditionally the one to the front of the engine, so it looks OK now, provided I'm looking at the offside of the engine.

Stanleysteamer said:

you've got the numbers on the dizzy right now. Cylinder one is traditionally the one to the front of the engine, so it looks OK now, provided I'm looking at the offside of the engine.

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Yes Drivers side.

Stanleysteamer said:

you've got the numbers on the dizzy right now. Cylinder one is traditionally the one to the front of the engine, so it looks OK now, provided I'm looking at the offside of the engine.

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Thanks Mate, will put leads on tomorrow , then try and sort wiring for coil.

border said:

Yes Drivers side.

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If the rotor arm is pointing at number one at top dead centre you should be OK to at least get it started. BUT be aware that there are 2 top dead centres for each rotation of the dizzy. (4 stroke means 4 strokes of the piston for each power stroke, "suck, squash, bang, blow")
SO, you need to ensure cylinder one is at the top of the compression stroke.
Two ways of doing this. One way is to look at the rockers to ensure both are closed, i.e. the cylinder is full of mixture and being compressed ready to be ignited by the plug. If the rockers are showing the exhaust valve is closing and the inlet is opening then you are on the top of the second stroke, i.e. at the end of the exhaust stroke and the beginning of the induction stroke.
Another way is simply to put a thumb over the spark plug hole while the motor is being turned over by hand. You will be able to feel the compression as the piston rises in the cylinder.
If you've got it wrong then just swop the plugs 180 degrees then it'll be OK.
Hope this helps. (and you will not be the first to get caught out by this.)

Well Finally got it fired up. First attempt not so good first Vid, second attempt started but had to hold throttle cable down to keep it going , Blackburn kindly came up to help me and adjusted the screw, Thanks Mate.
Third attempt second Vid started and run, starts every time now, hard to hear with no exhaust not that I know what Im listening for anyway, but does it sound OK to the people who know ?
VID 20211107 124035~2 - YouTube
VID 20211107 155422 - YouTube

border said:

Well Finally got it fired up. First attempt not so good first Vid, second attempt started but had to hold throttle cable down to keep it going , Blackburn kindly came up to help me and adjusted the screw, Thanks Mate.
Third attempt second Vid started and run, starts every time now, hard to hear with no exhaust not that I know what Im listening for anyway, but does it sound OK to the people who know ?
VID 20211107 124035~2 - YouTube
VID 20211107 155422 - YouTube

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About what I would expect from a Series engine that hasn't fully warmed up yet.
When you have the exhaust on, warm it up fully, and if you aren't happy with it, loosen the clamp on the distributor, and turn it slowly just a little bit one way and the other, see if the idle rises and falls. When you are happy with it at idle, do up the clamp, and take it out for a drive.
If it runs smoothly all the way through the rev range, that is fine.
If not, try further fine adjustments on the distributor, and, if needed, the carb, until you are happy.

Joined exhaust up today, A lot quieter, but I aint got a clue what to listen for, not sure if water pump and Alternator are working is there a way I can I test them ?
Does it sound OK ? long way off taking it out for a drive yet.
VID 20211120 143719 - YouTube
VID 20211120 151136 - YouTube

border said:

Joined exhaust up today, A lot quieter, but I aint got a clue what to listen for, not sure if water pump and Alternator are working is there a way I can I test them ?
Does it sound OK ? long way off taking it out for a drive yet.
VID 20211120 143719 - YouTube
VID 20211120 151136 - YouTube

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If the water pump is turning, it pretty much has to be working.
And the charge light should go out if the alternator is charging.

Turboman said:

If the water pump is turning, it pretty much has to be working.
And the charge light should go out if the alternator is charging.

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Have not got charge light fitted yet Mate, just a rolling chassis, engine is rigged up to battery and solenoid to start.
Do you think it sounds ok ?

border said:

Have not got charge light fitted yet Mate, just a rolling chassis, engine is rigged up to battery and solenoid to start.
Do you think it sounds ok ?

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Probably better than ours, and I drive that quite regularly!

Turboman said:

Probably better than ours, and I drive that quite regularly!

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Probably need a bit of tweaking once finished and driven out, but quite happy with it. Was having nightmares that it wouldn't even start after buying it unseen.