Scalper Posted March 27, 2010 Share Posted March 27, 2010 I can't get my Fireblade to start it's standard JW Fireblade on carbs which has remained unused during the last few months the engine turns over but despite repeated attempts it doesn't start after a few attempts there was a slight fuel smell so I thought I had flooded the engine so I tried starting it with the throttle fully open but still nothing I've unplugged the leads and there is indeed a spark I've removed the spark plugs, they were dripping wet, cleaned them, put them back in, but the engine still doesn't start is there anything else can I try before giving up and getting the recovery truck to take the car to my mechanic? Enrico My Caterham Seven's photo gallery Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Area Representative Nick Chan Posted March 27, 2010 Area Representative Share Posted March 27, 2010 Is it turning fast enough? Might be an idea to put a set of jump leads on from your tintop and then to get the engine really spinning over. There will be quite a lot of fuel in the cylinders and it could take several decent attempts to get the engine to fire. I would do the same as before with the throttle wide open and then try different throttle positions and hopefully it will catch Good luck Nick ----- Back in a BEC! - but done alright in Class 1... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scalper Posted March 27, 2010 Author Share Posted March 27, 2010 yes the engine is turning over normally ☹️ forgot to mention that as the blade's battery if fairly small, after the first couple of attempts I had connected an external battery with jump leads Enrico My Caterham Seven's photo gallery Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blade Runner Posted March 28, 2010 Share Posted March 28, 2010 If you are getting a spark and fuel you should get it fired up if the plugs are dry. I usually have to go to a slave battery if my blade has been left for more than 3-4 weeks. I suggest you keep cranking without your foot on the pedal, until it fires. Good luck Trevor PINK LOUD and PROUD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blade_runner Posted March 28, 2010 Share Posted March 28, 2010 its prob a conbination of stale fuel and flooding, when I first got my blade it was a nightmare starting from cold if you didnt 'catch' it just right it would flood and you would have to remove the spark plugs and spin the the engine over to expell the excess fuel. this is because JW drilled the Jets out in the carb and it runs far too rich. I removed the drilled out jets and over several months changed jets untill I got it to run as smoothly as possible I think i'm running 128 Dyno jets atm (standard blade rrw is 122) and now its starts far better from cold, for what its worth, i've never managed to start a flooded blade by holding the throttle wide open as you would with a normal car, i've had to leave the throttle on idle and just keep cranking. 'Pinky Pics' here incar vids Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scalper Posted March 28, 2010 Author Share Posted March 28, 2010 tried again this morning but to no avail the engine is turning over normally slightly above 500rpm with the throttle closed removed the plugs, cleaned them again, cranked the engine a few times with the plugs out, put them back in but it still doesn't start the engine just keeps turning over but it doesn't even attempt to fire maybe I'll try to get hold of some new plugs Enrico My Caterham Seven's photo gallery Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myles Posted March 28, 2010 Share Posted March 28, 2010 FWIW, I've just started my Blackbird (Westfield ) for the first time this year. I turned it over until I got oil pressure and then reset the immboliser and tried to start it properly. It churned and churned and churned and showed no signs of starting. Tried again and again. No joy. I then flicked the fuel pump on an off half a dozen times or more to prime it and tried again. THis time I did at least get a petrol smell. Left it awhile and tried again. Finally (and this is after a huge amount of cranking - thank gawd for Powervamp batteries), it caught (badly) and died. Next time it caught and idled lumpily before sorting itself out (it's injection). First blip of the throttle prior to setting off to the nearest petrol station for fresh fuel caused it to stall. Restarted, made it to the petrol pumps OK and back again with no problems. I'll be taking it out after lunch for its first proper drive - to try and get some 'rig shot' photos taken. Yay! 🙆🏻 🙆🏻 🙆🏻 🙆🏻 🙆🏻 Alcester Racing 7s Ecosse™ 🙆🏻 🙆🏻 🙆🏻 🙆🏻 🙆🏻 Alcester-Racing-Sevens.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie_pank Posted March 29, 2010 Share Posted March 29, 2010 Take the plugs out and leave it to dry for 12 hours. Sometimes things get really really flooded. I've even had to have a tow start 1/2 a mile down the road before the engine would finally kick into life. back here because I want to be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scalper Posted March 29, 2010 Author Share Posted March 29, 2010 plugs out again even after just a couple of attempts to start the engine this morning the plugs were covered with small droplets of fuel I got the plugs tested and they all work I'll try starting it again this evening or tomorrow morning a friend suggested to try starting it with the fuel pump off, to reduce the amount of fuel that's getting to the engine when cranking it. could it work? unfortunately I can't find the fuse for the fuel pump. where is it located? Enrico My Caterham Seven's photo gallery Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie_pank Posted March 29, 2010 Share Posted March 29, 2010 Fuel pump is only used to pump fuel into float bowls for carbs. Taking out fuse won't have the same effect as it would in an FI engine. I suggest leaving the spark plugs out for 12 hours to allow the cylinders and plugs to dry fully, rather than taking them out and then putting them back in again. back here because I want to be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blade Runner Posted March 29, 2010 Share Posted March 29, 2010 Not on my Blade but on other cars, I have heated up the plugs to get an engine going. The fuel pump is on the rear bulkhead, dont know which fuse though. Have you checked for water/condensation in the fuel? Trevor PINK LOUD and PROUD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alextangent Posted March 29, 2010 Share Posted March 29, 2010 Sort of OT, but here's a story about a mate and I trying to start a very reluctant Ford Cortina 1600E. Wouldn't catch at all, so we removed the plugs, dried them off and applied a blowlamp very vigourously to the plug ends in the hope of a hot plug vapourising the petrol on the inlet cycle and letting the spark form. Friend puts now very hot plug near the first cylinder hole, with the plug on the end of an extension and plug socket. There's a small "crump" noise, and a column of blue flame that takes off every hair on his arm all the way up to just short of his armpits. This was accopmanied by a whisting noise that I think was the mixture in a fully open cylinder burning down to the piston. OK, probably funnier if you were there Alex McDonald Loud, louder, loudest... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dannylt Posted March 29, 2010 Share Posted March 29, 2010 When my cold start mapping wasn't quite right and the plugs got fouled, I found they never recovered properly. Try new plugs? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scalper Posted April 9, 2010 Author Share Posted April 9, 2010 I tried leaving the plugs out for a couple of days so that the fuel would evaporate but it didn't make any difference I then tried new plugs but the engine still doesn't fire and when I removed them for inspection they were covered in small droplets of liquid and smelled strongly of petrol I think I'll give up and just get a flatbed to take the car to my mechanic Enrico My Caterham Seven's photo gallery Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Walker Posted April 9, 2010 Share Posted April 9, 2010 Have you got the correct lead to the correct plug - on the FireBlade it is very easy to mix up the leads - I know as I did it. You can see that the sparkplug is 'sparking' so discount that as a cause of the problem - but what you don't realise is that it is sparking at the wrong time! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Area Representative Nick Chan Posted April 9, 2010 Area Representative Share Posted April 9, 2010 Speaking to Howard last night and he asked if you were using the manual choke? Just a thought. Good luck Nick ----- Back in a BEC! - but done alright in Class 1... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scalper Posted April 9, 2010 Author Share Posted April 9, 2010 I've triple checked the leads and they are connected correctly. I've tried starting it both with and without pulling the choke but it makes absolutely no difference. However today when checking the oil I noticed that the level had risen considerably, the color was muddy (it looked like melted hazelnut icecream), and it smelled strongly of petrol. I would guess that due to the long time the car has been left standing without use something may have gotten stuck within the carbs and literally flooded the cylinders with petrol. I'll have my mechanic take a look at it next week Enrico My Caterham Seven's photo gallery Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scalper Posted April 19, 2010 Author Share Posted April 19, 2010 problem solved there was water in the fuel system draining it and putting some new fuel in solved the problem and car now runs normally however I cannot figure out how that much water could have gotten inside the tank as there was more water than fuel in it Enrico My Caterham Seven's photo gallery Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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