Difficult Cold Starting?

[terryp]

Hello

Now I know its a bit cold. 2 degrees here today but I thought I'd take a little trip. the car hadn't been started for 2 weeks. Tried to start, it would turn over but no in-cling of starting. I took the bonnet off and had a look at the coil connections, spark plug connections and the join block on the electronic ignition under the carbs. All seemed to be OK. Tried to car again and it just managed to start. Lots of coughing later it was fine.

Any ideas? Or is it too cold to be out in your Seven ?

 

Cheers

Terry

 

Lotus Elan +2 S130/4 1973

Caterham Seven Supersprint 1985 - Click here

For a Gite Holiday in France - Click here

 

[St Eve]

Terry - it might be simpler than all your checks imply. A month ago my recently-acquired Caterham 7 S3 would turnover but wouldn't start. Dealer from whom I bought the car told my the battery was in good condition. However, I took it to dear old Halfords who put it on test and told me it was shot. Next day I nipped up to Caterham Midlands (in the Skoda!) to but a new battery. Magic! I also bought a CTEK XS 3600 battery conditioner which provides great peace of mind. Certainly not too cold to be out. Great run last Sunday, although I noticed temperature dropped from 80/90 to 40 once or twice

 

V31 KAR. 2007, S3, 1.6 K-series. Hot enough for me...

[terryp]

Thanks St Eve, but the cranking speed was still fast, it just didn't want to fire?

Any ideas?

 

Lotus Elan +2 S130/4 1973

Caterham Seven Supersprint 1985 - Click here

For a Gite Holiday in France - Click here

 

[St Eve]

Hmmm ... not really. The only reason I replied in those simplistic terms was that I thought my cranking speed seemed fine, too. And as I had been told the battery was good, I thought there must be more to it than that. But I was wrong.

 

V31 KAR. 2007, S3, 1.6 K-series. Hot enough for me...

[CageyH]

I take it there are no chokes?

If not, try pumping the accelerator twice before engaging the starter motor.

 

Only dead fish go with the flow....!

[jonboylaw]

Terry,

Take a plug out and see if it is sparking and how bright the spark is. If it looks good then turn your attention to the fuelling. Could be a blocked filter or simply the pump was not primed if you have left it for a while. Another possibility is "old fuel" is the car has stood for a long time. Next time you try to start it, remove the plugs and let the fuel pump run for a few seconds (Mine changes noise when the fuel bowls fill up and close the needle valves) then turn the engine over and check the plugs are sparking. Replace the plugs, pump the accelerator a few times (2 or 3) then try to start.

 

 

If you have no spark then check all connections, the dizzy and amp module etc.

Do you have a rev limiter fitted ?

 

 

 

Jonathan

=========================

My Flickr Gallery

 

92 Supersprint, Ford LSD LA, RK AX Crossflow. Stealth model (Matt Black and Ali), rebuild completed.

 

[terryp]

Thanks to all and lots of things to try. I think it may have been a combination of a few things. I'll try to start over the weekend and see if it happens again, try some stuff and report back

 

Thanks again

Terry

 

Lotus Elan +2 S130/4 1973

Caterham Seven Supersprint 1985 - Click here

For a Gite Holiday in France - Click here

 

[Stuart McGill]

You don't have an inertia switch do you.... (long shot)?

 

Stuart

[terryp]

No inertia switch , Its a 1985, its lucky to have any switches!

 

5 degrees today (& Sunny!) and started first, well second time. So back to OK - Very strange?

 

Terry

 

Lotus Elan +2 S130/4 1973

Caterham Seven Supersprint 1985 - Click here

For a Gite Holiday in France - Click here

 

[jonboylaw]

Terry,

Probably fuel evapouration and it just took time to pull new fuel through. See what happens next time you leave it for a few weeks.

 

 

Jonathan

=========================

My Flickr Gallery

 

92 Supersprint, Ford LSD LA, RK AX Crossflow. Stealth model (Matt Black and Ali), rebuild completed.

 

[Drumster]

Terry,

 

I'd tend to agree with as my x/flow had a mechanical pump and once the carbs had run dry through evaporation over a few weeks it took a good 10-12 pumps of the accelerator (sometimes more) just to fuel the carbs.

 

Chris Alston

C7CAT Supersprint