XFlow starting woes

[MusCat]

Simple problem, my xflow won't start.

 

Was working fine a few weeks ago when I last used it, but went to use it yesterday and it just won't start.

 

Fuel is flowing, battery is fine, starter is turning the engine over, spark plugs are new, HT leads look fine, I'm getting a spark but it is perhaps a little weak.

 

Bit perplexed as to why it's not catching. Anyone got any thoughts?

[Jonathan Kay]

Have you changed anything recently?

 

Is cranking speed normal? Measure voltage on cranking (and at rest). Jump another car/ battery on it.

 

Any firing at all? What makes you think the spark might be "weak"?

 

Jonathan

 

Edited by - Jonathan Kay on 27 Oct 2013 11:15:13

[7TOM]

Hi is it scared of the weather 😬 joking aside are the plugs wet? If so sounds like a spark issue. I had trouble with mine and that turned out to be the rotor arm tracking to the dizzy drive. If your plugs are dry then possibly a fuelling issue.

[MusCat]

Spark plugs were changed a couple of months ago but it has worked since.

 

The reason I was trying to get it going was I wanted to change the alternator as the old one was getting lazy. This I have done anyway, so it is brand new. However it was not starting yesterday morning before I changed the alternator.

 

I've tried to jump-start it so although the battery is fairly old it's not the problem.

 

The reason I think the spark is weak is its colour - red/orange rather than blue/white and the lack of an audible crack when sparking.

 

[virden]

Check that your throttles are actually closing. I once had starting problems and found that the nipple at the top of the accelerater cable had popped out and this had caused the butterflies to remain open, causing far too much fuel to flow on start. Also check HT leads for any shorting out

 

If all else fails an Ether spary from Halfords might help.

[Birkin S3 ZA.]

Check the distributer shaft for wear if you still run points the timing can be quite far out when cranking, but the timing looks ok with the timing light at idle.

[OliverSedlacek]

How many pumps on the throttle do you normally give it?

 

How close are you to me?

[MusCat]

Thanks for the suggestions. I'm not going to get the opportunity to look at it again for a few weeks, so I'll report back if I have any success.

 

Thanks all.

[Baz Hemsley]

My 4 penny worth. It sounds like the coil giving up. Should get a big fat spark.

[andy_h]

Hi, hope you're keeping busy at work

 

Do you have a battery master cut off switch? Are you sure all plugs/leads onto this including the little ones to the coil pack are connected properly? Worth checking with a multimeter that you have good continuity as poor connections could be your weak spark, or the coil pack's on the way out.

 

We must do another joint client trackday sometime 😬

 

Cheers,

Andy

 

 

 

 

 

[MusCat]

Andy

 

Work is very busy - hence the rather neglected Caterham. We are riding the Central London high-end residential wave which, with the amount of foreign investment coming in, is very buoyant at the moment. I’m sure it can’t last, but we’re making hay while the sun shines.

 

I was last on the track 18 months ago at Silverstone. The car is beginning to feel a bit underpowered these days as the opposition appears to get more powerful each successive year. I’ve turned my attention to push-bikes (I know it’s considered rather heretical by some on here). Currently done 3,500 miles this year; probably about 10 times more than I’ve done in the Caterham. I’m looking at booking Herne Hill Velodrome next year for a jolly to coincide with the Tour coming to London, so if you have been known to ride then drop me a line.