Ke 70 Stalling/Not Starting.

[jbke]

Hi,

 

I have a stock ke70 auto(4kc) and is been pretty reliable but has started to give me issues. It will start first thing in the morning then after a minute stall and then then not fire unless I spray instant starting fluid down the carb but even then it takes a fair few attempts. I have a new fuel pump, fuel filter, have flushed carby and put new needle and seat/plunger in it, blown it all out. It has a new battery, new plugs, new leads. When it's running it drives great but some mornings it just wont fire without spraying something down the carb. All the vaccum lines are hooked up so I don't know what it could be. It only does it occasionally, but seems to happen at the most inconvieniant times. Any help would be appreciated.

[towe001]

How does it sound when its turning over ? Does it make the sound of wanting to start or just a fast wind over

 

My first guess would be overfuelling - with the sound of wanting or trying to start.

 

My next guess would be ignition - just the fast wind over

• I'd hesitate in saying the timing is pretty ok, yeah ?
• Whats the dwell (or points gap) like ? Should be ok with how your saying its starting.
• Could be weak spark from the coil.

When it happens again in the morning, pull the plugs out and see if their either wet or have a dry look about them.

Just be careful in pulling the plugs cause of where they are in the head and with them going through the oil gallery.

A wet look is ok but not soaking wet, that'll be overfuelling. heh or no spark (or poor spark).

Dry is no fuel.

[jbke]

When i wind it over it just winds normally but does not sound like it wants to fire. Being an intermittent problem, i don't think it' timming or points. It just keeps winding over until I spray something down the carby then it starts on that then dies once the spray is gone. I do this about four or five times then it pops/struggles then starts. It then runs fine all the way to work and starts perfectly in the arvo when I leave. ???

[jbke]

It's only done 178,000 original klms and is original/stock and tidy. I just want to get this little issue sorted as I am looking at selling/swapping it because I need a ute of some sort.

[altezzaclub]

Typical of a weeping head gsket... hard to start until warmed up and the plugs are dried off, then fine all day. Next day hard to start...

 

Hopefully its not that- retarded timing is another one, so I hope you did points and timing and checked for a fat spark at the plugs while you were fitting the new plugs. A bad condenser would give a weak spark that wouldn't fire a cold mixture but will manage when warm.

 

Choke works OK, can you see that it does?? ..and when it is warmed up and driving it goes fine, accelerates well with no flat spots?? Such as a blocked pump jet would give? Although you can see the pump jet spray fuel down the carb by eye.

 

winds normally but does not sound like it wants to fire

 

That's not good.. if the spark was good and fuel was being pumped in it should backfire or at least fire a cylinder or two.

 

I'd say check point gap, timing, plug spark, choke and accelerator pump and see what you can find.

[jbke]

Typical of a weeping head gsket... hard to start until warmed up and the plugs are dried off, then fine all day. Next day hard to start...

 

Hopefully its not that- retarded timing is another one, so I hope you did points and timing and checked for a fat spark at the plugs while you were fitting the new plugs. A bad condenser would give a weak spark that wouldn't fire a cold mixture but will manage when warm.

 

Choke works OK, can you see that it does?? ..and when it is warmed up and driving it goes fine, accelerates well with no flat spots?? Such as a blocked pump jet would give? Although you can see the pump jet spray fuel down the carb by eye.

 

 

 

That's not good.. if the spark was good and fuel was being pumped in it should backfire or at least fire a cylinder or two.

 

I'd say check point gap, timing, plug spark, choke and accelerator pump and see what you can find.

 

 

It starts initially in the mornings then a 1-2 minutes idle it snuffs and dies then won't start until several attempts with "instant" starting fluid sprayed down the carb.? Could that still be timming/spark/distributor issue being that it fires/starts once fuel (instant staring fluid) is introduced into the fuel system? Choke works fine and when it's warmed up it drives fine (responsive and no flat spots). The fact that it does not fire until i feed it fuel via a can seems to lean towards starving for fuel somehow? But I don't know why/how. If you think it still could be spark/timing/electrical then I will definentely check it out. Thanks for your help.

[jbke]

Any other ideas/help as it did the same thing whilst driving yesterday and today started and ran fine?? I just don't want to keep stressing about it playing up on me and being stuck.

[altezzaclub]

When it next doesn't start, take the air cleaer top off and have someone try to start it while you hold your handd over the carb for 2seconds when cranking.

 

The vacuum will suck hard at your hand and instantly pull fuel into the throats if there is any in the bowl. It should flood it then you can see if it starts with plenty of fuel. If it does then the choke might not be working well or the fuel leaks out of the bowl. Don't stick your face over it in case it backfires or you don't like your eyebrows...

 

If it doesn't help then fuel starvation is probably not the problem.

 

Choke works fine

Does it close right across the throat when you pull the knob?

 

The instant start stuff catches fire really easy, so it will fire the motor up lean or rich I expect. The fact that it starts, runs for a minute then stalls suggests too rich to me, too much choke, but its hard to say.

[jbke]

Thanks for the tips. I am thinking that the car is simply running way rich. Can anyone point me in the right direction to set the the carby mixture up (so not running rich)?