Difficult to start when cold..
I have a red 3.3 that is difficult/impossible to start when it is very cold.
The car lives outside and we have frosts here in central Vic (0 to -4 C), thats when it will not start! It stars fine during the day or if it is not too cold or a frost.
I have installed new points, plugs and condensor, and replaced a few perished vacuum hoses, tightened the carby body screws that I found loose and checked the manifold bolts. It is now running better than it has for quite a while, but the cold starting problem remains.
I can start the car when cold during the day and within about 30 secs I can ease the choke in to the off position and it will idle, I believe if it was running lean via a Vacuum leak it would not still run.
I have found a guide on how to check the ignition leads and will do that (they are 2 years old, Champion brand and have NO (EDIT) visible cracks in the insulation or arcing when viewed at night) The distributor cap and button are in good condition with no visible cracks or arcing.
I suspect the ignition coil may be the problem, but a replacement GT40R is $50, so before I spend the money, can anyone tell me how to check it?
I have a multimeter, but not sure what setting to have it on, or where to put the probes.
Any suggestions would be appreciatted..
Last edited by 9C1pack; 01-07-2006 at 06:14 PM.
what gap did u make the points?
I set them with a dwell meter at 30. Spec is 30 to 34
change the leads, if they are cracked/arcing, they are stuffed, As 4 checking the coil, the coil consist of two windings surrounded by oil, to disapate the heat, if it aint leaking, and it produces spark(obviously as it does run)its good. Have u checked timing? what plugs did u put in?
how big is gap? get a hacksaw blade and check, who uses dwell meters any more?
The plugs are NGK, set at 35 to 40 thou.
Pont gap was set by feeler guage at 20 thou then checked with the dwell meter.
The timing is 4 degrees, as it was pinging at 6. I was running it in unleaded, but it now has a tank of BP Ultimate in it, to see if that would improve things but it hasn't.
I just edited my original post as I had incorrectly wrote visible cracking on the ignition leads" when I meant "NO visible cracking"
does this motor have 3.3 stamped on side of block or 202? when u say ngk what number?
your problem is that the timing is to retarded, i set my customers cars to 8 degrees, if its pinging wrong fuel.
to check leads use multi meter on resistance (ohms) should be between 300-400 ohm per foot. If in doubt change em, they are cheap, but as i said b4 its running to retarded.
3.3 motor
I was mistaken with the plugs they are Bosch super RO? 191
(its raining outside so I did not spend too long out there)
Thanks genIIIbandit, I will advance the timing tomorrow.
The points and condensor where Bosch units also.
if it has 3.3 on side its a blue motor painted red or a reco. is it a vb commo? if so it should have HR9BC. If you wanna run unleaded put in a blue motor disy(electonic), u will need to run different coil, cap, leads and H7DCY plugs, this will make heaps easier to start when cold.Where is central vic are ya, any where near wang?
I bought the motor second hand years ago, it was red when I bought it, it may have been a reco though. I believe it is also the correct motor (auto) which was identified by a yellow 6? sticker on the distributor. It has since faded and is not legible.
VB with Tri.
Castlemaine
Are you originally from Wang? or have relations up that way,as people from up that way shorten the names of the towns
EG: Ky, Shepp, Tonnie
Not bagging you, just making an observation.
u are running it too retarded try 8 degrees, if it pinges, use different fuel, or addative. Thats the problem with running engines that used to run on super now adays, sux ah!!
no, just have friends who are also mechanics there that could help solve ur problem.HAHA U RITE BOUT SHORTEN STUF!!!!
I was wondering if the old girl being not as young as she used to be (compression wise) would do it also. It doesn't blow smoke but uses a bit of oil between changes.
check ur compressions, should be over 130 and with in 10% difference, u could tell by your old plugs, which cylinders were firing
The old plugs where all a slight reddish colour with some dry looking scaling, none where fouled by oil though. I use a lead replacement additive, Nulon brand.
I don't have a compression tester, I will have to borrow one.
I have to go now, but will be back later. thanks for your help.
SS.....smokin....!
Make sure that the choke valve is closing fully when its dead cold and not wanting to start. Iv'e had a Starfire and a 202 fitted with the varajet carbys, both cars have had cold starting problems and in both cases the problem was the choke not closing fully.
Stripping VK - PM me!
Okay - I'd bet that your problem relates to your shit fuel, retarded timing (in both senses of the word) and your plugs.
I used to have cold start problems - once when my timing was retarded too far (sits at around 9 deg at the moment, only run PULP - for a $2-$3 saving per tank is it really worth the crap performance and shit starts?)
The second problem I had was when I changed from NGK to Bosch plugs. Bosch rock for everything except plugs. They are S-H-I-T. Do NOT use them if you can avoid it. I went from running quite reliably on fast idle (albeit a bit spluttery at times) to not being able to hold idle and stalling at the lights. Went back to Repco, told them they were shithouse and swapped them for my usual NGK's. Stalling went away.
Abridged version: Start using PULP, advance your timing and ditch your plugs in favour of NGKs.
Last edited by synoptica; 04-07-2006 at 09:03 AM.
Thanks for the advice.
I have had BP ultimate in the tank now for over a week and it was still playing up a bit. I advanced the timing to 8 degrees as advised and it now pings slightly, indicating the timing is pretty good. It has started the last 2 days OK (since I adjusted the timing) and both mornings have been frosts, although not as severe as last weeks. So hopefully the problem is solved.
You are right about the Bosch plugs, after I installed the Bosch plugs, points and condensor. (about a month ago), It was still missing a bit while cold, but by the time I drove about 500m it fixed it self, it gradually got worse and I was able to find out which plug was not firing by using the inductive pickup on my timing light (I hate shocks) and when I removed the plug, the insulator was loose and had slid down over the electrode. The shop gave me a replacement and it's OK now, but I can't help but wonder if the rest of the batch are dodgy also?
It has been frustrating but at the same time interesting chasing the problem. Replacing electrical bits and then chasing down vacuum leaks, I also had a needle and seat fail and cause intermittant flooding ,replaced that last Monday. The old girl is going better than it has for quite a while.
have same prob with my vk 202blk will idle like shit in the morning if you dont put lead replacment in it for about 1000ks
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