[jk952]

So a week has gone by since I last started the Elan, it's been in the garage, the temp being in the 55 -70 deg F these days, rather unseasonably warm, even hit above that one day...

This time I pulled all the plugs and cleaned, dried them, - mainly to see if they were wet or badly fouled. Recall there isn't 1000km on the engine rebuild, new carbs, ignition etc.
I tried starting first with one small acclerator pump, then when nothing added more pumps, then half choke (won't run at full choke cold or hot) and narry a fire....

So thinking of the Alex's and others fuel hand pumper, I connected a temp. elec. fuel pump at the tank outlet. It started and ran very smoothly at normal idle even "cold", no choke.

But there is a small translucent tube on the output of the elec. pump and it had a air bubble in it that took a long time to dissipate with the engine running and even revving it up a few times. No sign of a leak. ( the air would be in there from making the new connections)

So...not likely fouled plugs,
...but could this stuff be some kind of air lock in the lines that the std. pump (pulling a much longer suction side) (low NPSH for those eng. types) cannot overcome if a bubble in the line...?

Jk

[Galwaylotus]

Two ways to check. 1. Remove the carb covers and see where the fuel level is. or 2. Pull the fuel line off the carb inlet and see if there's reasonable flow when cranking.

[jk952]

..been a while, but re-checking further ...

The carbs I have are a recent version with trapezoid shaped floats, not the round ones that are shown for height adjustment, also I compared them to an old set and noticed the height from the gasket to the pivot point is different as is the height to the valve ball, all of which is not necessarily significant as presumably matched, except one wonders if the dimensions for setting are the same. Also with a flat float top, so if on an angle to the gasket face - where do you measure the gap, mid point or end, which are significantly different when near book dimensions..... so where is all this going?.... the goal of course is to have the correct fuel height in the bowl...
...So can one of you, preferably that has a car that starts right off, pull the top of a carb off and tell me where the fuel level is, or send a pict.

A very old set of carb's with internal stain mark that show the level about even with the top of the ribs which can be viewed from top running horizontally, these are about just above the throat barrel outer diameters if you can understand the description.
thanks,
Jack

[Boston-Sam]

My car is almost always difficult to start - unless connected to another by jumper cables. Even when left over night connected to a trickle charge so I'm confident the battery is charged.

When there is sufficient current the car starts after one or two pumps of the gas pedal - even after sitting for a month or two.

Is there a higher output battery on the market that people use or something to adjust charging so there is more current?

Lovely ride on Cape Cod from Chatham up to Welfleet this morning - just an ideal day for my little DHC.

[ardee_selby]

My car is almost always difficult to start - unless connected to another by jumper cables. Even when left over night connected to a trickle charge so I'm confident the battery is charged.

Silly question time...could you clarify "start"?

Are you saying it is sluggish to turn over without a secondary battery connected? Or is it that it turns over but doesn't fire?

Before investing in a new battery...have you checked & confirmed that main earthing points, particularly in the boot, are sound?

Richard

[Boston-Sam]

It rurns over at a reasonable rate but no ignition. The only difference when jumpered to another battery is it turns marginally faster and the spark seems to ignite immediately.

Good suggestion on verification of the return path to earth. I will check today.

[ardee_selby]

It rurns over at a reasonable rate but no ignition. The only difference when jumpered to another battery is it turns marginally faster and the spark seems to ignite immediately.

Good suggestion on verification of the return path to earth. I will check today.

This account on a +2 is worth a read wrt poor earthing & effect on starting:

elan-plus-f13/any-badly-running-plus-try-this-first-t21747.html

Good Luck - Richard