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rxl123

Getting Comfortable
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  1. Hi old hand and Lexi, Thanks for your comments. Would make these as permanent additions to the wiring or just as a fault diagnostic in this case? Thanks Gary
  2. Hi Folks, Help really appreciated here. I am being driven (or not) to distraction by the failure of my S3 petrol to start. Symptons are that 99 times out of 100, when I turn the switch, the starter solenoid just clicks. On the 100'th time it will spin the engine, and when it starts I can then stop the engine, start it again and the starter still works. I can leave it a couple of hours and then it still works, but if I leave it overnight, back to clicking only again. Here's what I've done to diagnose. Tried it on the jumps, and replaced battery, same behaviour. So it isn't power. I thought it might be the starter motor so I replaced with a shiny new one, but same behaviour. So for a tenner I thought I'd replace the starter solenoid, but still the same behaviour, works just 1 in a 100 ish times. Tried hooking the starter motor direct to positive and negative on the battery, to eliminate any of the wiring circuit but no sign of starter turning. Tried to identify if the starter circuit was working ok by putting a test lamp across the live heavy cable to the starter motor, and to the body of the starter, and as you would expect, the lamp lit when the key turned. Even thought it may be a dodgy earth and tried removing and replacing that, but still the same behaviour. So where I am at now is that the electric circuit seems fine, as proven by the test lamp. The starter works fine as have taken it out and bench tested it. Battery, solenoid and starter are all new. I can't hear any sound at all from the starter trying to fire, and maybe the dog catching on the flywheel. The truck stood up in a field for 6 months without being started,and before it was parked up it all started up fine. When we tried to start it, this sympton was then happening, so it is probably something that has occurred while it was standing. All I can think is that the flywheel is being restricted somehow, by a seize or a partial seize. On the 100th time when it does spin, it spins slowly and pretty noisily, and gradually gets quicker. When it is running the clutch engages and disengages fine, and all gears drive. The clicking happens whether I have the clutch depressed or not. So if it is a restriction on the flywheel preventing it turning, it happens even if the clutch is in, so I'm guessing it means if there is a seize stopping the turn that it is the gearbox / transfer box not the engine as it is isolated by the clutch being depressed. Sumamry - I can't think that it would be electrical as the test lamp lights when the key is turned. All the parts are new, so it must be the flywheel being prevented from turning. But the clutch works fine. Any suggestions as to what to try next really gratefully received as I am out of ideas. I am a basic level diyer only so stripping a gearbox is beyond me, so guidance really appreciated! Thanks all.
  3. Hi, great tips. Thank you very much all. I'll give the suggestions a go and see what happens. Gary
  4. Hi, For the gurus out there this is probably a 101 question. My petrol series 3 was sat in a field for 6 months (i know its a shame but was building a house and so it got temporariliy abandoned). Anyway firing it up again, firstly engine wouldn't turn. Suspect either starter motor seized up or flat battery. CLearly battery favourite but thats not point of this thread. So we drag started it with a digger which it started pretty easily on, and drives and everything, but I am getting lots of smoke and it feels like is running on 2 or at most 3 cylinders. So am guessing ignition system is a bit worse for wear with the weather and standing not started for 6 months. Planning on replacing all sparks, HT leads just because. Anything else I should look at to try to make it purr again? Ran beautifully before standing up so should still be ok. When its running it actually feels as though is turning ok just on wrong no of cylinders so i am not suspecting any major mechanical seizure just a little electrical problems. Is there anything else I should be doing? Thanks! Gary
  5. Thanks for the comments. On the blocked idle jet, not sure how to check this - do I need to take apart the whole carb or is there another way? I will try a new coil - even if only preventatively. Seems like a good plan. Hose are pressurising. May try the compression test. Samtope - definitely not doing the suck eggs thing - comments are perfectly at my level. Will furtling with the distributor. Errol - In terms of the carb, was a shiny new one out the box. Didnt know I had to adjust it other than set up idlign speed. It went on fine, fired up great and in driving locally around the villages behaved perfectly over the 5 or 6 mile country lane journeys it did. Was only when i took it out on the A road and was consistently at near flat out it seems to have gone wrong. This is what makes me think I burst something. Will try the above - any other suggestions however simple please let me know. Tks.
  6. Hi all. Hoping you can help. I am sure this has been asked before but I cannot find it in my searching. Got a '72 S3 Petrol. It had been laid up for a while during the snow through a flat battery. Fired it up and petrol was leaking out the carb housing. So changed the carb. All seemed rosy. First journey out of the drive was last week when it went 15 miles along an A-road at a steady 45 (near flat out!) It seemed to handle that ok - a little tired maybe, but as soon as i came to the junction and the revs dipped below about 1500 it just stalled. I suspected was a bit low on power as well but may have invented this. So for the rest of the journey every time revs dipped below 1500 it cuts out. Very annoying. It still starts spot on, but then stalls. Any suggestions on where to look? As it had been laid up for about 4 months anything may have gone. Temp was running just below the red on the gauge so a little higher than it should be, but it didn't get any hotter and go into the red. No smoke from exhaust. All seemed ok. Options I am aware of (but don't know how to check!) below, but am guessing there is a sensible order to rule out issues - don't really want to jump straight into head gasket replacement as a first diagnosis. Your thoughts and comments welcomed! - Maybe I Didnt attach new zenith properly. Worked for a bit but could now be leaking air at joint - How do I check this? - Head gasket shot - How do I check this? Ok so its not many solutions I am aware of. Any others please? Thanks Jack
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