dollywobbler Posted April 20, 2012 Share Posted April 20, 2012 Valve clearances are always worth a look, especially if you know that the car has been somewhat neglected before. Should be very easy to check I would have thought? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TagoraGL Posted April 20, 2012 Share Posted April 20, 2012 There's a page about the Mk1 GTE in the latest Practical Classics (and a nice pic of a Firenza Droop Snoot on the cover). http://www.practicalclassics.co.uk/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Louise2cv Posted April 21, 2012 Author Share Posted April 21, 2012 Good News: It fired up and ran without the choke! Bad News: It conked out about a minute later just as my neighbour came out and caught me doing a victory dance I'm going to change the oil now seeing as I'm stuck with ignition stuff 'til Monday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cavcraft Posted April 21, 2012 Share Posted April 21, 2012 Hopefully if it's started without the choke then ran for a short while if you keep it revved up a bit it'll keep on going. I wouldn't rev it too much if the engine is cold because you need to let the oil get round the engine fully first. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Louise2cv Posted April 21, 2012 Author Share Posted April 21, 2012 Erm.... I've changed the coolant and now if I switch the car on the temp gauge shoots off the scale past the red. What do I do? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dollywobbler Posted April 21, 2012 Share Posted April 21, 2012 How long is it running before that happens? Sounds like an air lock. Get burping them hoses! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Louise2cv Posted April 21, 2012 Author Share Posted April 21, 2012 Like as soon as I turn the key.... I have burped, with lid off and lid on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Louise2cv Posted April 21, 2012 Author Share Posted April 21, 2012 Oh yeah I've put a new thermostat in too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dollywobbler Posted April 21, 2012 Share Posted April 21, 2012 Well, it can't be overheating that quickly. Sounds like a duff temp sender, but I'm not sure why it would suddenly fail like that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Louise2cv Posted April 21, 2012 Author Share Posted April 21, 2012 Well, it never moved out of the blue all the way home from Haverfordwest, and then the first time it moved was while I fiddled with stuff this week. Now it goes off the scale. Why WHY did I sell the 2cv? WHY! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dollywobbler Posted April 21, 2012 Share Posted April 21, 2012 I'd just ignore it for now. Test the temperature of the hoses with your hand and make sure the rad gets warm. There's usually a different sensor to power the fan, so it shouldn't overheat. Might have been a duff sender all along - though a change of 'stat is never a bad plan. The one in the BX had rotted into its component pieces... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Station Posted April 21, 2012 Share Posted April 21, 2012 Temp gauge runs off a sensor in the inlet - it's a spade connector and you've knocked it off and it's earthed on the engine. It's a single blue wire. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
red5 Posted April 21, 2012 Share Posted April 21, 2012 Whereabouts are you? Fairly close to Bewdley if I recall? Sam Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Louise2cv Posted April 21, 2012 Author Share Posted April 21, 2012 Hi Station, I wondered about the earth, couldn't work that out so jiggled the connector of the single blue wire, that was on it's terminal but ob not well enough, temp gauge sorted. Red5, my 'rents are that way, I'm N Wales. So here's the "service" I've given the engine: New oil.New oil filter.New air filter.Coolant drained, flushedand new coolant in.New thermostatNew sparkplugsNew sparkplug leads.New points, new condenser. Timing set with strobe.New rotor arm.New battery.Carb dismanlted, cleaned and reassembled.Main earth strap from -ve batt terminal cleaned and tightened.All connectors in ig system cleaned. Dizzy cap and ig.switch should be here on Monday or Tuesday. What have I missed? To recap it won't idle, I can start it on the choke but if I put the choke in it'll stall. Even when the temp gauge is halfway up the dial/engine feels hot to touch. The engine definitely seems to be getting warmer than I noticed before, maybe it's running too weak? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vulgalour Posted April 21, 2012 Share Posted April 21, 2012 My Polo is doing something very similar to this and I don't know what's wrong with mine either, so I shall be reading this with interest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Louise2cv Posted April 21, 2012 Author Share Posted April 21, 2012 My one concern is sparkplug 4. I have my suspicions that someone's knackered the threads somehow. It was a pig to take out, but the threads didn't look mangled. Then the new one went it but was very stiff, I didn't want to over do it so once it stopped turning I stopped trying. Maybe it isn't all the way in... and maybe this is why someone used longer plugs?? The other thing I'm kind of pissing in the wind with is the settings on the carb. Having taken it apart to clean it I have altered everything and have no idea how to reset esp as I can get it idle no matter what I do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John F Posted April 21, 2012 Share Posted April 21, 2012 My one concern is sparkplug 4. I have my suspicions that someone's knackered the threads somehow. It was a pig to take out, but the threads didn't look mangled. Then the new one went it but was very stiff, I didn't want to over do it so once it stopped turning I stopped trying. Maybe it isn't all the way in... and maybe this is why someone used longer plugs?? The other thing I'm kind of pissing in the wind with is the settings on the carb. Having taken it apart to clean it I have altered everything and have no idea how to reset esp as I can get it idle no matter what I do. If the plug is in tight (and not sticking out loads further than the other plugs!) it should be OK, Louise. Re. the carb settings, have you looked on the Web for how to re-set your carb to factory settings? I'm sure some carburettor geek somewhere will have uploaded a "how to" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Louise2cv Posted April 21, 2012 Author Share Posted April 21, 2012 do you know, that never crossed my mind! Still think it'll be beyond me! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scaryoldcortina Posted April 21, 2012 Share Posted April 21, 2012 I've just realized that I have a snap-on/autodata carb setting manual in the front room : I'll go look for it, and let you know. edit - Kadett-D/Astra 1979-84 12N engine, book says it should have a Solex 35PDSI carb. If this sounds right, I'll scan and upload the setting pages for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j-j Posted April 21, 2012 Share Posted April 21, 2012 It might just have been corrosion that made the sparky stiff to turn all the way out. If it has had the threads damaged then they can be re tapped but if they're stripped then it's a heli-coil that's needed.. Just thinking: you've done so much to the ignition that I reckon it's more likely the carburetor that's at fault re the non idling. Ignition faults tend to be more ON-OFF than what you're getting with the bad idle. That is, it runs it doesn't or it runs like a bag of spanners with very clear miss fires as one or more sparks are dropped. Only other thing ignition wise not mentioned is the distributor body. I don't know if the Astra engine would suffer this but I was getting engine oil leak past the Orings up into the distributor and getting on the points. Low revs caused serious spark loss but higher revs seemed to be ok (maybe due to the points 'bouncing' harder and making contact) but it took ages to discover this was the problem. I had a similar issue with the car running fine for about 40 seconds then running shite and stinking of petrol. A bit of choke saw the revs up but smooth running. I suspected it was flooding and checked the floats and the float inlet valve - both fine. Still flooding and it turned out to be the after market fuel pump delivering too much fuel that for idle but fine with raised revs. Maybe check the carburetor floats in case it's simply flooding? Also: check any vacuum pipe connections around the carb and manifold as these cam be surprisingly troublesome to idling smoothness with a very small leak. Ditto for the mating face of the carburetor to maniflod - if there's any warping to the faces or if there's a heat sink type of spacer under the carb that has a hairline crack in it once it heats up it can draw air and run lean and crappy. Try having it idle as best as possible even if it's rough and spray WD40 at and around all the carb joints etc and watch for a temporary restoration of revs and smoothness at idle. It's a way to eliminate vacuum leaks. The number of times I've spent weeks tracing a 'big' fault with something that's turned out to be a small issue like these is staggering! Probably not this but worth a brain storm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Station Posted April 21, 2012 Share Posted April 21, 2012 Are these mechanical (cam operated) fuel pumps or electrical ones?Smooth running with choke out and poo running with it in I'd say it's running lean and might need the carb setting up, although I don't know too much about carbs. Although with the engine getting fuel in quicker (at higher pressure) and different at lower pressure the pump might be at fault or something is blocked. You should get a fuel pressure gauge ( from demon tweeks) and put it in the fuel feed pipe. Just a thought!Also, check for air leaks in the vacuum Pipes! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Louise2cv Posted April 21, 2012 Author Share Posted April 21, 2012 Scary I think thats what it is. J-J tried the WD40, no joy. I'll have a look at some of the other stuff, ta! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DSdriver Posted April 21, 2012 Share Posted April 21, 2012 Bodgers way to clean up plug bore threads is to take an old plug and with a triangular file make three grooves in the thread more or less in line with the length of the plug so you have a home made thread tap. Screw it in using a bit of grease or tallow to catch any shit that it clears. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scaryoldcortina Posted April 21, 2012 Share Posted April 21, 2012 astra carb manual1 by scaryoldcortina, on Flickr astra carb manual2 by scaryoldcortina, on Flickr There you go Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Louise2cv Posted April 21, 2012 Author Share Posted April 21, 2012 Cheers Scary, that looks complicated! I reckon I'll be chatting up another garage dude! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scaryoldcortina Posted April 21, 2012 Share Posted April 21, 2012 astra carb manual tech1 by scaryoldcortina, on Flickr and the tech data page... carb tech data key by scaryoldcortina, on Flickr and the key to decoding said page.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Louise2cv Posted April 22, 2012 Author Share Posted April 22, 2012 Thanks Scary. Long shot: I'm after after a base plate for what I think is a Bosch 0231 186 029 distributor. Unfortunately this is only going off the info in Haynes, because try as I might, I can't find a model number on the unit on the car If anyone knows where I should be looking, then let me know! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cavcraft Posted April 22, 2012 Share Posted April 22, 2012 Ignoring the crazy price Louise, it does seem to be a Vauxhall/Bosch part number http://seekpart24.com/bosch/distributor ... 48&at=4993 Is your's a 1.3? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Louise2cv Posted April 22, 2012 Author Share Posted April 22, 2012 Well... this is what's confusing me, it's supposed to be a 1.2 but your guess is as good as mine! All the lit says the 1.2 uses the Delco Remy unit. Having said that the parts I have so far (rotor arm, points, condenser have all been bought having asked for stuff to fit the bosch unit and they have gone on a treat). No idea where the engine number is but it is def OHV which was only on the 1.2 I think??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alf892 Posted April 22, 2012 Share Posted April 22, 2012 Sometimes the trouble with putting everthing right like you have (serice and carb clean) is that the carb has probably been set up to obtain best running with other bits wrong....if you follow. Have a look in your book of lies for basic carb settings........usually it will give a number of turns from fully in (for mixture and bypass) at which the engine will run OK ish and you can fine tune by ear/feel for best running. THis is much easier than than you think.Mixture is about right when you have decent idle and engine will rev without splutter when throttle is planted with no load. Any engine that starts and runs OK with no choke is bad.........too rich by far. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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