Cortina won't start now! tips n diagnosis?

[trigger]

ALL MODERN CORTINAS R SHIT

[reanimation-films]

Anyone know what the points gap should be on a 1.6 mk5, looks like Bosch distributor I think, turns out my HBOL is for a Mk4 so may not be the same.

Cheers

[alf892]

Bosch usually has orange cap with condenser mounted outside on dizzy body....gap 17 thou.......ford one bigger with black cap and gap is 25 thou.

[reanimation-films]

Bosch usually has orange cap with condenser mounted outside on dizzy body....gap 17 thou.......ford one bigger with black cap and gap is 25 thou.

Thanks, yep it's orange cap and outside condenser. Mk4 HBOL suggests 0.018 0.45mm which is about the same. (0.432mm) so not far off. Not had enough time today to perform all tests. Got a NOS Lucas condenser on now, will cover all bases next time...

[alf892]

Suggest you give the carb a nice solid tap as well......

[anonymous user]

Suggest you give the carb a nice solid tap as well......

I did that years ago with my Austin Gypsy, when it was playing up, until my mate took the lump hammer off me.

[hairnet]

BIGGER HAMMER!!!!!!

[reanimation-films]

I kept meaning to check back in here. Thanks for all suggestions, I kept all of them in mind and eventually got it going.

I reset the points and swapped condenser etc, got the back end up higher, and eventually glugged petrol straight into the carb and it came back to life, could have been a few things. I've since got an MOT on it too! great.

 

It's still a bit of a pig to start after not being used a week or so but I'm getting to know it.

 

theres a few niggles to rid before I'm confident driving about in it. the manifold to down pipe gasket has gone so its blowing there, considering a bodge or trying to sheer the rustiest bolts ever, and doing it properly...!

[jonny69]

Sounds like fuel to me then. I've not had an engine with a VV carb on it before, but I remember back in the day that people used to have to crank their cars like crazy to get them to start.

[reanimation-films]

Yeah, it takes a bit but does start, I'm now reversing up to park too so theres an incline the right way too. There was likely a few issues but was nice to get it going. cheers

[cort16]

My cortina does that cranking thing too it's really annoying . I'm going to fit a glass filter in the hope it'll stop all the fuel running back to the tank.

[jonny69]

Is it running back into the tank though, or is it just that the VV carb doesn't have a throttle pump which squirts a load of fuel into the barrel? The key thing that made older (Ford) engines easy to start was that you could pump the throttle a few times which would get some fuel down there, crank it and it would usually fire.

[cort16]

The pumping thing doesn't work on it still takes an age to start. I never had this on my other cortinas I dunno why this one is such a bastard.

I'm not saying it running back to the tank is the problem but the glass fuel filter will prove it one way or another.

[reanimation-films]

Glass fuel filter hmm... will look at that. It's not a massive issue now but I do need to gain confidence that this car won't leave us stranded one day! It was off road for 10 years! Will post a couple pics soon, still needs bits n bobs, its ideal for spring now really but nice to have it legal and complete again!

[Joshua_090]

 set the feeler guage on the sqaure cam spindle high point

 

cheers again

 

no thats not right. turn the engine so the plastic part of the points that touches the cam is on the high point (the points are then at the most open position) then put the feeler gauge between the contact points; These are round metal 'pads' around 3mm in diameter that should open and close as the engine turns. The gap should not be any bigger than the cardboard from a fag packet when fully open

 

 

ALL MODERN CORTINAS R SHIT

 

yeah man...they are sick..... (you meant it as a compliment right? ) Although thinking about it is there such a thing as a modern cortina?

[Rocket88]

Glass fuel filter hmm... will look at that. It's not a massive issue now but I do need to gain confidence that this car won't leave us stranded one day! It was off road for 10 years! Will post a couple pics soon, still needs bits n bobs, its ideal for spring now really but nice to have it legal and complete again!

 

Rip carb off, throw in bin fit 28/32 weber or 36 dgas weber. Start car.

[hairnet]

colc is right vv carbs are worse than fanbois

 

italian tune up needed more regular

[cort16]

There was a weber on a cortina manifold on ebay for £25 quid as it was spelt crotina but like a fanny I forgot about it and missed the auction.

[Pete-M]

VV carbs are disastrous.

 

Weber is the answer. They're easy enough to sort. Rebuild kit isn't malý expensive.

[Pete-M]

Mark. Borrow a dwell meter from someone and set the points correctly. 48-52° if memory serves me right. Much more accurate than messing about with feeler gauges.

[reanimation-films]

Sorry, forgot to check back in again.

Thanks for the great tips, I'll take onboard all including the special tools, and I must have got points right or it would't have worked, I admit though it took a lot of careful faffing and many attempts! cheers.

On the subject of Weber it is the way forward, I do actually have the much lusted carb off my old mk1 XR2 though the wrong inlet manifold from the crossflow, maybe it'll fit straight on to the pinto inlet?

TBH I've not yet got into modifying as I wasn't sure if it was a keeper or not yet, it was a case of getting it working and legal and use it a bit (in dry weather!) and go from there. It is a bit of a rare relic on the roads so intend to use it for a bit.

[Pete-M]

Point can be set incorrectly and still work. That's why I suggest using a dwell meter.

[Noel Tidybeard]

mite be worth checking you are getting full voltage to the coil whilst cranking- i remember a badermatic mini being a pita and it was found the ign switch wasnt giving 12v when cranking so an alternative feed wired up job jobbed

[reanimation-films]

Great, thanks for the advice Pete. Proper tools do make things reassuringly accurate. will look it up and ask around.

Thanks Frank!

 

Just been looking on a popular auction site at carbs theres a few new ones are very reasonable but bank flattening prices, these are for 2.0 though apparently, seems theres quite a few variations of old webers available so looks like I need to do research!

[reanimation-films]

Looks like it was the 32/36 that was fitted to the 1.6 and 2.0, giving a reasonable 90BHP! http://www.sarkiesparkingspace.co.uk/cortinamk5specs.asp

Is this one of those things Insurance should know about...?

[Noel Tidybeard]

has anyone ever done a fanimold to suit su's?

mini guru vizard always said a properly sorted su set up was better than a weber

[reanimation-films]

hmm, to be fair I've had great experience with Weber, Mk1 XR2, 1.1 Fiesta Van, both been ace

[trigger]

I've got a 32/36 weber on mine, It's goes very well and sounds great when the twin choke kicks in with a K&N fitted, TWIN CHOKE KICKED IN YO!!

 

[danthecapriman]

Have a look on www.webcon.co.uk they list both Weber performance and O.E replacement carbs, plus various other stuff.

I got a Weber O.E replacement carb for my 1.6 pinto Capri to replace its original Motorcraft one and it made a huge difference to starting and reliability. It's been faultless ever since I put it on and that must be a good 10 yrs or so ago. The O.E replacement ones aren't too pricey either.

[M'coli]

The 23/36 DGAV was fitted to both 1.6 and 2.0 engines, the jetting for both was identical but the float height was different, I seem to recall.