Couple of my cars and welcome

[plasticvandan]

have you adjusted the choke speed screw? if this isnt on enough then it will be hard to start,equally if screwed to far in it will rev its tits off when you use the choke.

Reliants always need full choke to start from cold,then can ususally go to half way before a gradual ease off

[oldcars]

I adjusted the throttle adjusting screw. Is the one you are speaking about the fast idle screw?

Starts from hot no bother and its only hard work from cold.

[plasticvandan]

yes thats it the fast idle screw. usually reliants are the other way round,nightmare when hot,instant when cold.it may be the mixture is weak.

[oldcars]

Mine was when i got it, hot starting was a disaster. Might have a look and adjust the fast idle a bit at the weekend. Its a pest having to take the airbox off to get at these screws.

[plasticvandan]

dont need to tkae the box off to do the tickover and mixture (need it on really to get it set right) the choke idle screw does need the filter taking off though.

[oldcars]

Cheers again, handy info 

[oldcars]

Adjusted the tickover, seems to be a lot better. Still a wee bit hard to start but at least it does not cut out. Going to get a new airfilter too as the old one is manky. Lost a chrome wheel trim on the way to work, gutted. Went to look for it but no luck

Went for a long field walk today and found my wheel trim 

[oldcars]

Ok, popped up to my mates to do a few bits on the Rialto, he has a nice garage to work in.

 

We checked the choke gap, its set at 40 thou so all good. Checked the points and cleaned up the four contacts and the rotor arm. 

 

It still idles up and down when cold, fine when warm, But this morning i could not get it started yet again!

 

We did find a disconected pipe in the engine bay, my pal said its a vacum for the distributer and connected it back on to the bottom. Is this correct, trying to find out why its so hard to get this thing started from cold.

[plasticvandan]

how much choke are you using?

[oldcars]

Full choke mate, from cold first thing in the morning.

[plasticvandan]

i would say then that it must be running very weak.

[oldcars]

i would say then that it must be running very weak.

I begining to wonder if it the battery. It has just been charged up 2 weeks ago. When you turn on the ignition the volt meter rises but still stays in the red. I can't remember what this used to rise to, is this normal?

[plasticvandan]

fully charged it would normally go to around 13v.

[oldcars]

fully charged it would normally go to around 13v.

Sorry just to i fully understand, if i turn the key to the ignition is on, just before starting the battery should read as about 13v?

[plasticvandan]

yes,as the volt meter reads what is in the battery.when driving it will normally go to around 14v,with all electrics on drop to around 12v.

[oldcars]

Thanks, it was when i last drove it Tues eve. Think mi might get it checked. driving me mad this thing!

[oldcars]

Ok, this car is driving me mad. New battery on, starts ok, now it won't go above 30 mph! Bogs down all the time.

Mot due soon too, might just dump it in the drive and get the Shuma drums fixed and run that all the time instead.

[oldcars]

Ok update time.

 

I spent a few hours up my mates last week, trying to figure out this bogging down issue. We re checked the points back, rotor arm and distributer. Checked leads which are all fine. Dad got me a Rialto manual for christmas so i found out about the fuel overflow which i didn't know about. Found a split hose and thought bingo thats it.

 

Car got mot, and hose was replaced. Just picked it up and it still runs badly Gutted spent a few quid on mot stuff, tax insurance etc. My mate at mot place says there is a clear plastic fuel pipe underneath that has a bit of a kink in it, do you think this could cause the bogging down? Any other ideas?

[dollywobbler]

Certainly possible. Fuel starvation would certainly cause your symptoms. If that didn't cure it, I'd change the points and condenser, just to be sure. 

[oldcars]

Cheers, pipe will be cheapest fix so will try that first. Its a great little car, looking forward to having it running 100%

[plasticvandan]

is the dashpot topped up on the carb?

[fordperv]

This is the shuma that my mate at work has and loves to bits, note the rover 25/45 alloys for extra shite points

 

[oldcars]

Cheers for the photo, it does look good with those alloys. Must be the 1800 one with the boot spoiler. Back arches look good, i have had to get mine tidied up last year.

[fordperv]

It is a lovely tidy motor, he had to have the drivers quarter painted as a dizzy bint parked by braille, he's a brill guy he just laughed and agreed to get it fixed at a place that she used and trusted not to rip anyone off or take the pee

[oldcars]

Look like i have finally got to the bottom of the running issues with the reliant.

 

Been doing a bit to it recently, replaced all the fuel pipes in the overflow system. Replaced the airfilter and had a look at the carb mixture, which turn out to be way out, very lean. I have adjusted it up and no more hunting at idle or cutting out, time will tell if tha'ts it fixed but looking good so far.

 

Enjoying this car, getting to learn about how things work and do a bit on work myself.

[plasticvandan]

mixture on these is screw in to weaken and screw out to richen

[oldcars]

Thanks, yes i was told the bottom screw should be about 9-10mm from the top and it was set at 6mm, so i took it down to 9mm and set from there.

 

Have you got any top tips on refitting the airbox, what a faf of a job that is!

[plasticvandan]

do it from the passenger side,fit the rear bolt first,personally i used to leave the box on,mainly for a more accurate mixture.tickover you can adjust with your index finger pressed on the screw

[oldcars]

do it from the passenger side,fit the rear bolt first,personally i used to leave the box on,mainly for a more accurate mixture.tickover you can adjust with your index finger pressed on the screw

Cheers, i could'nt see the mixture screw with the airbox on but now i know where it is can adjust without removal, as you say it needed a small adjustment once the box was on as did the tickover.

Thanks for the tip, thats the way i do the airbox, 2 mins to take off, 20 mins to put back on