PLEASE HELP. Non Starter.

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gas1man

Well-known member
Supporting Member
Joined
Apr 22, 2012
Messages
2,218
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Location
Dorset
Year of Your Van(s)
1971
Van Type
Dormobile
Hi everyone,
So the inevitable has finally come to pass. Travelling home from a weekend away, pulled up at a stop street and Boris
is revving at about 2500 rpm. Dab the throttle and the revs drop to 1500 rpm. Not sure have a quick look and can not detect anything out the ordinary. Travel home and on coming to a stop we stall twice . Start up and travel home . Put the bus away after a wash and life goes on. Weekend comes around and have now tried in vain to start.

Checks done: Loads of petrol. New electronic circuit installed. Checked all spark plugs .Checked for solenoid movement on overrun valve on carb. Removed carb and cleaned. Tried new fan belt just in case but makes no difference. Battery in good condition and cranking at full power. All wiring double checked and connected.

The only thing I managed to do was flood the engine as it stank of petrol after trying the foot to the floor until start method.

Image below is of the dissy. Not moved at all in any of the above processes.
I am guessing as I have not checked but I think it is an original svda model?
The last 3 figures are 205.




Oil change less than 150 miles ago. Tappets checked at the same time.

I have not accepted defeat just yet and am raking my brain for anything I might have missed, but fresh eyes and all that does certainly help. We are supposed to be going away this weekend fingers crossed. :shock: :shock:

All assistance accepted great or small. Thank you and eagerly awaiting any and all knowledge.

Thanks again

J & P
:D :D :D
 
When you say you have checked all spark plugs do you mean checked for a spark?

Any spluttering at all or just turning over and showing no signs?

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Cranks and turns over no problem, no sign of it catching or even attempting to catch. If this is what you mean.
It spluttered once and that was it not again.

J & P
:D :D :D
 
check the connection spades on your coil, one of mine came off which gave the same symptoms, turned over but would not fire, found the wire hanging off replaced it then all good.
 
Take each plug lead off in turn. Put an old plug in each lead and check that it is sparking at the plug. Sounds like there’s fuel aplenty. Next suspect for me Is condenser or the little wire under the points . I’d also try a new cap and rotor button if the spark is iffy. I’d want to see a nice fat spark on each plug.

Ozziedog,,,,,,, good luck bud. :mrgreen:
 
Well it is definitely not the coil , changed it for old trusty one lurking under the front seat.
Not a thing so this weekend will have to be spent removing plugs one by one to check.
Going to check the tappets before all else in case something has moved.

J & P
:D :D :D
 
It’s highly unlikely that all your tappets have moved or even enough of them to affect your starting, tappets should be at their loosest when cold so should allow maximum compression and if they’re a tad tight, that should mostly affect performance by allowing seepage when all warmed up and expanded. Checking your tappets will allow you to see if your cam is working on all cylinders.

Ozziedog,,,,,,, good luck bud :mrgreen:
 
Petrol pump is on the list but flooding of the carb tells me it should be ok , but I will check non the less.
Tappets are doubtful to have moved as you mentioned Ozzie but no harm in looking. One less thing
to worry about.
Thanks Davydomes , results to follow after weekend checks. Any other suggestions appreciated people.

J & P
:D :D :D
 
My guess is its the idle jet that is blocked. The first 1/4 of the throttle is the idle, then 1/4 to 3/4 is idle and needle and the final quarter is main jet. So if you have been floorboarding it then the engine would flood via the main jet. probably wrong usually am :D Good luck - it will be something simple, good luck
 
Defo sounds electrical - any news buddy ref the spark from the plugs?
Im sure youll find the cause
 
Started off by replacing the distributor cap and leads.
Then proceeded to the front and turned the ignition switch only to find the lights for oil and generator not lighting?????

Back under dash to check fuses, only to find none blown and all seem ok. Accessed ignition switch no wires fallen
off the back of it.

So now I am a little stumped.

Checked the earth wires , the earth straps etc.all tight.
Power still ok to the alternator.
Starter still turns engine but no power to coil or carb. ?????
:evil: :evil: :evil: :evil:

So anybody got any bright ideas as to the problem?
Hoping I am missing something obvious.

J & P
:D :D :D
 
Hi did you check the 4 or 5 way connector block under the dash board it should link from the ignition switch wires to the loom & has spade connections that can come loose you can see through the connector to the connections it should then link to the fuse box possibly a join or spade connector has come off , then it should go through the loom all the way to the coil from behind the oil bath.

If you have no positive 12v try a wire to battery positive to the coil see if it starts then might want to fuse it or remove the other positive first incase its shorting somewhere
 
Try getting someone to crank the engine while you check there is 12v at coil.
Happened to me when I fried the starter switch!
12v feed at ignition on, but the feed to the coil got lost as soon as I cranked it.
Or to check on your own, wire a permanent 12v feed to the coil straight from the battery then try starting.
Don't leave the permanent feed on though!
 
Managed to get out to the garage. So removed wiring from below dash to check.
That main connector block is fine and in place with all spade connectors plugged in.
Still no go with any lights on dash.

Tried a live wire between battery and coil , quick attempt to start and it just turns over but
not catch at all. Checked for power at the alternator also 14.4 volts so all good there.

That's all tonight it's getting cold lying on the concrete floor in an unheated garage. :(

J & P
:D :D :D
 
It might not be related, but I'd be concerned with 14.4v at the alternator - this is the voltage you'd expect to see with the van running. It should be around 12.5v when fully charged but not running.

I'd borrow a known working battery and try that.


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More to try go back to the ignition switch connection block you can check with a multi meter or ,check for 12v on red wire perminant feed switch ignition on you should have 12v on black wire & black & yellow the black wire is what should brink up your warning lights if there is no voltage on black you could make a shorting link at your own risk this will bring on the ignition warning lights unless some other wires have come loose.




Also from the coil the supply wire hopefully black goes to the fuse box it's not fused just linked into a supply link from ignition mine is behind the right side last fuse you can also do a continuity check disconnect the wire & short to ground again at your own risk might be best to disconnect the battery first before removing or pulling wires.





 

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