If you turn the key and get no response check your battery leads, battery power and ensure all terminals are connected on the starter and that no fuses have popped. If all looks ok and you have dash lights as well as headlights that are not dim you may have a jammed starter or a hot starting issue.
Hot starting issues come about when old worn out wiring build a resistance over time and don’t supply the a clean large amount of power to the starter to start your vehicle. You can check this by turning the ignition off, ensuring the vehicle is out of gear and handbrake firmly on, then slide underneath and bridge the starter to solenoid terminal. This should crank the engine and may then enable you to use the key to start. Please bear in mind if you leave the keys in the ignition and live the engine will start with you under it.
If you have a sticky solenoid try the same test as the above and it should be released. Sticky solenoids come about when starter motors or flywheels are replaced and the starter motor bush isn’t. This allows the starter solenoid gear to move side to side and get stuck.
Turning over but won’t fire?
- Check your battery with a battery tester, you need to ensure it has enough voltage and cold cranking amps (Battery testing video can be found here). I use this tester.
- Check you have a spark by either looking at your points when the engine is spun by hand or by removing an ignition lead and attaching it to a sparkplug and getting someone to winch the engine whilst you look for a spark.
- Clean and gap plugs, points and rotor arm. Test that you have a good clean spark, if not change both points, condensor and rotor arm.
- If the above does not provide a good consistent spark when cold and hot then clean your coil terminals and inspect wiring. You should then also test the coil (How to Here).
- Check all ignition leads are round the correct way, i.e 1-4-3-2 for the correct firing order. If you have just changed the distributor from a 009 to an SVDA know that they are 180 degrees out so the lead position will be different. Ensure all leads are clean at both ends and securely connected at both ends.
- Check that all wires are connected to your starter and are clean, especially the small spade terminal as this is easy to knock off. Ensure you main earth cable is clean and mounted properly and that your battery connections are on tight to the terminals
Have Fuel?
- Check that the fuel cut off solenoid is working. First by removing the wire that attaches to it (left side of a single carb), turn the ignition on and reconnect the cable. It should click if its working ok. You may want to remove it completely to ensure its in one piece. Bear in mind it can only be tested if ground with the carb body.
- Check that you are getting fuel in one of two ways, first you can pour a small amount of fuel or damp start down the throat of the carb and see if it coughs in to life. If it does then you have a fuel delivery issues. You should then take off the inlet hose in to your carburettor and place it in in a bottle, with the main coil ignition wire detached from the coil so the engine wont start and the fuel line safely away from anything moving or electrical winch the engine a few times and check to see if the bottle now has fuel. No fuel = issue with fuel pump/vapour lock/filter or tank blockage.
- Check that the carburettor is squirting fuel when you pull the throttle arm and perhaps tape the top of the carb off to ensure the float and float valve are operating correctly and that the fuel bowl is full.
I use holts easy start to test if its a fuelling issue:
If you have done all the above and it still wont message me and i’d be happy to help!