Joined: Aug 2017 Posts: 158 Threads: 51
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Hello all,
Apologies if this has been covered elsewhere but I just wanted to pick people's brains for common causes of hot starting issues.
The car is a 1934 Box Saloon and it is very reluctant to restart when still hot, such as in a fuel station. It's not been fitted with a starter motor for some years after the last one went up in smoke and I never felt the need to refit a working one, so I can possibly rule out a voltage drop from the motor? It normally bump starts quite happily (fortunately my local fuel station is on a slope), and generally starts easily from cold on the handle.
I think it's less likely to be a fuel vaporisation issue as it does it year round and the exhaust has some heat shielding.
So the question is what obvious things should I be looking at? I'd slightly assume it's ignition related?
Thanks in advance!
Joined: Aug 2017 Posts: 315 Threads: 1
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Location: Bristol
Rupert if it bump starts OK its an overrich mixture the carb is flooding when hot due to fuel expansion check the float chamber fuel level and float needle.
Terry.
Joined: Aug 2017 Posts: 861 Threads: 16
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Location: North Yorkshire
I'd be very tempted to fit a starter motor, the post vintage ones are easy to come by. I would always be worried in case the car stalled when pulling out of a junction onto a busy main road, not the best place to get out and turn the starting handle!
Joined: Aug 2017 Posts: 158 Threads: 51
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Okay that's an interesting point on the mixture I hadn't thought of. On reflection the car probably is running a bit rich anyway given it needs minimal choke to start and keep going from cold, so definitely something I can look into.
As for the start motor, that's also a fair point. I can't quite recall what went wrong with the old one beyond that it involved a lot of smoke and rapid disconnecting of the battery. I think the lever on top has totally fused in place so I'd assume there was a problem with that rather than the actual motor.
Joined: Mar 2018 Posts: 682 Threads: 33
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Location: Lot region FRANCE
On my 32 RN, I always have to use the choke to start, hot or cold BUT as soon as the engine has turned over a couple of revs, I need to put the choke back in and "tickle" the accelerator into life. Having said that. very cold start is choke out, as soon as it "catches", choke back in, revs increase, then engine dies, so quick choke back out for a few revs and engine catches again. May have to do this 3 or 4 times when minus 4 or so.
Joined: Aug 2017 Posts: 177 Threads: 1
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Rupert,
I would check the starter motor switch,only 3 screws hold it on,quite possible you will see burn marks within the switch.new switches are available from A7 suppliers. Also I would recommend that an isolator switch is fitted.
Joined: Jan 2019 Posts: 1,481 Threads: 17
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Location: Bala North Wales
Car type: 1933 RP Standard Saloon
I think that Terrytuned may well be right. Assuming you are running on a 26VA carburettor, and assuming that it is in reasonable fettle, setting the mixture is not too difficult.
The method I use is to get the engine hot and set the throttle screw to a fairly brisk tickover. Wind the mixture screw on the top either in or out to get the engine running at its quickest. Reset the throttle screw to lower the tickover at little and then wind the mixture screw out until the tickover begins to drop. snap the throttle open about 1/4 of its travel and let it fall back.
If the engine revs dip and then come back up, then the mixture is too weak. wind the mixture screw in a tiny bit and repeat. When flicking the throttle results in the revs returning to an even tickover without it 'dipping', the mixture is correct.
Adjust the tickover to a sensible level (about 500 rpm or so) on the throttle screw. Don't be tempted to take the tickover too slow, otherwise the car will stall if the engine in either not up to temperature or hotter than normal.
Hope this helps!.
Joined: Aug 2017 Posts: 2,748 Threads: 31
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Location: Auckland, NZ
27-07-2020, 08:10 AM
(This post was last modified: 27-07-2020, 08:13 AM by Bob Culver.)
In the late 1960s I was transferred to Auckland. This involved a 360 mile one day tootle in the RP. On arrival I had a look around the big smoke then after dark pulled into a service station. When I went to start lotsa smoke and the starter pull would not release. Got out and burned my hand. Took a while to disconnect the battery.The lever becomes worn on its axle, tilts, and shorts. With all the city traffic light stops I was then worried about the battery going flat.
If you require a super slow idel for some reason, acheivable with the hand retard.
