Dolomite 1500 engine will not start

[tjmtaylor]

Hi I am new on this
i have just got a kit car and it has a dolomite 1500 engine in it
The engine has just had new 2012 carbs put on it
1 do I have to have the engine running to set the carbs up
2 how do I set the carbs  up
I have tryed all day to get my engine running but it will not start
Please help

[DaveKent]

Ooh lots of things to try!  what carbs have you got? have you checked the ignition timing, plugs, points etc? is fuel reaching the float chambers? have you got any air leaks?
were the carbs purchased "already set up"?
if the carbs are SU, you could try screwing the jets all the way in, then undo about two full turns and making sure the choke is off, crank the engine and see what happens.
Try spraying some easy start or carb cleaner down each carb to see if the engine itself will run.

Come back to us and let us know what you have tried, as there are so many possibilities- you will have to work through things methodically.

[tjmtaylor]

Hi thanks I have timed it and they are su cards so will try what you said and see if that work
Thanks

[DaveKent]

also you'll need to check the linkage operates both carbs evenly. slacken the pinch bolts, allow both throttle butterflies to snap shut, then, with the linkage tangs touching both carbs evenly, nip up the pinch bolts again. check you can get full throttle too, and that both carbs snap shut and operate equally.

[tjmtaylor]

Ok will try that to morrow thanks

[tjmtaylor]

It still will not run I have tryed every thing you said and still nothing

[dinger]

Got any sparks ?

[tjmtaylor]

Yes all 4 ore sparking and just put new plugs in the spark plugs are wet so ther is fuel getting to them

[tjmtaylor]

I have just had the engine running but it only ran for about 30 seconds

[ferny]

http://www.mintylamb.co.uk/?page=sutune.htm

[tjmtaylor]

Thanks tryed all that but it still will not fire it fires on easy start thoe

[tjmtaylor]

Thanks for your help still no joy. To recap engine timing seems OK at 8/10 degrees before BTDC distributor rotor on cylinder one big fat spark at plugs. Will fire up on easy start OK.
Fuel/floats set to give correct fuel height.
SU carbs have ADN needles Haynes says they should be ABT, what do you think?
i notice the jet sleeve/ bearing is 1.5 mils low of choke bridge, is this bad?
i have progressively retaken jet down two flats at a time to the recommended two full turns but still no joy. still fires up easy start.
Any more ideas?
Thanks

[2500 est]

i never use that crap easy start,y oh y use it..had trouble when i brought my 2500pi (with twin carb) EOL666L me and my bro stripped the carbs,upgrade needle where fitted and still never ran right..did every thing even brought carb testing kit/compression kit and still ran like crap on tick over but on a drive run there where pinking so i live with it....easy start poo

same with my herald the owner used easy start to start the car up to show me it running as fuel lines where shot,when it was at my home it was a bugger to start it with fresh fuel though a fuel can could i start it like hell,4 hrs later sorted it and it started first time.left it for a hr and it had gone back to hard to start so carnt with till every on the engine has been fix and they i will see how it will start so wish me luck  ;)

[Alex]

How old is the fuel?
Shelf life on modern fuel is terrible!

[HMaze]

7513 wrote:

Thanks for your help still no joy. To recap engine timing seems OK at 8/10 degrees before BTDC distributor rotor on cylinder one big fat spark at plugs. Will fire up on easy start OK.
Fuel/floats set to give correct fuel height.
SU carbs have ADN needles Haynes says they should be ABT, what do you think?
i notice the jet sleeve/ bearing is 1.5 mils low of choke bridge, is this bad?
i have progressively retaken jet down two flats at a time to the recommended two full turns but still no joy. still fires up easy start.
Any more ideas?
Thanks

If those are the late HS4 with the ballbearing dashpots ADN is the right needle for standard setup.
Look for example on burlen.co.uk.
The jet bearing is shorter than on the earlier carbs, to help on emission at idle.

Cheers,
Harry

[dazasdolly]

Hi

I have the same engine as you and it took me an eternity to start. What I did was get someone to turn the key while you put your hands over the holes on the carbs where the air filters would sit. Make sure your air filters and housing are not fitted. If that doesn't work check the diaphragm in the fuel pump as the little filter can get clogged up. And sometimes the diaphragm maybe split.

Darren

[DaveKent]

1542 wrote:

i never use that crap easy start,y oh y use it..had trouble when i brought my 2500pi (with twin carb) EOL666L me and my bro stripped the carbs,upgrade needle where fitted and still never ran right..did every thing even brought carb testing kit/compression kit and still ran like crap on tick over but on a drive run there where pinking so i live with it....easy start poo

)

What a load of nonsense! :P Use easy start as a tool, it's just a highly volatile substance that will give an indication of where your problem lies. It is not a substitute for the corect settings etc but is a quick and easy way of getting an engine to fire when you are diagnosing a fault.

[tjmtaylor]

Got the engine running but it keeps speeding up

[Alex]

air leak?