No Start Issue

[Pep48]

1948 P15 Special Deluxe

The specs:

Started (with some effort) before the conversion. (Had a 6V positive ground pertronix)

The distributor was never removed, same location since I bought the car, so firing order is correct.

• Converted to 12 volts Negative Ground
• New Cap, Rotor, Wires, correct Coil, and Plugs, New Pertronix ignition (12v Neg. ground)
• Have spark at all of the plugs.
• Installed a clear fuel filter (just before the carb) and it fills with fuel.

The Backstory:

The engine started and ran OK before the conversion. Although in order to start it, the carb needed full choke, and the plugs indicated running very rich. The engine has enough compression to run well.

 

So, now the best I can do is to get the engine to only run for about 3 seconds!

 

I always wait until last to blame the carb, but all evidence points to it.

 

Suggestions welcomed.

Thanks

Sonny

 

 

 

 

 

[Harley PHD]

Sounds like the idle circuit in the carburetor is restricted. Or has water in the gas.

[desoto1939]

Sonny: Have you removed the top of the carb to verify that gas is getting into the bowel and that there is no sediment or dirt in the bowel of the carb. If the move the throttle linkage does gas squirt down the body of the carb. Coulb also be a stuck needle valve that operates the float. Also check the float to make sure it does not have any holes.

Would the car also need a ballast resister since now going to 12 volt?

 

Rich Hartung

desoto1939@aol.com

Edited March 18 by desoto1939

[Pep48]

Hi Rich,thanks.

The pertronix requires 12v (which I verified) no ballast resistor.

Haven't pulled the top of the carb yet. Waiting for a warm sunny day.

I did remove the needle valve and cleaned it.

The accelerator pump seems weak.

Looks like a rebuild is in order

 

[Los_Control]

Is always nice to know if it is a spark or fuel issue.

These are cheap and will show if you are getting spark to the plugs while turning the engine over .... also tell you if a strong steady spark or a weak inconsistent spark.

 

I have never used petronix myself. Seems they built a really good quality product .... then years ago they sold out and the product quality has consitently gotten worse over the years. .... Some people have never had a issue, others have had problems right out of the box.

Some it worked for 6 months then failed .... some has worked for years and no issues ... others just never worked.

 

Good chance you might need to freshen up your carb .... just be sure you are getting good spark first .... just because it is new, does not mean it is working.

[Booger]

always seems to be some issue with pertronix over the years...always have a spare carb...I like the little gizmo LC has shared!

[chrysleritis]

If it runs for 3 seconds, it's not the timing -- you have to hunt for the timing after switching to the pertronix setup -- it can be off by 5 or 10 degrees from where the points wanted to be. But there's a lot of forgiveness at being 5 degrees off either way, and if it runs, it's close enough. I would support the suggestion to open up the carb and just check the overall cleanliness and look for something gooing up the fuel/air mix. If you can get it to run by just spraying starter fluid or dribbling some raw gas down the carb throat, then that'll tell you that the idle circuit is clogged. Check also the fuel pump rate. Maybe the bowl isn't really filling? 

[keithb7]

You can try bottle feeding it to eliminate various systems.

 

 Put some gas in a plastic mustard squirter bottle. Drip it into the carb venturi while it is running for the first 3 seconds. Can you keep the engine running this way? If yes, the root of the problem lies somewhere in the fuel delivery system.  Fuel pump, carb, fuel lines etc. 

 

If you cannot keep it running by bottle feeding it, its likely an electrical or mechanical related problem. 

 

Edited Saturday at 09:53 PM by keithb7