I've got a problem with my 1600 T/P bog standard (I think) engine. The bus is kept in a dry garage. All through the winter I've run the engine every month to warm it up etc. I did this 2 weeks ago left ticking over for about 20 minutes and all seemed fine. The engine has been starting on the first turn of the key. Today I had great difficulty starting and when it did it cut out after a few seconds and was then difficult to start again. Eventually I backed out onto the drive and had the same problems. When running I could rev up etc would almost tick over and cut out suddenly. I suspected fuel so checked the fuel pump which pumped ok into a jam jar. I took the top of carb 24 pict3 rebuilt last year and checked the float needle valve was free. I even tried with the air cleaner off (original oil bath type) with no success. I have electronic ignition (sparkright) and bought one of their coils at the NEC last year so I changed to the new coil. I was careful to make sure the wires from the distributor went to the correct terminals on the coil (I blew a module last year connecting them wrong). I took no.4 plug out and checked for a spark and could not get one so changed the coil back to the old one. Still no spark . I have pushed the bus back into the garage and are what is loosely called fed up! The only thing i have done in the last 2 weeks is charge the leasure battery up. help please!
Check under the dizzy cap that the center sprung brush is still there and not broken . ( the bit that makes contact with the center of the rotor arm ) although the actual ignition modules are ok the parts they put on the cheaper dizzys are rubbish ( dizzy cap , rotor arm ect) I've had a few where the center brush had fell off or broken Sent from my SM-J500FN using Tapatalk
If it’s a Sparkrite SX4000 it might have failed but starting an engine every month and/or leaving it idling for 20 minutes isn’t doing it any favours at all – high bore wear from fuel wash and a heavy load on the cam and followers with little splash lubrication. And the oil will be contaminated because it hasn’t got hot enough for condensation to evaporate. Don’t start it or start it and drive it.
Before changing coils etc. check there is 12 volts on the fat black wire on the coil with the ignition on. It could be a bad connection , or a worn out ignition switch - it has been very damp this spring so if its going to corrode, it will. Sadly, also, electronic ignition units do fail suddenly. Coils generally get flaky before they go. Its also warmer now than in the last few months - you might have flooded it when you used cold weather start technique. If it stinks of petrol from the exhaust during all this its more likely. And the problem with the needle valves is not that they stop delivering fuel but they dont know when to shut off and they pour fuel down the carb throat.
yes I do have lights. Suspect the solonoid valve thingy on the carb faulty and not opening when ignition turned on. ordered a new one.
Yes there is 12 volts to the coil thick black wire. I had the heads up about the solenoid from a mate and took it out. When putting 12 volts to it nothing happened but with just a gentle touch it "opened" and shut again when power removed. I tried several times to get it to work when connecting to 12 volts to no avail. I've ordered a new one. I'll update when new one fitted end of next week all being well. Many thanks to all who have offered advice.
All sorted now thanks to all. It looks like I had (or made) two problems. The air shut off solenoid was not opening when the ignition was switched on so this was replaced. I also bought an electronic ignition module for the dizzy, the old one had failed....but I may have helped it when changing the coil...doh!
