Hi all, My 1972 bus has stopped firing up! 8/9 months ago I replaced the leads, rotar arm, cap and plugs. It then started up! Had a drive and then got it ready for winter storage. Put a fully charged up battery on, changed the petrol and went to start it… no luck! Turns but won’t fire. I then replaced fuel filter, fuel pump and new rod.. still no luck. I then double checked I’m getting spark and Yep getting a nice strong spark. I then replaced the carb, everyone was saying my carb is dead. I cleaned the bocar carb out 3x and completely disassembled it, still no luck so I replaced it with a new empi (£217) got it all fitted… still won’t fire!! I got a video of the carb squirting petrol down so it’s getting fuel. whats really confusing is when I put some carb cleaner down the carb it’ll start for about 3 seconds then die out. please help.. about £400 in and it’s not looking good. I have an electric ignition, someone said it could be ignitor gone.. but then how come I have spark? TIA (someone is coming to look this week, hopefully!!)
Just try this and it may help. Take the air filter pipe off the carb, pour a small cup of fuel straight down the throat replace pipe sharpish and give it a whirl. If it starts and runs a bit do it again until it runs freely!
Nope no luck.. only if spray carb cleaner down it. The minute I stop spaying carb cleaner it’ll die out.
Bad luck. Was worth a go as it usually works if all else is working as should! Have you checked the timing?
Honestly have no idea, the lady I bought it from use to just take it to a shop to get bits done on it. It’s deffo an electric ignition as it’s got the red ignitor. I just done what you said again and it’s tried so hard to start but the minute I thought it was running I stopped turning the key and it died
Once it starts doing it that way it generally stops when the fuel in the throat is used up and you have to do it a couple of times before it finally starts sucking fuel in itself!
You also can check the fuel idle cut off. Put the key on, remove and reinstal the cut off's wire. You should hear a clic. If not, it is toasts. Check all the new parts you replace. We had some very bad luck lately with really crappy parts. Brand new Facet electric pump leaking, starter that fails in a few days, distributor caps that doesn't work... Quality rebuilds are galaxies away from new parts in term of quality...
Hmmm…this sounds very much like the problem I had, before I lost interest in it in December. I started it fine, went for a big long run, came home and parked it up. Went to start it a few weeks later, then nothing. Engine turned fine, plugs were damp, so fuel coming through, fired when the key was fully turned, then release key and it dies. Interesting to see what you find…as I haven’t gone back to it.
I second the ignition switch problem that @Zed put forward as a solution, maybe also for @Soggz.. Carefully jumper coil positive to battery positive so it cant fall off and short out..then turn the key and crank. To stop the engine if it starts, dont panic, turn the key off and remove the wire from the battery end.
Mine does have a new ignition Mike. But I’ll look one day. I’m starting to get the camper van itch again, now it’s lighter at night…
Swapping a couple of wires on the ignition switch connection to the loom can allow the engine to crank but be hard to start, because the ignition is turned off when cranking. The symptom would be that dipped headlamps would try to stay on while you are cranking.. The switch has 3 positions.. Code: power outputs Ignition starter Accessories crank. On On Off Run. On Off On Stop. Off Off Off Swap the ignition and accessories wire and it will be confusing..
