LOL, odd amusing and dodgy advice.

I have a petrol gen for such problems

Hmm, the other slightly less iffy idea is to stick your lights on for 30 secs if the battery is iffy. Won't do if your car isn't starting due to other things, but getting the electrons moving will get you enough juice for one more crank, which is usually enough.

Rather cold yesterday, so I tried the 3 pedal pumps and she started really quickly, it usually takes a few turns I think she promptly stopped after though, but ran fine second time.

The day before when it was freezing, well probably a couple degrees above, my mum wanted to go out, but the engine hardly turned, it sounded like one rotation a second! But second go after a few turns she suddenly burst to life, I was amazed! Turning over that slowly I never thought she had a chance but the 1.7 shocked me, I was well impressed

Sounds like evaporation from the carb! The three second burst used fuel faster than the pump replenished the bowl. Happens to mine after a long period of none use. In summer I use motorbike a lot. Is there a faint smell of fumes when you lift the bonnet?

Ahhh, intresting, Kar's been doing this for the last month or 2. Andy has suggested I pull the carb and take it apart and clean it for a different reason, what part needs checking relating to the evapourating? I guess there is something not sealing around the float camber thingy?

The float chamber isn't supposed to be sealed.

I've yet to hear a good answer to this question...are carbs supposed to lose fuel to evaporation over time? I can't see how they wouldn't, given the vent the float chamber has.

In my opinion, firing then stalling is inadequate choke. The throttle pumping was probably temporarily masking an overall lack of choke. If there's no fuel in the float chamber, it won't start at all until the fuel gets pumped forward. Both of my cars do exactly this

Slow cranking is almost certainly a weak battery. Mine does the same, so I think it might be time fairly soon to bite the bullet and buy that Bosch Silver uber-battery. They're less than £40 for a 340 one y'know Of course it might just need a good run to charge up.

cheers

James

foggyjames wrote: They're less than £40 for a 340 one y'know Of course it might just need a good run to charge up.

Or free if you con Halfords?

No, that's for a dubious Halfords one...they actually want money for the Bosch ones

cheers

James

Was the evaporation post aimed at me? I agree with Foggy, It was probably my fault and the balance of throttle and choke wasn't quite right. Yesterday was my first drive in her for about three months what with uni and it was very cold so give me a break

My dad seems to find sometime that it's best to start with a little choke and half throttle, and as soon as it starts, whip the choke out and use less throtle. not sure if it works, but I'll try it.

PS,Hey Foggy, didn't you ought to get a Volvo battery, is that 10 points

If you're not a purist, and don't care what your engine bay looks like, just spray WD40 all over your HT leads, cap and coil. This will insulate any voltage leaks and your car should start up straight away. This is typical of rarely used cars in horrible weather.

This is the first thing an AA patrol would do if called to your car. They carry pump watering cans of penetrating oil and just spray the whole engine

Well, since I put the new gasket into the Carb, I'm not getting the same problem. Fires instantly and stay running. Hmmm..

Trouble with the blanket bathing in WD40 (and yes, it certainly does work), is that cars can almost develop and 'apetite' for it, and WD40 is to cars what crack cocaine is to...

MJ...I wasn't critising...just suggesting that you perhaps don't need to worry about a mechanical fault especially since I presumed that you'd barely touched the car in months. Hell, I get it wrong all the time, and I drive the car almost daily

Interesting about the gasket. Mine do need replacing, as they're 'weeping' a little. Does is still fire right away first time even after, say, a week?

cheers

James

Foggy, agreed... The best thing to do is give the car a good service. But if you don't have the time or money for that just when your car wont start - WD40 is useful to get out of a hole!

Fidgad, sorry, didn't mean to put your nose out of joint! It sounds like you had a more complex problem. Electricity leaking out of the ignition system is probably a more common cause of poor starting on a rarely used car in winter, and is certainly a cheap and easy fix to try before moving onto more technical interventions.

Happy runnings to all

Fidgad, sorry, didn't mean to put your nose out of joint!

No problem there Ronnie. That's what discusions are about.

Foggy, It stood for 4 days over Xmas and fired first touch and ran with no hiccup. Prevously I've still had my hand on the key to give it a second jab. I'm not saying I'm a carb genius (far from it) but I have noticed the faint odour of hydrocarbons no longer lurk in the interior. It could be coincidence.

Very interesting...maybe there is something in it. It's perfectly possible I've just had 4 knackered carbs Then again the B172K might not have the same fuel hose layout...who can tell what's behind it!

cheers

James