Help Can't Get It Started

[TO THE FLOOR]

I can't get it started. I have looked at

Got Fuel
Got spark at the plugs to block
Got compression
Battery charged
Has gas
Gapped points
Condenser works
No loose wires
changed rotor
changed distributor cap and wires.
Plugs set at 1 2 4 3 (Could use a picture of a side mount cap but I think it is right)
works on started fluid and choke cleaner for about 30 seconds
choke does not help

I did adjust the idle control screw after the last drive because I thought it was idling high on an HIF44. Now I have reset it at where the screw is flat on the arm and adjusted it to 1.5 turns clock wise

May have checked a couple other things but can't remember now

Any help or ideas would be appreciated. it's been down over 2 weeks.

Thanks Scott

[Workinprogress]

Firing order should be 1,3,4,2.

[TO THE FLOOR]

I must have screwed up the cap and wires when I changed them but it didn't do anything/start. I just changed the cap and wires today. but good catch workinprogress,

[timmy201]

So, did it run before? And what was changed before it stopped working?

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Yes it ran before that but I thought the idle was high. I got home and turned the throttle l control screw. I have an HIF44. Not sure which way I turned the screw or how much. That was ALL I did to the car and then it would not start. So I looked at the above items.

I guess I still haven't learned my lesson; If it ain't broke don't fix it.

[Mudhen]

I was wondering about a vacuum leak...did you happen to remove anything else to get access in there or could something have opened up accidentally?

If all of a sudden there was a lot more air would it then need all that extra fuel/carb cleaner to run, was what I was thinking anyway.

I bought shiny new SUs/intake one time and the car started and ran for about an hour - then nothing. I spent weeks and went through most of the stuff you did before giving up and having it towed to a local British car place. Turned out the little collars between the intake and head stayed with the old intake - at first it was matched up so ran, then it slipped just enough to introduce the vacuum leak and game over.

[TO THE FLOOR]

Ok here I go talking about something I know nothing about. I couldn't get it started for a vacuum check but my distributor (40819) I don't have all the vacuum tubes coming out. The back of the head was tight, And there is no air control stuff on a 64. In the meantime I have added spark plugs and a condenser. I didn't think it would do anything but I wasn't doing anything anyway. As for taking it somewhere If I had a Ford or Chevy or Kia I could go anywhere but with an older British car in Spokane I am on my own, I usually read a book or ask the mini parts guy on the phone.

[bpirie1000]

Have you had the needle off at any time? Is the inner dash pot all clean and allowing the vacume for the fuel to be sucked into the inle

Suspecting maybe a blocked pipe from the float to the carb maybe... if it runs on brake cleaner then maybe no fuel flowing from the bowl.

Worth a check..

[Mudhen]

Regarding vacuum I wasn't sure if maybe you had a brake servo on it and had possibly removed that vacuum line for some reason - not even sure that alone would be enough to cause your condition...just trying to give some things to check.

And I wasn't actually suggesting you take the car someplace but it does look like Botzons (which I found listed on an MGA owners page) works on classic British cars. Spokane is huge compared to where I live in Maine...there must be other British car nuts too if you can just out them! (if the talented people on this site can't point you in the right direction).

https://www.botzonsauto.com/

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I am clueless. I have not changed the needle and I have a few I would like to try. Will try that this afternoon. The carb was just overhauled last year by Joe Curto the main guy to send them too. Botzons is way too expensive don\t know minis and a haul. The last time I went down there they wanted $400 to check my servo and that was just check it not fix it. There are a lot of MG's here and Botzon's sticks to what they know. I had another friend look at the servo and now it's back on the car after sending it to him. (it was an angle issue not in the servo) Seems to work well but maybe there is brake fluid in the chamber, But don't think that will inhibit starting, If I remember correctly I did even make up a line so I can buy pass the servo but I don't really think that is the problem.

My other buddy thinks it's a starting issue as the car was running before I screwed with it. Ok, but everything is new or changed, I have spark and fuel and that should ignite the fuel or so I think. He says don't change a lot of stuff or I won't get it. Again I am clueless.

[Stopped-again]

You said earlier “I thought the idle was high, I got home and turned the throttle control screw, not sure which way I turned the screw or by how much”
The idle screw wouldn’t stop it from starting ‘cos when you pull out the choke cable the fast idle cam will increase the idle. Have you adjusted the mixture screw ? A photo of the screw you adjusted would help. The idle screw is in hole visible from the top of the carb, on the right hand side when on the car, on this picture you can just see the bottom of the threads contacting the throttle cam. (Sorry not “techie” enough to draw an arrow.) Mixture screw is on the other side of the carb and the screwdriver goes in sideways. If it starts on carb cleaner it must be a fuel problem, you could try using a gravity feed bottle to the fuel inlet, plug the existing fuel line. Just my thoughts on the problem.

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On the bottom picture it is the crossed screw but again there was no screw near where the fuel comes it. Sorry it's hard to get the pictures lined up...no techie here but I think I got you one picture of each side (mounted)

[AndyPen]

So just to check, you have fuel flow to the carb? Can hear the pump ticking? I can see it in the filter so I am guessing so.

Sorry if that is obvious, but sometimes...

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I hear the fuel pump ticking. And I have 2 glass jars with test fuel in them. Luckily for me there were no other screws to turn. I seriously thought there was a screw next to where the fuel enters but must have been on an old Weber.

[minibitz]

My suggestion would be to do the opposite of what caused the issue. Turn the idle screw back the other way. It is the cross head screw in your last picture. If you have backed it off too far the carb butterfly will be closed. If you turn the screw clockwise and observe the throttle cam at the same time you will see the cam start to move as the screw makes contact. I've it a full turn and go from there. You also need to reattach the vacuum advance hose to the car or blank off the port on the carb if your distributor does not have vac advance.

If your look at your picture the choke cable is not positioned correctly so you may not get full choke when the engine is cold. Contrary to what Stopped-again say's the butterfly will not be opening on your carb when the choke is on as the adjuster screw is wound too far in so will not make contact with the choke cam. Compare his picture with yours and you will see the difference.

[TO THE FLOOR]

I did do the opposite of what I originally did...I turned it all the way to one side then 1/4 turn at a time went through it both in and out but it never came close to starting, I think I worked this one. The distributor does not have a vacuum advance but what do you mean blank off the port I thought I had already done that with the red cap???

Can you please post a picture of the cable positioned correctly??

[Richspec]

I did do the opposite of what I originally did...I turned it all the way to one side then 1/4 turn at a time went through it both in and out but it never came close to starting, I think I worked this one. The distributor does not have a vacuum advance but what do you mean blank off the port I thought I had already done that with the red cap???

Can you please post a picture of the cable positioned correctly??

Between the dashpot and that threaded section of bracket you can see a little nipple sticking up, thats where your vacuum advance would go to and that needs capping, otherwise you have a large air leak into the mix.

[LarryLebel]

Do you have oil in the dash pot damper?

[TO THE FLOOR]

where is the nipple sticking up?? I am lost--which picture?? I think the vent above the red one is fine.

Yes there is dashpot oil.

[iain1967s]

Some possible issues:

1. Vacuum leak on the inlet manifold
2. Vacuum leak on the carb (distributor takeoff)
3. Fast idle cam screw looks to be in a long way
4. Maybe the choke cable slipped, so isn’t fully working?

I’d suggest pull the choke out fully, hold the gas pedal down about 1/4 of the way, then crank it over and see if you get any signs of life.