At my wits end, again!

[Jasonking]

Hi guys me again have done leaky gasket on manifold plus new carb gaskets, plugs spark lots of fuel to bowl but still motor won’t fire up, am I still missing something basic?

[timmy201]

Are the spark plug leads on in the right order? Rotor spins anti clockwise, order is 1,3,4,2 with cylinder 1 being at the radiator end
If you rotate the engine to TDC and the rotor is pointing to the terminal for cylinder 1 - are the valves both closed?
Are you getting spark at all the plugs?
What gap are the plugs set to?
Have you tried a fresh set of plugs?
Have you checked the resistance in the spark plug leads
Have you tried some spray down the carb like starting fluid?
Is the battery charged enough to spin it over quickly and provide a decent spark?
Have the tappet clearances been set?
If you have points is the gap set correctly and the points clean and in good condition?
Does the choke mechanism work correctly?

[Andrew1967]

Have you done a compression test to see if there’s any or enough compression ?

Try a little fuel down each cylinder with the syringe and see if it will fire and try to start.

[Polarsilver]

agree with all the given good advise & checks that are needed .. also you told us your Fuel was a few weeks old .. drain it "all" out & put in fresh.. i have experience of todays UK Fuel that can go "off" in just a few weeks.

tell us your location as there may be a local from the Forum that can help

[Andrew1967]

Good point Norman regarding the degradation of modern fuel.

Also how strong is the spark ? A weak spark won’t ignite the fuel.

[Exminiman]

TBH more info would really help, photos of engine bay, upload a video to YouTube maybe.

It’s going to make it a lot easier for you if you can provide more info.

Where are you in the world ?

[timmy201]

It would also be helpful to keep all your questions in one topic, so you don’t have to answer all the questions again about what you’ve done previously

[Jasonking]

I’m in Cheshire nr the m56, compression is good, plugs are new as Is complete dizzy and cap/leads/plug caps by Dizzy Doctor. Carb has been rebuilt, fuel is about 4/5 weeks old but was added with stabiliser. Tappets are set to book, plugs are 0.6mm N9Yc back to basics methinks!

[Exminiman]

Who rebuilt the carb..?
Why not post a photo of engine bay, it may throw up some issues ?

[gsamps]

Great that you have all new ignition parts. Do you have spark? Probably the first thing I'd prove.

[AndyPen]

Have you had it firing for a few turns with easy start ro similar yet?

Dizzy and firing order checked? We had a flywheel on a car we bought that turned out to be 180 degrees out once - took some working out but just ran the firing order to suit in the end.

[Jasonking]

Have nice fat blue sparks, I did the carb lots of experience building bike carbs, will recheck all the basics tomorrow if it stops piddling down and will chuck some fresh Vpower in too.

[floormanager]

Buy a can of ezi start. If the ignition is okay it will run on that. If it does, then you know its the fueling, if it doesn't then it's ignition related, or something else like leaks.

[Polarsilver]

Pump out the old fuel dont try to water it down by toping up with Fresh V Power

[Peter Laidler]

Personally, and in my experience, I'm not sure that the modern petrol will be the problem. Twice recently I've left my Rover Cooper untouched in my garage for 18 months (covid lockdown) and 19 months (in Dusseldorf - no need to use) and it's fired up, first or second click - much to my amazement. Agreed, it's a sealed system where evaporation might be difficult. But that's my experience.

I have a feeling in my bones that it is a simple ignition timing prob. The big fat beefy spark is one thing. But it's gotta be a big fat beefy spark at the right time

Tell us where you are based and I'm sure a local hands-on enthusiastic mini forumer can nip over

[Smithmaps]

I have had a lot of trouble with fuel sitting in modern rubber pipes degrading.
When you turn on the ignition, the pump fires it into the float bowls and the car will never go.
I clean it out of the carbs, pump through the same fuel from the tank, re connect, and off it goes.
So its not the fuel degrading in the tank, its the fuel sitting in the ethanol compatible pipes.

I have now fitted a drain tap at the front, so I can pump it through into a jar before it goes in the carbs.

Pain in the butt, and the ethanol proof pipes cost over £300! They go entirely from front to rear, and sit full all the time. I'm hoping that the problem may ease as they get older, but maybe that is wishful thinking.

[Jasonking]

I’m in Runcorn Cheshire nr to m56

[Peter Laidler]

Any mechanically minded forumers up in Jasons neck of the woods.......?

Don't loose heart Jason. It'll be something simple that is just staring you - and us - in the face!

I agree about the fuel rotting out the fuel pipes,. from the inside but it seems that Jason has actually got fuel flowing to the carb bowls. That reminds me.......... I changed all of the fuel hoses last year and have just got new fuel bowl floats and viton tipped needle valves. That's next weeks jobs

[111Robin]

Five week old fuel is not an issue. I've filled my tank in spring and still using it towards the end of summer before topping it up for winter. Also in all my years I've never used a quick start fluid, tbh I didn't know it existed until I saw it on some "will it start" YouTube videos. You haven't definitively answered if you have set up the timing correctly and know 100% that it is correct. You should always verify this before throwing new parts at it hoping to find the problem. Always diagnose the issue before changing out parts. As others have said, having a spark doesn't mean it's happening at the correct time.

[Andrew1967]

I’d agree old modern fuel isn’t great but they usually fire up and run (like shite) until you add new fuel.

Do a static timing check to the basic setting and then make sure the rotor arm is pointing to the correct HT lead .