Hi guys!!

OK. I went out today to try to start my car. I turned the key and started PUMPING the accelerator pedal. AND.....the car got to running like it was before (off the starter) and when I let go of the key (from the "start" mode to "on") I KEPT pumping on the pedal...and the car continued to run for about 4-5 seconds (long seconds, it seemed).

What the hell is that??

I THINK, the timing is off, but not by THAT much. Of course I tried to start it AGAIN, and this time it BACKFIRED (through the carbs)and didn't keep running (no "hang-on")....PLUS my foot was getting tired from fluttering the pedal.(this pumping requires fast and furious motion to work)

SO....who wants to speculate what is going on now????
OF COURSE, I didn't DO anything NEW to the car SINCE the last post...(sorry!)

But the car really ran today....sort of..

~Christy

Christy,
You're getting there! You might pump the pedal faster. Maybe, try tiny adjustments to the timing. If you turn the distributor slightly one way or the other it may start better. (But note where the distributor is now so you can reset it if you have to!)
Good luck,
Mark

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DrDKW

Mark....

My Dad and I have moved the distributor around sooooo much, that I'm certain it is all wacked out!!
When we did, it only seemed to make matters worse. Are you talking about the small screw that is loosened, to make the distributor move ( only!) an 1/8 of an inch (?) to the right or left??? Just want to make sure I'M on the right page here..

And....BELIEVE ME!!! I am pumping that pedal fast and furiously to make this car start! My foot doesn't often move that fast, so it's HARD to DO IT for a long time....

Does it sound like timing...or do I still have some fuel/CARBURETOR issues?????????? Or can one even guess???

~Christy

Christy,
You might already have the distributor timing pretty close.
Check to see if the chokes on both carbs are closed. (It will make for very hard cold starting if they're not!)
If the chokes are closed, check for any disconnected vacuum lines or hoses. (especially big ones like the line to the power brake booster)
If there's a possibility that the brake booster is defective, you might disconnect its hose at the manifold and plug that port while you try starting.
Good Luck,
Mark

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DrDKW

It runs? For seconds w/o having the key at #2?
That's something it NEVER did before, so you've made a milestone!

Now, try that again. THIS time, after fluttering it back and forth a few times, leave the pedal half pressed down. if it keeps running, back off on the pedal and listen to it run slower and slower. You want to find out how slow it will go before it keels over and dies.

It would help if you could connect your tach (assuming you have one) so that you can read the RPMs at this point. It's a lot more consistent that trying to remember just how loud it WAS when it stops.

-CTH

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- cth350@gmail.com
http://www.111lakeside.com/

Christy:

I hate to beat a dead horse (let alone a live one) but what you are going through - BEEN THERE, DONE THAT!!

Please check your ignition timing. Chalk (paint) a mark on TDC on the timing pully, rotate the crankshaft clockwise then stop when the timing mark points to TDC. The distributor rotor should point DIRECTLY at the Number 1 terminal on the cap. If is doesn't, make it so. If you are off 180 (or close), then you are trying to put the cap on 180 out or (can't remember if you had all the distributor wires out or not) need to re-plug the wires. Book timing on your car is about 4degrees AFTER TDC and if you get a lot further from that figure (more after), starting will be difficult. Once you get the distributor set to Number 1 at TDC them chalk (or paint) a couple of temporary marks on the side of the distributor and the engine block where the the distributor is mounted. This makes it easier to get back to "square one" when you are working on getting the timing set. Rotating your distributor counter-clockwise advances the timing (good if you are going from TDC), rotating clockwise retards timing (bad if you are going from TDC).

Check to see that your idle cutoff solenoids are working and that the #4 fuse is OK. This controls both the electric chokes and the idle cutoff solenoids.

Did you pour a couple of teaspoons of raw fuel down each carb throat to try to start this beast? Can't remember.

Again, as mentioned in the previous post, check vacuum lines. If it were me I would cap (plug) the vacuum ports on the intake manifold for both the break booster and the accessories as none of that is needed at this time. It removes a possible source of problem. What you need to get down to is basically your bare-bones engine without a bunch of "other stuff" connected until you sort out the situation.

As I said, BEEN THERE - DONE THAT.

Dan

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Dan Taylor/ Tulsa, OK MBCA
'84 300D/'90 Jaguar XJ6/XJ40

HI guys!

Here's an update. Not too much has changed.

I've decided that my carburetors may have needed a second look. I looked. What I have NOW discovered is that the little brass nozzle inside of the primary is NOT squirting any fuel upon acceleration. I took it apart and found that there was NO blockage. SO...the next thing to check was the pump piston, which I hadn't removed before (I ASSumed that it was a-ok). Well, I took it out and it appeared to have never been removed. It has a squishy and worn leather sleeve on the bottom. I want to try to rebuild this pump, since I have a new rubber part, that replaces the leather. HOWEVER, I don't know HOW to remove the leather part. *sigh*

SO....I then decided that maybe I should TRY to see if the pump with old leather would work, but NOW I can't get it back in the hole. AND the little spring around the very bottom is all loose and falls off. And the leather skin on the end of the pump keeps flipping up.

SO...NOW I had planned to have a pal come over to set the timing this weekend and NOW I have completely jacked up the carburetors again!!

~Christy

Christy:

Had the very same thing happen with one of my carbs. The other one had the newer replaceable plastic sleeve. Dealer told me that the leather item was "non-replaceable" and got me a replacement pump assembly with removable plastic. Don't remember what it cost at the time as I had picked up some other parts and stuff. Oh, yes, I tried to "soften" up the leather with leather restorer. Didn't work at all. It just made it easier to curl up in the pump channel.

Just my experience.

Dan

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Dan Taylor/ Tulsa, OK MBCA
'84 300D/'90 Jaguar XJ6/XJ40

Dan...

OK. I just took the pump apart! It ends up that there is NO WAY to remove the leather piece. SO....I've been trying to figure out a way to TRY to reuse this one. It's probably a BAD idea..but I'm desperate!

So...the question...is the leather part SUPPOSED to be DOWN over the spring or UP, in a pulled back state, when it is put inside the chamber it came from?? I can NOT get it in the hole without the leather part flipping up.

~Christy

Hey!

I got that pump back in! I just kinda turned it as I inserted it and it worked! HOWEVER...I STILL CAN NOT make fuel squirt out of that little nozzle!!! I can't figure it out! Do you think that the pump can't build up enough "compression" to squirt??

~Christy

Christy.

It is supposed (and HAS)to be down over the spring. The spring forces the side of the leather pump out against the chamber walls and this is what seals the pump to the chamber. When the pump moves down in the pump chamber (well) fuel is forced out through the bottom of the chamber into the accelerator pump channel and comes out the brass nozzles. If the leather can't seal against the chamber then it cannot force fuel out the nozzle. You might try to soften the leather (as I did) and work the pump into the chamber VERY carefully using a VERY SMALL screwdriver or something and work the leather into the chamber. You might put some gas on the chamber wall as it may be easier to get the leather pump installed. Mine was torn by the time I tried to save it so nothing I did worked. Maybe someone has a spare - I don't or I would send you one. I gave all of my spares away with I replaced the Zenith Carbs with Webbers.

Dan

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Dan Taylor/ Tulsa, OK MBCA
'84 300D/'90 Jaguar XJ6/XJ40

Don't worry about the pumps for now, they won't have an impact on idling.

Concentrate on the timing. Be sure to get dad's camera so we can see some pictures!

-CTH

__________________
- cth350@gmail.com
http://www.111lakeside.com/

Be sure that the nozzle is not clogged - I had to ream mine out with a little piece of wire. Also, you can get replacement pumps from the dealers.

Chuck

HI guys......

OK. The timing checked out to be pretty a-ok. It is about 2 degrees off the mark, but I am told that should be fine..for now.

THE CAR RUNS!!!!!!!!!!!! BUTT.....The car will ONLY run, IF the gas pedal is COMPLETELY depressed. If I let up on the pedal, the car will choke out and die. The car sounds like it is idling rather normally WITH that pedal to the metal. However, I can't rev the engine or accelerate, for that matter.

SO.....I think it is some sort of linkage adjustment. Which one, though????


Can you guys BELIEVE it RUNS????????

~Christy

Congratulations!

There is an adjustment on the linkage below the front carb. I think it is two pieces of metal that held together with a screw. If you loosen the screw, you may be able to adjust how much throttle opening you get from depressing the pedal.

Chuck