Good ‘ol “Why won’t it start?” problem.

[Sigurd]

History: About mid-July, I drove my car to my new house, parked it, unhooked the battery, and went on vacation. Fast forward to yesterday, and it won’t start. It will crank, but make no attempt to cough or light off. I have fuel; the pressure gauge gives me 3lbs. during cranking. The car was locked in the garage; I don’t believe there was sabotage.

Which brings me to ignition. I have the AC.N SVDA with Computronix. The motor otherwise has no electronic tricks (FI, EFI, crankfire, none of that). Could the module have died just sitting there? Or maybe when I hooked the battery back up? With the ignition on, I can set the motor at TDC and turn the distributor as if I’m setting static timing and hear it click, like it does with points. I can repeat the test with the timing light hooked up, but I get no flash when the module clicks. I do have points for this and I will be putting them back in to see what happens.

Look, I know what it takes to get combustion, and this is a beginner question. But I can’t think of how a car cranks but fails to start after sitting for a month. Is it the module? Will they still click but not fire if they go bad?

[Dale M.]

Ummm.... Fuel pressure on gauge does not mean there is any fuel going down carb throat....

A lot of people don't like it, but give at a shot of starting fluid ( even some spray can carb cleaner will work) .... If it "pops" you are not getting fuel through carb....

If you are getting "clicks" (spark jumping in dist cap) from electronic module it usually means its good .... Modules are either good or bad, usually no in between.....

Dale
_________________
“Fear The Government That Wants To Take Your Guns" - Thomas Jefferson.

"Kellison Sand Piper Roadster" For Street & Show.
"Joe Pody Sandrover" Buggy with 2180 for Autocross (Sold)
============================================================
All suggestions and advice are purely my own opinion. You are free to ignore them if you wish ...

[Sigurd]

True. I'll give it a shot. Wouldn't some gas down the throats do the same thing?

[jfats808]

The gas nowdays is so crappy with the ethanol now, I wouldnt be surprised if your jets/pump jets are all gunked up. I didnt drive my bug for a 2 weeks last month due to crappy weather and i had to blow all my jets out and clear my pump jets. After that smooth running as normal. This is why I will never go with pertronix style points replacement. At least with points you can file it down reset gap and be on your way in most cases or see the spark jump visually across the points. And like with anything else, my tool bag holds an extra set of points, rotor, condensor and cap. Less than half of the replacement cost of a module.
_________________
2276 IDA's 86C 11-1 DD !
2017 48 Trijet DRLA's W125

[Mr. Unpopular]

Either get some help starting the car, or rig up a remote starter, and do this.

While trying to start the car, put the palm of your hand over the throat of the carb (with the air cleaner removed of course). This forces LOTS of fuel into the motor. If it doesn't start then, its either an ignition issue, or you're out of gas

I use this alot on hard to start motors or motors that have been sitting for a while and the float bowl is dry.
_________________
"In any racing engine, the nearer you are to it disintegrating, the better it's performance will be"
-Keith Duckworth, creator of the Ford/Cosworth DFV

[Sigurd]

Thanks for the help. I should also add that the pumps do seem to be working. They all squirt with application of the throttle.

[Gariack]

My sons bug (2110 w/dual 44s) wont start if it's been sitting for 2 weeks or more. The battery goes flat enough that the motor will crank but not fire the Pertronics Ignitor II. It will push start, or jump start right up. If we take it weekly to the club meeting it starts right up.

[RockCrusher]

[Gariack]

Guess I should see were the current is going. I just assumed it was the stereo he put in with the hot wire for memory. It had the same alternator when it was my car, but I never let it sit that long with out driving it. It also had points then. He broke the polished axel in his built tranny at Barona Speedway. There is a stock tranny in there now while he saves up for some racing axles. It's hard to baby it, so he dosn't drive it that often. He smoked the tires across an intersection last time we were coming back from the VW club meeting and surprised us both.

[RockCrusher]

[drmiller100]

[Sigurd]

Well, I put the Computronix back in and got my dad over there to turn the key and I verified spark. A little gas down the barrels and it coughed to life. Go figure. It had plenty of fuel and pressure; could something have plugged, dried up or gelled just by sitting there?

[Augiedoggy]

todays gas really does reek havoc on carbs if they sit....I have a bike with a plugged up carb from sitting for three months without running... and have had to clean my dells in the car once this summer already due to a fouled up jet. sometimes you can just choke it with your hand and that will be enough to free up scale or debris from jets or passages but it will likely plug up again soon unless properly cleaned out.
_________________
_________________________________________
1970 vw beetle chassied mercedes ssk/gazelle kitcar SOLD
1974 Corvette restorod
1966 Bahama Blue Bug

1964 yellow bug (girlfriends ride)