Thread: Series 3 won't start

Originally Posted by FenianEel

Ok Folks,

I have a 4cyl petrol series 3 ute.
It won't start and I'm buggered if I know why not, so all suggestions are welcome.

It was running fine.......then I had the carby (a stromberg) reconditioned.
I left it for a while and since I have put it back on, it will not kick over.
It has new plugs, leads and points (gap is OK).
Fuel is getting to carb, it will crank, but won't fire up.

What do ye think it could be?
What should I be checking out/doing?

Thanks in advance

Is it trying to fire, does it kick and die, if it just winds over and doesn't kick at all, just a steady rev it maybe something electrical, did you replace the condensor in the dissy, make sure the live wire to the dissy (points) is not earthing on something, check coil wires, pull a plug lead off and get someone to crank engine and see if there is any spark.
If all the electrics check out look down carby and pump the accelerator linkage and see if any fuel is being squirted in, if not pour a cap full (bottle) of fuel down and see if it fires, let us know if any of this works, if it is electrical (no spark) I would suspect Condensor, did you replace it when you replaced points, good luck, Regards Frank.

that happened to me once the condenser just failed and would not start no sign of an impending failure it was the last thing I checked after doing everything else

Can you isolate what was done when?
Did you start the car with the new electrical gear in?
Is it only since you put on the new carb that it will not start?
If so it is something to do with the carby.
Regards Philip A

Hi there, I've got a series 3 as well, some things to consider for your process of elimination :

• Like other replies, try a new condenser, they're only around the 6 - 7 dollar mark
• If it's been sitting for a while, is the fuel stale?
• If you've put new points in, have you got the condenser and the other little pigtail seperate from the screwdown post? there should be a little plastic washer between the post and the two pigtails
• Do you have enough point gap?
• Is there any spark? is the coil in good nick? and do you have the leads to the coil the right way round? can be a trap sometimes, the wiring diagram in your workshop manual can help.
• I could send you a copy of the wiring diagram if req'd, or photos of engine setup if req'd.
• Are the spark leads on, in the right order? eg- 1,3,4,2, ie- 1 is the front sparkplug.
• Has the little carbon centre pole, fallen out of the inside of your distributor cap? hence not providing spark etc

If there's anything else I can help with, pls ask, Cheers Ben.

Hey 'the eel'
just a guess, but, thinking about what you said, was working fine before the carby was overhauled, I guess its the carby, is their fuel actually getting into the bowl, if so, checkout the galley ways, I had a holden many years ago that wouldnt go without the choke full out, just happened one day, Pulled the carby to bits and blew out a piece of woollen fluff from the jets.

so taking a little bit from that example, pull the carby down again, just take the horn off and blow the jet holes.

strombergs are easy to work on.



john

As others have said in the thread, the classic no spark is a short circuit where the points, condenser and the coil lead join on the plastic-spaced terminal. It is really easy to get one of the bits the wrong side of a spacer.

If you have fuel and it gets down the carby throat then I reckon you should be looking at the condenser. My motor has blown the wire from the condenser twice in six years; other than that my coil failed one one occassion. I did put in a set of point once that didn't have the plasitc spacer (insulator?) and the motor wouldnt fire.
Good luck

Originally Posted by olmate

If you have fuel and it gets down the carby throat then I reckon you should be looking at the condenser. My motor has blown the wire from the condenser twice in six years; other than that my coil failed one one occassion. I did put in a set of point once that didn't have the plasitc spacer (insulator?) and the motor wouldnt fire.
Good luck

Just a TIP for everyone, ALWAYS replace the Condensor whenever you change the points, Regards Frank.