Engine won't start!
09-12-2006, 09:10 AM
#1
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Central Florida
Posts: 8
Engine won't start!
About a year ago, I was given a 1971 Datsun 240z. The guy who gave it to me let it sit for over 9 years, without touching it once. He said that when he parked it, it had over-heated. And that the clutch didn't work, at all.
Me, some friends, and some partners/sponsors have been working on restoring this car. But, we've run into problems getting it to start.
The car has no signs of over-heating, engine damage, and the clutch works on occasion.
This is where we've gotten stuck. The engine turns over, but refuses to start unless the air is cut off from the carbs (we use paper towels). If it does fire, it only fires on a few cylinders, then backfires through the rear carb and dies.
Does anyone have any suggestions on what may be wrong? And, if so, how do I go about fixing it. The car will not be brought to a shop, I'm trying to fix it all with my friends. For the learning experience.
If anyone has any idea how to fix the problem and get this car started, please let me know. Any help is greatly appreciated.
Thank you all, Jeremy Femia
Me, some friends, and some partners/sponsors have been working on restoring this car. But, we've run into problems getting it to start.
The car has no signs of over-heating, engine damage, and the clutch works on occasion.
This is where we've gotten stuck. The engine turns over, but refuses to start unless the air is cut off from the carbs (we use paper towels). If it does fire, it only fires on a few cylinders, then backfires through the rear carb and dies.
Does anyone have any suggestions on what may be wrong? And, if so, how do I go about fixing it. The car will not be brought to a shop, I'm trying to fix it all with my friends. For the learning experience.
If anyone has any idea how to fix the problem and get this car started, please let me know. Any help is greatly appreciated.
Thank you all, Jeremy Femia
09-12-2006, 09:21 AM
#2
Welcome to ZDriver!
If it's been sitting for years, you need to do a tune up... plugs, wires, oil, coolant, cap/rotor, drain the fuel & clean the lines.
There are 2 main reasons a car won't start:
-no fuel
-no spark
240Z's are pretty simple to diagnose those probs... spray some starter fluid in the carbs & crank... if it spudders & almost turns over, you've got spark & no fuel.
Checking for fuel... the smell should give it away, or pull off the fuel line.
If it's been sitting for years, you need to do a tune up... plugs, wires, oil, coolant, cap/rotor, drain the fuel & clean the lines.
There are 2 main reasons a car won't start:
-no fuel
-no spark
240Z's are pretty simple to diagnose those probs... spray some starter fluid in the carbs & crank... if it spudders & almost turns over, you've got spark & no fuel.
Checking for fuel... the smell should give it away, or pull off the fuel line.
09-12-2006, 09:37 AM
#3
confuzed member
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Salinas, CA
Posts: 3,074
The carbs may be so out of whack as well that it won't start. Do the tune up stuff as mentioned above and then see if you can get it to kinda run so you can tune the carbs. You may have to remove the carbs and rebuild them as well. check to see if there's fludi inside the carb pistons too. Another thing that may help to get it started is to turn up the idle by turning the screw **** on top of the carbs. hope some of that jumbled mess helps.
09-12-2006, 09:26 PM
#4
Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 285
same exact thing happeend to my cousins 73 BUT his was sitting for ONE year :P however it had the same symptoms.. backfiring from the rear carb.
OUR SOLUTION:
-Starter fluid.
-take apart carbs and clean them internaly ( all seals and gaskets changed, there;s a inexpensive kit for that)
- TUNE UP like previously advised
- and the most important thing that really made a difference..... TIMING!!
- also you might want to make shure the spark wires are in the proper arrangement.
- might want to put NEW gas on it.
We did that to my cousins and it turned on sooner or later. dont be tooo rough on your battery tough... you might damage it. and have a charger available. as for the carbs.... my guess they might be clogged and definetly dirty i mean...9 years.... DAMN... what u expect :P
but ts definetly WORTH IT
its just patience dedication and common sence..
ohhh check that your fuel pump and fitler are good.
and that there is SPARK on all wires.
LATEZ
i hope i helped
OUR SOLUTION:
-Starter fluid.
-take apart carbs and clean them internaly ( all seals and gaskets changed, there;s a inexpensive kit for that)
- TUNE UP like previously advised
- and the most important thing that really made a difference..... TIMING!!
- also you might want to make shure the spark wires are in the proper arrangement.
- might want to put NEW gas on it.
We did that to my cousins and it turned on sooner or later. dont be tooo rough on your battery tough... you might damage it. and have a charger available. as for the carbs.... my guess they might be clogged and definetly dirty i mean...9 years.... DAMN... what u expect :P
but ts definetly WORTH IT
its just patience dedication and common sence..
ohhh check that your fuel pump and fitler are good.
and that there is SPARK on all wires.
LATEZ
i hope i helped
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