SERIES 3 WONT START , FULL LIST OF WHAT IVE TRIED!

Ive tried Easy start , it was easy but it wouldnt start.

If it won't fire on easy start, I'd say it's electrical, have you kept the old points and stuff you've taken off? Try the 'old' ones back on again

you need to start checking things like are valves opening, is timing correct and not 180 out for example

neilcmusic said:

Ive tried Easy start , it was easy but it wouldnt start.

Click to expand...

did it fire at times though

Might be something to try. A few years back I left my landy standing then couldnt get it to start like yours. I borrowed an electric fuel pump from the local garage, just a cheap pump on a piece of ply with 2 terminal connectors and a foot of pipe each end. I bypassed the glass bowl and it fired up straight away. Swaped it back and never had a problem after. Dont know why it happened but worked for me.

Do you think this could be connected to the over heating and previous knocking?

ill try all these things , could it be coil ? as I say it turns over and fan turns , could it do this if coil was faulty?

What happened to your mechanic?

RESTING at home after he'd pulled ALL HIS HAIR OUT!

boguing said:

What happened to your mechanic?

Click to expand...

Did you sort your headlights / electrics out could not starting be related to this?
Ie you have had the can of spaghetti open - behind dash.

neilcmusic said:

ill try all these things , could it be coil ? as I say it turns over and fan turns , could it do this if coil was faulty?

Click to expand...

If you are getting a fat blue spark at the plugs, there is nothing wrong with your coil.

Blackburn I've opened the dash on more than one occasion and it was like a packet of super noodles but all seems good , Land Rover whilst trying to solve existing problem I noticed carbon brush was missing from dizzy head so this was hopefully cause of overheating/misfiring and it has been replaced

Ive tried to set timing however when I turn distributer the points don't open ? Points are 3 days old ,does this offer up any clues ? Think I might upgrade to electronic distributer after I've tried a new coil .

neilcmusic said:

Ive tried to set timing however when I turn distributer the points don't open ? Points are 3 days old ,does this offer up any clues ? Think I might upgrade to electronic distributer after I've tried a new coil .

Click to expand...

It isnt usually a good idea to change parts wholesale, you may be building in new faults, either through defective parts, or poorly understood fitting.
Much better to go through it and find the fault, fix it, and drive.

This is one of the most basic engines to work on, old petrol motor with carb and points iginition. Been around in many forms for a almost a century. Most of us grew up around them, and tinkering with them.
First principles, you need a spark, compression, and fuel in the cylinder. If you definitely see all these, it pretty much has to run.

Not wishing to be rude, but if you really cannot master how to set up a points dizzy, maybe you need to get some instruction from someone competent.

aa bloke once sprayed brake cleaner into my carb on a car that wouldn't start. ignites easier than petrol apparently, fired instantly but engine died when the cleaner had burnt off, that told him it was a fuelling issue

If points do not open you will get no spark.
Sort that out 1st.

points now opening, no change , ive got mot in 8 days so desperate now , have bought a new coil so will try that tomorrow and if that doesnt work the next thing Im going to try is 5 gallons of petrol and a box of matches.

so you havent got a spark ?

What do you mean when you say points sorted? Have you set the gap at .33 just ahead of widest possible opening. There are loads of threads on this stuff. It's going to be something really simple as per James n Bobsticle advice. Do you have a manual?

Sorry to hear this is still causing trouble - with the ignition ON and the distributer cap removed can you see a spark at the points when you get an accomplice to turn it over? If you turn the engine over until points are closed, with ignition ON open and close them with a screw driver - is there a spark? If yes to both is the rotor arm in good nick, clean on the edge an the centre where the carbon brush from the cap touches? If yes to all these you should have sparks. I agree with James, whip off the rocker cover and check valves are actually opening/closing. Wish I were closer - I like a challenge - good luck, A