Time to Tinker?
Discussion
Ok heres the scenario..SEAC ticks over at 1500rpm from cold, around 2000rpm after a good run (blip the throttle at rest and comes down to about 1700rpm. Also Steve (the previous owner 
)tells me the cold start injector has always been unplugged.
Also Steve advised me that if I stall the car that I should turn off ignition straight away because the fuel pump will keep running and flood the engine.
I havent looked yet but I thought all Wedges are fitted with modified relay to cut out the fuel pump.
Should I re-connect the cold start injector in the belief that I can then re-set the tickover to about 1000rpm and not be a problem cold starting?
Perhaps 2 plus 2 = 5 and I am barking up the wrong tree and should leave well alone!!
)tells me the cold start injector has always been unplugged. Also Steve advised me that if I stall the car that I should turn off ignition straight away because the fuel pump will keep running and flood the engine.
I havent looked yet but I thought all Wedges are fitted with modified relay to cut out the fuel pump.
Should I re-connect the cold start injector in the belief that I can then re-set the tickover to about 1000rpm and not be a problem cold starting?
Perhaps 2 plus 2 = 5 and I am barking up the wrong tree and should leave well alone!!
Mine used to be really bad.
If I stalled while parallel parking (easily done, simply needed to bounce the powered steering pump off the end stop), then there was nothing for it except to get out and walk away.
This was cured when a pinhole was diagnosed betwwen the airflow meter and the plenum.
And I can confirm that the cold start plug has always been disconnected on mine and Penninsula reccommended leaving it off when I asked....
If I stalled while parallel parking (easily done, simply needed to bounce the powered steering pump off the end stop), then there was nothing for it except to get out and walk away.
This was cured when a pinhole was diagnosed betwwen the airflow meter and the plenum.
And I can confirm that the cold start plug has always been disconnected on mine and Penninsula reccommended leaving it off when I asked....
Hi
My SEAC (flapper)runs with the cold start unplugged and I've had no problems starting even on the coldest days of this winter. Idle is about 1400rpm - seems quite happy like this, doesn't stall even when the revs slightly drop with the power steering or headlamps. So I've not tinkered.
Also I would agree with Steve's advice. I've only done it once - let the car stall within 10 secs of it starting - and tried to restart it but ended up having to wait a good hour before a succesful restart was possible!
My SEAC (flapper)runs with the cold start unplugged and I've had no problems starting even on the coldest days of this winter. Idle is about 1400rpm - seems quite happy like this, doesn't stall even when the revs slightly drop with the power steering or headlamps. So I've not tinkered.
Also I would agree with Steve's advice. I've only done it once - let the car stall within 10 secs of it starting - and tried to restart it but ended up having to wait a good hour before a succesful restart was possible!
around 1400 rpm idle is not unusual for a SEAC as below this they over fuel due to cam profile.
The cold start injector shouldn't be connected, or should i say doesn't need to be connected.
I agree that high Idle rpm is probably just down to adjustment or sticking cold start valve.
Tim
The cold start injector shouldn't be connected, or should i say doesn't need to be connected.
I agree that high Idle rpm is probably just down to adjustment or sticking cold start valve.
Tim
Dicky, you have obviously used the car alot. The idle was usually higher when it was given a decent amount of use and Tim has often said these cars are best being used. I used to find that the less I used it the lower and more unreliable the idle, particularly when cold. She probably needs a slight adjsutement.
If it does stall and flood, I have found unplugging the 6 easy to get to injectors, turning her over a few times, then putting them back on will get you out of trouble. Takes about 2 minutes.
As she is idling high enough from cold, I would suggest adjusting the idle stop screw at the end of the throttle cable. Enjoy.
If it does stall and flood, I have found unplugging the 6 easy to get to injectors, turning her over a few times, then putting them back on will get you out of trouble. Takes about 2 minutes.
As she is idling high enough from cold, I would suggest adjusting the idle stop screw at the end of the throttle cable. Enjoy.
Cheers guys.
Blainuk has probably hit the nail on the head.
Butterfly valve is probably not returning to the same spot every time. Off out in a mo to get her really warm, then wait till it ticks over too high, check out the cable, linkages etc for free movement.
Best not to tinker too much just yet.
Wedg1e - its a flapper (Jag type I think, read somewhere all SEAC's have this. Am I wrong about all Wedges should have the "painted relay that is not a relay" to cut off the fuel pump?
SLB - Makes good sense Steve, burns off excess fuel to enable quicker restart.
PS the Renovo soft top cleaning kit arrived yesterday so this will keep me too busy to tinker for a while!
Blainuk has probably hit the nail on the head.
Butterfly valve is probably not returning to the same spot every time. Off out in a mo to get her really warm, then wait till it ticks over too high, check out the cable, linkages etc for free movement.
Best not to tinker too much just yet.
Wedg1e - its a flapper (Jag type I think, read somewhere all SEAC's have this. Am I wrong about all Wedges should have the "painted relay that is not a relay" to cut off the fuel pump?
SLB - Makes good sense Steve, burns off excess fuel to enable quicker restart.
PS the Renovo soft top cleaning kit arrived yesterday so this will keep me too busy to tinker for a while!
SLB said:
If it does stall and flood, I have found unplugging the 6 easy to get to injectors, turning her over a few times, then putting them back on will get you out of trouble. Takes about 2 minutes.
A quicker way would be to pull the 2-pin connector off the igntion amp on the side of the distributor. This not only prevents the plugs from firing, but kills the signal to the ECU that tells it to fire the injectors.
Of course your car may have a differnt ignition setup...
Ian
i use to have a problem when i stalled and over fuelled so i found the live to the fuel pump and in my case it was under the carpet driver seat and put a switch in so when i flooded i could turn the pump off for a few seconds while i turn the engine over to dry the plugs out, then switch the pump back on and it fires up very time with out fail,
Tony
Tony
The fuel pump running does nothing on its own to cause flooding. The only time that fuel will enter the cylinders to flood the engine is when the injectors open and that is under control of the ECU. The injectors will be closed when the engine stalls and all the fuel the popump provides should simply return to the tank via the fuel pressure regulator. If leaving the pump running does cause the car to flood. then there is a problem with one or more of the injectors leaking and thus flowing neat fuel when they shouldn't. Could also be a bad spray pattern as well. Worth getting them checked. Normally they can be cleaned as tested and any duffers replaced.
Steve
www.tvrbooks.co.uk
Steve
www.tvrbooks.co.uk
shpub said:
The fuel pump running does nothing on its own to cause flooding. The only time that fuel will enter the cylinders to flood the engine is when the injectors open and that is under control of the ECU. The injectors will be closed when the engine stalls and all the fuel the popump provides should simply return to the tank via the fuel pressure regulator. If leaving the pump running does cause the car to flood. then there is a problem with one or more of the injectors leaking and thus flowing neat fuel when they shouldn't. Could also be a bad spray pattern as well. Worth getting them checked. Normally they can be cleaned as tested and any duffers replaced.
Steve
www.tvrbooks.co.uk
Obvious when you think about. Thanks Shpub, saved me going off on yet another tangent.
Ok here we go...........
Turns out that in the past, the idle has been adjusted periodically via the throttle linkage screw as opposed to the plenum screw. Is it fair to say that this would effect the throttle pot setting?
On an SEAC is the throttle linkage setting and the throttle pot setting 0.002" and 300mV respectively, the same as on a 350? And once this is set I can play with the plenum idle screw to my hearts content?
Turns out that in the past, the idle has been adjusted periodically via the throttle linkage screw as opposed to the plenum screw. Is it fair to say that this would effect the throttle pot setting?
On an SEAC is the throttle linkage setting and the throttle pot setting 0.002" and 300mV respectively, the same as on a 350? And once this is set I can play with the plenum idle screw to my hearts content?
Another thing to check before setting up your
idle is that there are no leaks in the hoses
and that where the rocker breather hose enters
the plenum there are no obstructions.
You should clean out the entry point so there
is a free flow of air - it's a bugger to do, I
blow a thread through mine and then use that
to pull through a string, which I then use to
pull through a petrol-soaked rag.
I'm amazed you pass the MOT idling at 1500,
many testing stations will say the idle is too
high and assume you're trying to fudge the CO reading.
idle is that there are no leaks in the hoses
and that where the rocker breather hose enters
the plenum there are no obstructions.
You should clean out the entry point so there
is a free flow of air - it's a bugger to do, I
blow a thread through mine and then use that
to pull through a string, which I then use to
pull through a petrol-soaked rag.
I'm amazed you pass the MOT idling at 1500,
many testing stations will say the idle is too
high and assume you're trying to fudge the CO reading.
Ref. Steve's piece above (and yes, can't think why I didn't realise the bit about the injectors not firing: wood, trees, can't see 
) about injector cleaning: I tested my spare set of injectors using the car's own fuel system. Here's how:
1. Identify the pipe that feeds the cold start injector; disconnect it from fuel rail, connect a longer piece of suitable hose to injector under test (not fitted to the car, of course).
2. Using a spare injector connector (rip one off a car in the scrappy, or get one from Vehicle Wiring Products), take a wire from the test injector to any of the outputs on the power resistor pack. Make sure you don't use the 12V feed wires, which are at diagonally opposite corners of the connector.
3. Put the test injector in a clean jam jar or (even better) a graduated glass container of some sort).
4. Pull the fuel pump relay out, identify terminals 30 and 87 on the relay base and link with a piece of wire.
5. Turn ignition on. The fuel pump should start, and there should be no fuel coming out of the test injector. Now connect a wire form the other terminal of the test injector to earth: the injector will start spraying. Now is a good time NOT to be looking down the end of it.
6. Ensure that the injector starts and stops when you connect/ disconnect the earth wire. There should be no dribbles.
7. Check the spray pattern. It should be a nice even cone shape.
8. Starting with an empty jar, fire the injector for 1 minute and see how much fuel you get (cc's - less than a full jam jar anyway!). I forget the exact quantity, but I guess if you tested all 8 and one was wildly different, you might have a faulty one
I would like to distance myself from any fires, ruined clothes, skin complaints, marital disharmony or legal challenges that may result from employing the above procedure. Let's just say that it worked for me; subsequent repeated sessions in an ultrasonic bath failed to resurrect two of the spare set; one has a permanant dribble and one seems to flow quite a bit less than the rest.
Ian
) about injector cleaning: I tested my spare set of injectors using the car's own fuel system. Here's how: 1. Identify the pipe that feeds the cold start injector; disconnect it from fuel rail, connect a longer piece of suitable hose to injector under test (not fitted to the car, of course).
2. Using a spare injector connector (rip one off a car in the scrappy, or get one from Vehicle Wiring Products), take a wire from the test injector to any of the outputs on the power resistor pack. Make sure you don't use the 12V feed wires, which are at diagonally opposite corners of the connector.
3. Put the test injector in a clean jam jar or (even better) a graduated glass container of some sort).
4. Pull the fuel pump relay out, identify terminals 30 and 87 on the relay base and link with a piece of wire.
5. Turn ignition on. The fuel pump should start, and there should be no fuel coming out of the test injector. Now connect a wire form the other terminal of the test injector to earth: the injector will start spraying. Now is a good time NOT to be looking down the end of it.
6. Ensure that the injector starts and stops when you connect/ disconnect the earth wire. There should be no dribbles.
7. Check the spray pattern. It should be a nice even cone shape.
8. Starting with an empty jar, fire the injector for 1 minute and see how much fuel you get (cc's - less than a full jam jar anyway!). I forget the exact quantity, but I guess if you tested all 8 and one was wildly different, you might have a faulty one
I would like to distance myself from any fires, ruined clothes, skin complaints, marital disharmony or legal challenges that may result from employing the above procedure. Let's just say that it worked for me; subsequent repeated sessions in an ultrasonic bath failed to resurrect two of the spare set; one has a permanant dribble and one seems to flow quite a bit less than the rest.
Ian
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