Non starting vauxhall 20/60
Discussion
Thought I would give the old girl a cross country run this morning, would it start - would it hell. Brand new battery fully charged and jump leads off our 1.9tdi, nope, no go. Whip out the plugs and they are petrol wet so a quick clean and dry, still won't start. Maybe the points are damp? Anyhow I was freezing cold so gave it up as a bad job. 
crankedup said:
Thought I would give the old girl a cross country run this morning, would it start - would it hell. Brand new battery fully charged and jump leads off our 1.9tdi, nope, no go. Whip out the plugs and they are petrol wet so a quick clean and dry, still won't start. Maybe the points are damp? Anyhow I was freezing cold so gave it up as a bad job.
Do you not have worries about what the road salt will do to the old girl?Cliftonite said:
Do you not have worries about what the road salt will do to the old girl?
Always better to give them a drive over winter, otherwise they get little gremlins that stop them from starting. 
Likely damp in the electrics as you've suggested. Isn't damp start the stuff you spray into the carbs? I wouldn't recommend that on the dizzy. A bit of hairdryer may help as you've mentioned, and since you're already abusing your wife's beauty supplies, steal an emery board and give the points a gentle clean as they may have a bit of corrosion that's stopping a good spark.
AtticusFinch said:
Cliftonite said:
And /or nip down to Halfords for some Easy Start to spray into the air intake.
Works like a charm!
Not keen on this stuff. Engines can become addicted to it. (don't know why but RAC type people will know)Works like a charm!
My view is that Cold Start is really for emergency use (low battery, extreme cold, engine/plugs flooded with petrol, damp) and only becomes "addictive" if an engine won't start readily due to an underlying fault - which is never repaired?
Cliftonite said:
if an engine won't start readily due to an underlying fault - which is never repaired?
Exactly this, Easy Start may hel start an engine but it won;t fix worn out rings or a duff coil or dirty points etc.If those things are not fixed they will continue to degrade and hence Easy Start is always required.
It is not a product that will fix things...
Cliftonite said:
AtticusFinch said:
Cliftonite said:
And /or nip down to Halfords for some Easy Start to spray into the air intake.
Works like a charm!
Not keen on this stuff. Engines can become addicted to it. (don't know why but RAC type people will know)Works like a charm!
My view is that Cold Start is really for emergency use (low battery, extreme cold, engine/plugs flooded with petrol, damp) and only becomes "addictive" if an engine won't start readily due to an underlying fault - which is never repaired?
If you have spark and compression then it will be fuel, check nothing's blocked.
My old cars hate modern petrol, it seems to go off in about two weeks. (Same in the lawnmower).
I was always draining them (and putting it in the company car!) and then refilling with fresh fuel, fixed the problem every time!
I now use Super petrol and it doesn't seem to go off at all.
My old cars hate modern petrol, it seems to go off in about two weeks. (Same in the lawnmower).
I was always draining them (and putting it in the company car!) and then refilling with fresh fuel, fixed the problem every time!
I now use Super petrol and it doesn't seem to go off at all.
I don't believe that Petrol in the UK contains ethanol, but ofit does its worth finding some StarTron...
http://mystarbrite.com/startron//component/option,...
I use this in all of my old cars and its a godsend. Beautiful car BTW, I have vintage Vauxhalls but being PAs I wouldn't let them ANYWHERE near salt
http://mystarbrite.com/startron//component/option,...
I use this in all of my old cars and its a godsend. Beautiful car BTW, I have vintage Vauxhalls but being PAs I wouldn't let them ANYWHERE near salt
Most petrol in the UK is E5, ie contains 5% ethanol. (E10 is coming 
). Super Unleaded, may yet be free of ethanol in some areas (which is really unhelpful as old cars want low octane ratings).
Apart from the possible need to re-jet carburettors, the principle enemy to veteran cars is that ethanol attracts water, and water and petrol don't mix. So anything steel could rust, ie fuel tanks. Newer classics with plastic bits, especially those from the 70s and 80s though are more at risk as the ethanol can attack some plastics (not all though by any means) and things that were hitherto ok, can start leaking.
The linked product though looks like snake oil.
). Super Unleaded, may yet be free of ethanol in some areas (which is really unhelpful as old cars want low octane ratings).Apart from the possible need to re-jet carburettors, the principle enemy to veteran cars is that ethanol attracts water, and water and petrol don't mix. So anything steel could rust, ie fuel tanks. Newer classics with plastic bits, especially those from the 70s and 80s though are more at risk as the ethanol can attack some plastics (not all though by any means) and things that were hitherto ok, can start leaking.
The linked product though looks like snake oil.
Edited by Slidingpillar on Monday 17th December 10:32
Cliftonite said:
crankedup said:
Thought I would give the old girl a cross country run this morning, would it start - would it hell. Brand new battery fully charged and jump leads off our 1.9tdi, nope, no go. Whip out the plugs and they are petrol wet so a quick clean and dry, still won't start. Maybe the points are damp? Anyhow I was freezing cold so gave it up as a bad job.
Do you not have worries about what the road salt will do to the old girl?I've read somewhere (and can't remember where) that one of the key changes in petrol over the years has been that the components that aid starting just don't last as long as they used to, whereas the components that are more geared towards running don't have that issue. That's why once you get the engine started on new petrol, or easy start or whatever, it continues to run on the old petrol. Presumably that's why I was able to start a previous car on its ten-year-old petrol that was almost as dark as a nice bitter when I was having trouble with the other one that only had six-month-old petrol.
I agree on the easy start thing, I had heard that one of the issues is that because you spray it in through the air intake it can get too much through there and wash past the rings and contaminate the oil.
I agree on the easy start thing, I had heard that one of the issues is that because you spray it in through the air intake it can get too much through there and wash past the rings and contaminate the oil.
Captain Cadillac said:
I don't believe that Petrol in the UK contains ethanol, but ofit does its worth finding some StarTron...
http://mystarbrite.com/startron//component/option,...
I use this in all of my old cars and its a godsend. Beautiful car BTW, I have vintage Vauxhalls but being PAs I wouldn't let them ANYWHERE near salt
Ahhhh!hall Cresta PA, these hold many memories for me. Owned a Hydramatic when I were a lad, lovely car but I bought a duffer (green as the grass) but those leather bench seats http://mystarbrite.com/startron//component/option,...
I use this in all of my old cars and its a godsend. Beautiful car BTW, I have vintage Vauxhalls but being PAs I wouldn't let them ANYWHERE near salt
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