She's alive!
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scooby_doo_do

Original Poster:

137 posts

225 months

Friday 5th December 2008
quotequote all
Attempted to start up my spyder today, as it's been sitting in the garage a while now as the weather's been crap.

First attempt, car starts and then stops shortly after.
Second attempt, car start no problem but stalls when you let off the accelerator,
Third attempt, car starts, leave the revs for about 30 seconds just over 1k, and then car seems to tick over nicely.

Obviously i checked all the fluids first and all seemed fine. Had a little bit of smoke the first time it started but this cleared pretty much instantly - prob just crap in the exhausts.

Here's a vid of it idling - think it sounds ok? or in need of a slight tune?

www.tripkings.co.uk/ultima.avi

i'll get another one in the daylight tommorrow when it's nicer and i've cleaned it, and fitted the seats. then all i'm waiting for is the steering wheel adaptor and i can take it out for a drive again :-)

On a seperate note, i'd like to charge the battery to give it a little more juice. I've noticed its a sealed tall thin type of battery - does this make a difference to the charger i use, or can i just use the normal halfords charger and leave it in battery type "sealed" ?

Many thanks

Craig.

suntiger1965

3,547 posts

231 months

Friday 5th December 2008
quotequote all
scooby_doo_do said:
Attempted to start up my spyder today, as it's been sitting in the garage a while now as the weather's been crap.

First attempt, car starts and then stops shortly after.
Second attempt, car start no problem but stalls when you let off the accelerator,
Third attempt, car starts, leave the revs for about 30 seconds just over 1k, and then car seems to tick over nicely.

Obviously i checked all the fluids first and all seemed fine. Had a little bit of smoke the first time it started but this cleared pretty much instantly - prob just crap in the exhausts.

Here's a vid of it idling - think it sounds ok? or in need of a slight tune?

www.tripkings.co.uk/ultima.avi

i'll get another one in the daylight tommorrow when it's nicer and i've cleaned it, and fitted the seats. then all i'm waiting for is the steering wheel adaptor and i can take it out for a drive again :-)

On a seperate note, i'd like to charge the battery to give it a little more juice. I've noticed its a sealed tall thin type of battery - does this make a difference to the charger i use, or can i just use the normal halfords charger and leave it in battery type "sealed" ?

Many thanks

Craig.
Have you a MSD dizzy??? if so, remove cap and rotor and look at the star wheel and pickup...i had same problem the oter day and had condesation inside cap and star wheel was all rusty.. i cleaned wheel and pick up and spray wd40 lightly, refitted cap and its fine...

if not its been very cold recently and if you havent got choke on you holley might be just too cold....

dom

Steve_D

13,802 posts

287 months

Saturday 6th December 2008
quotequote all
Without a choke you just have to get it started then just keep it running with a little throttle until it warms which will only be a few minutes.

Sounds like you have a sealed gel battery, which is normal for an Ultima, so I would recommend using an AccuMate (£34+vat) which you can leave plugged in all the time and it will constantly monitor the battery condition and only charge when required.

Steve

scooby_doo_do

Original Poster:

137 posts

225 months

Saturday 6th December 2008
quotequote all
yeah - it's a holley 4 port carb - don't think it's got a choke at all.

I'll check the dizzy out today as well - and get one of those battery chargers :-)

shithotfast

1,134 posts

297 months

Saturday 6th December 2008
quotequote all
mine is the exact same setup as yours, and it wont run cold / start without the choke in the winter.. Easy to fit, its probably all there on the carb still, just needs a cable pull to be fitted.

scooby_doo_do

Original Poster:

137 posts

225 months

Saturday 6th December 2008
quotequote all
Cool :-)

i'll take a look at it tommorrow. I know there's a choke pull under the steering wheel, but this is for the heater control - hot and cold valve in drivers side pod.

Where have you fitted your choke? can you take a pic for me please ;-)

Many thanks

Craig.


suntiger1965

3,547 posts

231 months

Saturday 6th December 2008
quotequote all
choke is fitted on holley carbs as standard but most rip them off. its a manual plate on the top of the carb that just blocks off the air so it richens the carb..can either be manual type needing a choke cable or automatic which are a waste of time...

a usual 3-4 blips of the gas pedal before turning the engine over fires it into life at this causes the accelerator pumps to inject some fuel into the engine and richen it up.... In these cold days , it sometimes takes a couple of goes to fire her up and it wont tickover for 2-3 minutes until engine gets warm..
dom.