Flooded - relay out still can not start

[gateeast]

Car not been run for a while so I unplugged the coil lead to get some oil around the engine. I guess I have flooded it, pulled out the fuel pump relay but can not restart.

Please help.

PS Started fine last time.

Edited by gateeast on Sunday 21st November 17:15

[spend]

Pull a plug & have a look?

[gateeast]

I just realised last time I only ran it for a minute or so apparently this can cause flooding also. How long sould I leave it?

Or do I now need to do something?

Sorry for the questions

[griffnz]

When this last happened to me I took out 3 or 4 plugs and dried them. then turned the engine over a few times with the fuel pump relay removed. Put all back together and then started. Apparently petrol doesn't evaporate - assume becaause of all the additives?- which is why you need to remove and dry the plugs....sadly it's happened more than once to me...I now leave car running for min of a minute.. not sure what the min time is to avoid this.

[scoule]

Mine did the same at the weekend, things were a bit damp so maybe a bit of HT arcing from the king lead meant it didn't go first time and flooded. I removed all the plugs, cleaned them, burnt off the petrol from the plugs with a mini gas burner and left the plugs out for a couple of hours.

All the plugs then went back in and I pulled the connector off the fuel pump and it started and ran for a couple of seconds .. fuel pump connector back on and it started again and ran fine.

[gateeast]

Thank you for the replies.

I assume waiting a period of time before starting the car will not solve my problem?

[spend]

If you can't take a plug out, probably better to call the AA or something

[rigga]

As a last resort,foot flat to the floor on the throttle and crank the engine,if it wont catch then its plugs out anyway.

[Reeso]

As above....foot to floor, turn it over and keep it turning....it will sound st to start with as the sparkplugs start to burn the excess fuel off....gradually each cylinder will fire one by one....you will know when all 8 are going. Then stop turning the ignitsion and balance the throttle slowly easing off to return the car to idel. It's not great on the starter motor, but it does work.

[bsdnazz]

Reeso said:

As above....foot to floor, turn it over and keep it turning....it will sound st to start with as the sparkplugs start to burn the excess fuel off....gradually each cylinder will fire one by one....you will know when all 8 are going. Then stop turning the ignitsion and balance the throttle slowly easing off to return the car to idel. It's not great on the starter motor, but it does work.

On the basis that a Chim might have the same engine...

The first time I flooded my Chim I could not get it started until I turned it over on full throttle for a good 60s seconds. Then after a few coughs a splutters the engine caught and started. There was a lot of smoke!

[eliot]

Not sure if the Lucas ECU has it or not, but even megasquirt has "flood clear mode" - where you simply floor the throttle during cranking, it see's the high throttle angle and cuts the fuel to the injectors. So as others said above, just keep cranking and it should catch.

[griffnz]

In my case I found that cranking over with foot to floor didn't work, and neither did leaving it a day. Just wouldn't fire. I had to resort to removing and drying some plugs..

[gateeast]

Thank you all.

Plugs out it is. Anyone know where to get a plug spanner from that best suits, none of mine fit easily.

[paulathome]

I use a socket set spark plug spanner which fits OK but I also use a universal joint followed by an extension or two. It can still be a PITA though especially number 7 and 8, so I normally remove the intake pipe off the plenum.
Just be VERY VERY careful when refitting the plugs as they enter the head at an odd angle and this makes it very easy to cross thread them with expensive consequences. Make sure you get at least a couple of turns into the head before you use the socket and ratchet to tighten.
One method I sometimes use is to use a short piece of thick wall rubber pipe which is a tight fit over the plug top and use this get the plug started without dropping it down the back of the bell housing
Good luck.
Paul.

Edited by paulathome on Tuesday 23 November 20:16

[eliot]

paulathome said:

I use a socket set spark plug spanner which fits OK but I also use a universal joint followed by an extension or two. It can still be a PITA though especially number 7 and 8, so I normally remove the intake pipe off the plenum.
Just be VERY VERY careful when refitting the plugs as they enter the head at an odd angle and this makes it very easy to cross thread them with expensive consequences. Make sure you get at least a couple of turns into the head before you use the socket and ratchet to tighten.
One method I sometimes use is to use a short piece of thick wall rubber pipe which is a tight fit over the plug top and use this get the plug started without dropping it down the back of the bell housing
Good luck.
Paul.

Edited by paulathome on Tuesday 23 November 20:16

and as always a touch of copperslip on the thread.