Moss Motors, Ltd

In the winter, I start my 1965 BJ8 a couple times a month. This car in 2003 was  fully restored engine balanced and rebuilt including carbs. Also a new fuel pump was added to the list. With the ignition on the fuel pump clicks and sounds strong. Fuel filter sight glass is full. Chock fully extended, requires a long cranking time to get the engine to fire and further cranking to get it running. Sometimes I use either to save battery but cautious to using to much. This car starts well in the warmer months it is always garaged. Any suggestions?

Just a suggestion here.

The next time you get it started,let her warm up and then get your timing light on it to see what you timing stands at. Once you get that dialed in I would look at adjusting the carb mixture. I drive an old VW and its not uncommon for me to adjust the timing and carbs once every oil change (2-3 months). Symptoms of bad timing or carburetors out of sync would be identical to what you have described above. Does it runn fine at idle? Does she backfire on you?

Good Luck and keep checking the forum for others who will jump on to offer thier suggestions as well.

 

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Jeff D. Leonardo
Merchandising / Marketing Asst.

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Jeff,

After starting, Idle and warm up appear normal. Once at temperature, I have hand checked the exhaust feeling for misses or poping. I well check timing again just to make sure that this is not the issue. I have noticed that anywhere I set the choke it doesnt make any appreciabe difference other then a higher idle. The choke cable seems to be pulling all the way to the screw stops on the carburator. However I have never tunned or syhcranized the  carbs since the rebuild. Thanks for your response.

Mitch

Hi, Mitch...

As I am not looking at your car, I can only suggest a few areas to check.  Cold starts are always more difficult than those in the warmer months due to both fuel and electrical considerations. Have you put a stabilizer in the fuel? Modern, unleaded fuels tend to break down after 30-45 days and begin to form a sludge that may inhibit proper carburetor function and fuel ignition. A cold engine also causes the electrical system to work harder to turn the crank shaft, produce a spark, etc.  The motor oil is the consistency of molasses, the pistons, block, etc. tolerances are changed and electron flow is slower.  During your rebuild, did you upgrade the coil and change the plugs, wires and ditributor cap and rotor?  You may want to pull one spark plug and check it for proper combustion, gap, etc. Also, is your choke operating properly (check the connections to the SU's and see if the knob in the cockpit is actuating the linkage)?

As you can see, there are a myriad of check points to narrow down this problem. Keep in touch...Good Luck!

Glenn

When tuned correctly BJ8s are generally somewhat reluctant to start in cold conditions. I have found that when a BJ8 starts really easily when cold the mixture is usually set way too rich.

The big secret it to ensure that the choke is really operating correctly. The design of the choke mechanism, plus the very common procedure of installing additional choke pull off springs means that this is often very hard to achieve.

To check that your choke is operating correctly pull the control all the way out then lock it (by turning the knob). Once this is done reach down beside each air cleaner and check to see that you are unable to lift the choke lever of the carb any further than the control has lifted it. If you can then the choke is not working correctly. You will find that if you have someone (select someone fairly brave for this task) hold those levers all the way up the engine will start easily.

BTW  IMHO starting your BJ8 a couple of times a month during the winter is not something that I would recommend. Unless you take the car for a good long run each time (definately not recommended if you live in an area where they salt the roads) your start up proceedure will just result in adding acidic water to the engine oil and into the exhaust system.

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Michael Salter
100/S
3000 MkIII
BN1
Bugeye
3000 GT VR4
Mossis Mini Cooper S
Subaru Outback (which I drive)

Thanks for all the input, I had the choke and tunning of the carbs checked out. A small ajustment was made to both

and it appears to be starting easier. We well see this Winter.

Thanks

Mitch 

I've been having the same problem with my '67 BJ8 only I'm in a Sydney summer so it's always warm. It tends only to 'catch' on starting with no choke, but then there's the inevitable backfiring with a lean mixture. My main concern isrunning he battery right down.

I'll have a butcher's at the choke but I'm wondering whether it's anything to do with timing - I recently had the engine head tightened due to reaching it's 500-mile run-in after a long engine rebuild.

 

Gotta love these forums for seeking others' advice. Nice work boys.