Cold starting
Turbo Mini Forums

Dont know if anyone has had any experience of this and its not turbo engine (16v), but i seem to have a lot of trouble starting when cold. Ive tried numerous types of plugs but none seem to be any better or worse. It has got twin webers that do require a certain knack to start but my dads had webers on various cars for manys years and he cant start it either.

Im wondering if its not turning over fast enough on the standard starter motor. Jump starting doesnt seem to make it turn over any faster either

Any ideas?

Would a high torque starter motor make the difference?

Matt W

the starter would be an expensive way to go about it. id try everything you could possibly think of before that.

do you have the choke connected? my mate used to just give the throttle a few pumps before starting with his weber

13.95 1/4 mile on a 2.95 fd. Carnt be that hard to beat!

The chokes arent connected but i usually hold them open by hand and get my dad to try and start it. So i dont think thats where the problem is really.

Matt W

a tin of easy start wont fix it but may get it to start

Done now needs redoing lol

What's the cranking ignition advance?

In the 13's at last!.. Just

I have to pump my throttle 15 times and it fires

I seriously doubt it!

To high cr on guff fuel?

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have same problem on my 998 so changed the plugs,leads,dizzy cap and rotor arm. now my prob is dead battery every other day.

prob of no help to you bcz I assume your running an ecu?

If your running a high CR it could be cranking speed. What RPM is it cranking at?

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1/4mile in 13.2sec @ 111 terminal on 15psi

Are you using pre engaged or inertia starter?

I seriously doubt it!

I usually give it 3 pumps and it starts alright, Im using a pre engaged starter.

The compression ratio is 10.5:1

Id have to fine out the ignition advance the engine came ready built and dynoed. Ill check what its turning over at.

Could part of the problem be that the engine was set up for max power not starting up on cold mornings

Matt W

I have to give mine a couple of pumps then bury my foot till it fires.

Also if I don't warm the engine up a fair bit It will foul the plugs the next time it starts.

Interestingly my car will not start on bp8 plugs so have to warm it up on bp7's

cam duration and cam timing figures?

10.5:1 not a little low for a high reving 16v motor?

Inlet L1 0.408" lift (10.36mm) 306 degree duration

Exhaust BD3 0.348" lift (8.83mm) 290 degree duration

There the old cosworth BDA cam profiles

Im sure it was said to be 10.5:1 but when i went for wilder cam specification the compression could have been changed.

Matt W

With cam duration of 290 to 306, id expect the cam timing to be somewhere around 102 degrees and with such a combination with a static compression ratio of 10.5:1 your cranking pressures would be fairly low. This combined with the fact youy are 'guessing' how much choke to use on what could likely be considered over the last few days, the coldest that you have tried to start this engine.

I would personally be looking at sorting out the chokes on the carbs properly and get them working as they should for a cold start situation and see hpw it goes. There is a very narrow band for cranking enrichments especially cold, remembering that starting an engine from cold takes 3 to 4 times as much fuel as is required when the engine is hot.

One other possability is that there has been too much fuel and the plugs are now wet (flooded)

Oh I forgot, what sort of cranking pressures do you get? I calculated your dynamic CR at less than 8:1 with a cranking pressure of roughly 140psi, but this is making certain assumptions on cam timing based on a similar cam combination on Kent Cams web site.

Thanks for the great info Sprocket, Ill get a compression test done as soon as i can find my adapter for my gague. The plugs are down the bottom of a very deep hole.

Matt

Matt W

9.85 @ 145mph
202mph standing mile
speed didn't kill me, but taxation probably will