AED Starter carb faulty

[cass3958]

Yesterday I decided to give my car an engine start and warm up as it has been sitting for a couple of months now not used. The temperature is just above freezing and the car sits outside under a carport. Turned the key and listened until the fuel pumps stopped ticking, set the choke to come on via my override switch, hit the button and she started first time. Problem is she ran for 3 seconds, the revs dropped and she cut out. Hit the button again and exactly the same thing happened. Tried hitting the button and then in the 3 seconds playing with the throttle to pick up the revs but it did not help.
Went under the bonnet and visually checked everything and it all looked in place. No fuel leaks. Glass bowl was full.
From under the bonnet I hit the solenoid button and she repeated what had happened before. I could hear the solenoid on the AED jump on and off when I disconnected the power wire. Reaching down I took hold of the top of the AED needle and pulled it up and hit the solenoid starter button again and she bursts in to life and runs smoothly as long as I hold the needle fully up. If I drop the needle it stutters and stops. Once it had warmed up I heard the solenoid on the AED cut out and now when I drop the needle the car runs smoothly.

Anyone with an idea why this should be happening?

I think when the weather warms up a bit I am going to have to take the AED apart and give it a service.
Is there a service kit you can buy? SNG do an acceleration Needle for £50 and a complete solenoid assembly for £111 but is there a service kit of springs and seals you can buy?

[Glyn Ruck]

These things need to be adjusted for your specific ambient conditions as we have stated here before. I had to adjust mine as it was over enriching for my mild conditions. Orlando has also commented here. The question you have to ask yourself Rob is was it previously OK in these type conditions or not? If it was previously OK then something has changed. e.g. solenoid not fully opening the needle. If the conditions are abnormal then readjust the needle.

Go direct to Burlen Fuel Systems. Most helpful. They will sell you every spare right up to a new pair of HD6 Thermo's and Otter Switch. I know you have an override fitted.

Your solenoid may be sticking. Dirt? Corrosion? Do you have alcohol in your fuel yet?

http://burlen.co.uk/?___store=default

http://sucarb.co.uk/?___store=su

e.g.

http://sucarb.co.uk/carburettor-kits/ga ... -pack.html

[cass3958]

As stated on the other forum Glyn I will adjust it tomorrow. Was working fine so putting it down to the cold conditions. Thanks for the links.
We have ethanol in our fuel at the moment but I think it is quite low being around 5%. They are looking at increasing it to 10% which might concern older cars as the rubber we have in pipes and gaskets is not made to support 10% ethanol. We have had this discussion on another topic.

[JCS]

Rob

I think that you have more than one issue, neither of which in my view is a particular concern, As Glyn has said, if necessary readjust the needle, but given recent weather conditions in the U.K I would not alter any settings, except to make sure the choke needle is on its richest setting, or at least richer than present. If you have an overriding choke control switch you can always switch the choke off as desired.

I would suggest you might use the tickler pin, only fitted on the front carburetter, to flood the front carburetter and choke chamber prior to starting. That way you will not have to hold the needle up. The tickler pin operation provides an extra enrichment control for instances where the existing choke richness is limited. Using the tickler pin to promote flooding was accepted practice in sub- freezing conditions by many manufacturers.

I would suggest converting the rear carburettor to tickler pin specification. When both carburettors have pins fitted, it is easy to check float riding depths and whether each carburettor even has fuel, all without using any tools. I converted my engine to duel tickler pins a long time ago.

Even though the ambient temperature may have been just above freezing the heat sink of the car standing outside recently will be very low and your battery would have to be really 100%. If the battery was even bullet proof any starter demand may cause the choke solenoid to drop out in freezing conditions. On top of that you are trying to combat cold damp conditions.

I would be very careful about altering anything except the choke solenoid needle, or when better weather returns you will be chasing your tail resetting everything.

[cass3958]

Thanks Norman I was going to fiddle today but other things cropped up so maybe tomorrow. The Battery was 100% as I had this on a trickle charger and I also have a modern starter motor which is a lot more powerful than the original.

[Orlando St.R]

Yes, I second the advice about not adjusting anything. I once tried to set my CO on a really hot day (for us) (30C) and regretted it.

It's probably the fuel. If the car has sat for two months unused, the fuel maybe even older than two months if, as you said, you haven't used it much in the last year. Even 5% ethanol seems to give fuel a much shorter useful life these days.

[Glyn Ruck]

Yes. If the light ends have evapourated from the fuel it will cause starting issues. It might still be summer fuel. The oil companies blend fuel in summer grade & winter grade in most parts of the world (certainly the UK). Obviously winter grade has more light ends to aid cold starting.