No start hpe volumex

[chrisc]

Hi,
Ive just returned home from university and so im back in company with both of my hpe vxs. The one that got left behind is sadly however refusing to start. It cranks well with no unusual noises etc. and picks up oil pressure on the dash gauge, but no fire.
I pulled one of the leads and stuck a plug on it, and it doesnt look like im getting any spark. Also, whilst I can hear the fuel pump whining im not smelling any which I would have expected for the amount of cranking. The car was running fine when I left, the only thing that has happened is I have put on some new ht leads because the old ones had become very rigid and brittle and I have double checked these to ensure they are fitted correctly.

[Hamish]

I pulled one of the leads and stuck a plug on it, and it doesnt look like im getting any spark.

:cry:
This happened to my VX a while back after being laid up, I went through the following:
I'm sure you'll have had the dizzy cap off, but have a quick squint in there and do the necessary (clean up all contacts). Disconnect and clean all connectors to the coil, re-check all battery connections and check cabling (a lengthy and tedious business but worthwhile :wink: ).
Remove all the relays and fuses and check they're working/intact. With the ignition on, check the feeds to the fuse box are 'live'.



Also, whilst I can hear the fuel pump whining im not smelling any which I would have expected for the amount of cranking. The car was running fine when I left, the only thing that has happened is I have put on some new ht leads because the old ones had become very rigid and brittle and I have double checked these to ensure they are fitted correctly.


Take off the cover to the carb off and squirt in some petrol, not too much say a small measure of whisky (drink the rest you would normally pour yourself :twisted: ).

Turn her over.

If it still doesn't fire try changing the coils over from your other car, but these rarely fail in my experience.

I know you'll probably have tried most of this :roll: and I don't want to suggest that I'm telling my grannie how to suck eggs :P but it worked for me and might work for you :wink:
Naturally, you'll have checked all the fuel lines and put petrol in the car :?:

[chrisc]

Small update - ive checked out as you said, the dizzy cap is brand new. Question - how on earth do i get access to the coil??? it looks like a nightmare!
With the checking over I have done, the best that ive got is a pair of hefty backfires (ie little bit of smoke visible from the rubber bit at the supercharger / air cleaner box.
Another question - if the dipstick is intact, how reliable is the dash gauge for oil level? the dipstick is intact for this one, dash gauge is showing overfilled by a way.
Attempting to use the dipstick in my other car tells me that the remains of its dipstick are stuck in the tube!

[Hamish]

Small update - ive checked out as you said, the dizzy cap is brand new. Question - how on earth do i get access to the coil??? it looks like a nightmare!

All the leads still go in/come out the same way....



With the checking over I have done, the best that ive got is a pair of hefty backfires (ie little bit of smoke visible from the rubber bit at the supercharger / air cleaner box.

Keep the cover off the carb, prime it again (and yourself :twisted: ) pump the throttle HARD and keep it on the floor.... and turn it over. It can be worth holding the'choke' butterflies open. The backfire might suggest something is happening spark wise :?: Is the fuel coming through now :?:
Check it all again :roll:



Another question - if the dipstick is intact, how reliable is the dash gauge for oil level?

It's not, do not trust it under any circumstance.

[andybeta]

Your problems sound familiar. I leave mine for a bit, say 3 or 4 weeks and it churns over and over before starting. Before attempting to start make sure the battery is fully charged and then spend a fair amont of time pumpng fuel through before it fires. (Could take out the plugs- care not to strip or X thread these). I've a push button starter as the ignition switch has failed but still delivers all the functions except supplying the starter motor. A couple of weeks a go it very nearly flattened the battery but after a few minutes rest, a turn of the key and push of the starter, it burst into life.

It used to start first time no questions a few years back, but I then foolishly had it serviced (no names - a Lancia mag advertiser) and they seem to have buggered up the carb so it's temperamental to start and won't idle smoothly as it did before and charged me £85 for the privilege!!
I had a choke problem apparently????

They certainly don't like being left. Would you? Fortunately I can garage mine. I guess if you have two they are outside which must increase the difficulties in getting them going.

Try turning it over for a bit without the plugs in to see if you get lots of fuel through. See if there's any flow through the in-line filter above the supergharger, or alternatively disconnect this, but be sure to catch the fuel as it's a menace getting it on the belts, wiring or underseal as it pours through.

Another trick, take out a plug and with it attached to an HT lead as usual lay it so it earths on the say the cam covers. Turn out the lights or wait till dark and then turn the engine over to see how strong the spark is. You should, if it's giving a good spark see a healthy thick blue bright spark. If not it's your ignition as opposed to fuel ie. distributor cap or incorrectly sequenced leads if you've replaced them. It happens sometimes you only see the error of your ways 4 days later at 7:50pm. We've all been there.

So these are a few things to keep you busy. Best of luck. Are your brakes seized on? I guess you haven't found out as you can't start it!

Andybeta

[andybeta]

If it started previously, just change one thing at a time and work through a simple process of elimination and logic. I would be sceptical about changing items such as coils.

If you've changed ie. replaced or cleaned anything, really think how this could have contributed to it not starting. On the whole the engines are very reliable. I know it's frustrating but the engines aren't that complicated. If you have enough fuel do you have enough spark at the right time?

Andybeta

[chrisc]

Hi,
havent had a chance to give it another go as im working away on my dissertation! Taking a break to get a new battery this afternoon as I only have one good battery between the cars at present. Sadly my cars do have to live a hard outside life but ive just sold an old beater of mine that was being kept in a garage (the not in use vx didnt have any ht leads at the time so it couldnt move to the garage!). Hopefully i can migrate that to the garage if itll fit and i can get it running.

[Will]

I'd personally look to the distribututor pickup, and it's connection plug to the module. Both are notorious for failure. Because this often results in intermittant spark/ no spark condition, it can be easily overlooked the first time through.
-Will

[chrisc]

Victory! finally got round to looking at it again today, changed the coil lead as well, still no start, then compared with my other car and discovered that id managed to put the spark plug leads in completely the wrong order!!! i obviously had my old peugeot in mind as id set them up like that. Upon righting that, car started straightaway and runs sweet as a nut! (albeit with a heavy clutch and sharp brakes!). Now, the next time its started its off to get that new timing and supercharger belt fitted!

[Will]

Uh, yeah, that'll do it too!
:P
-Will

[andybeta]

Glad to read you got it going. See previous email. We've all done it!

andybeta