Sounds like an ignition problem, check the distributor cap etc, sounds like damp in there or closed up points perhaps, pop distributor cap off, we 40 everything then leave it 10 mins, cap back on, start this time
I'll give it a try in the morning now I think. We did whip off the distributor cap earlier in case of water etc.... it was perfectly dry. The points were sparking okay. I was surprised that the spark plugs weren't wet and flooded to be honest. Cant think what couldve gone wrong in the 6 days since it was running nicely. Might have another beer and think about it...
Mine wouldn't start ,with dry plugs, there was a flake of rust stuck on the inlet valve in the carb... It was a tiny speck of debris.. If you have a single carb, you can remove it and strip it down in 30 mins..
Yes, topped it up from the jerry can yesterday even though I was pretty sure there was plenty in there already.
It was only changed a couple of weeks ago, and now lives in it's much safer but wholly more inconvenient location above the gearbox..... looks clear and I can see the little filtery bits inside.
It is a single carb (Chinese solex copy). Don't think I'm competent to take it apart (yet!) but I could probably stretch to undoing the drain nut on the left if that would help? My mate has just left to head back to Cheltenham so I'm on me lonesome once more and unable to attempt anything now that requires 3 hands and being in 2 places at once!
Same happened to me. On mine, type 1 1600 with single carb and oil bath air filter, I lifted the engine bay hatch above the carb, removed the air filter assembly off the carb and unscrewed the lid at the top of the carb leaving the fuel input hose attached. You really need to see if the float bowl is full of fuel, mine wasn't, so I filled the bowl with fuel from a jug and the engine started and ran ok. I ended up getting a new needle valve assembly and float, no problem since.
There's fuel coming out of the carb drain plug nut if I loosen it slightly, so the carb isn't dry, fuel is getting in... but not out.
Okay, thank you. I'll give it a try after work tomorrow - it's dark now and I'll need to acquire some feeler gauges. Thanks for the help and advice so far everyone, it's good to be able to ask and get answers even if the problem isn't solved yet
