Engine no startie

Ha ha don't joke, I was paranoid about becoming the new Darren McRae, especially when @Clive Neilands suggested Skype! Less than 100 posts though, I'm not even a contender

I sincerely hope that I never have to find out whether he's any good at it!!

 

Indeed. Fuel lines are all done now, as are the little joiner bits in the breather hoses; the fuel filter is out of the engine bay now too (and is much more inconvenient to replace and harder to keep an eye on, but safer!)

 

Nooooooooo, no hanging of heads
I think there was a fuel starvation issue for sure at the start, and a stuck valve has got to be the cause of the dry spark plugs; I think the slightly loose clamp was incidental but then caused more issues that masked the fact that the valve was no longer stuck. Or something.

And I will take @davidoft 's advice and get a new clamp. But then of course I'll have to redo the timing! I think I need to learn how to do the timing myself too. Techenders anyone......?

 

Excellent! Hopefully when Rick puts the techenders thread up, we can rope some poor unsuspecting mechanically minded TLBer in.

Just a quick question whilst this thread is still vaguely warm: as my van, despite everyone's best efforts, is still loath to keep going initially when cold (I know a certain amount of slack must be cut etc), and the majority of opinion on Chinese solex copy carbs isn't entirely favourable, do you think I should at some point be looking to replace it with an original proper Solex ? And if so, any idea what I should budget to pay for one? There's one on ebay at the mo for about £40 plus postage, but this seems cheap. I'm in no hurry to do it as long as the afore mentioned Chinese jobbie still works, but what do y'all think?
(Type 1 1600TP bog standard, no frills)

 

Fair comment. It has been tried by a couple of different people when timing done / carb tuned, and not made a great difference.... but I will have a read of Haynes and look at youtube and have a go.

 

Ha ha I usually dawdle and pootle my way through life with a fairly scant regard for time, but in fairness you had probably spent quite enough of your time welding seatbelt fittings and seat runners, and I'd lost all my money in the amusement arcades of Hayling Island!
The valve clearances were done back in september, so hopefully they were done well and don't require adjusting yet

 

Aargh, don't say that Jez, I'm trying to tick things off my list not add to it!!
Discovered what appears to be a small leak on the fuel pump this morning, so that's now on there.... *sigh*
Still, it keeps me off the streets.........