611 Posted February 4, 2016 Share Posted February 4, 2016 I have some fuel in the tank that must be a year old now (if not a bit more). And i had the old engine almost running in the summer (needs a proper tune up so its just getting it roughly started that is the goeal), but now im trying to get it going it just wont start up unless i squirt a bit of new fuel down the throttle bodies and then it fires up and runs. After its got a little warmer it starts every turn. but leave it to go stone cold and it wont start up. Im told by the guys at webcon that it could be old fuel causing it to not fire up when cold. Any thoughts on it?? im running injection on it. Im going to drain the tank at the weekend and try some new fuel to see what it does then, but it would be good to get some thoughts on it. thanks Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigJohn Posted February 4, 2016 Share Posted February 4, 2016 I have this problem with my Escort if I leave it during winter, exact same symptoms, every couple of months I start it and it gets to be a right cow by March, but once run it cracks up every time. As another thought, is it draining back and the engine isn't getting fuel at first? I use quite a lot of octane booster so sometimes give a distant whiff of the devils assistant, East Start ether, (although I wouldn't recommend it on an expensive engine!) if it has been left a while. It had a full tank in Sept. so it will be going off now, It was a lazy git to fire last week, but lit up just as I was going to pour some fresh down it's neck, being a Xflow, once it fires on 2, it will soon fire up on 4, probably using creosote! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Berlinetta Posted February 4, 2016 Share Posted February 4, 2016 My coupe can take several turns before it starts from cold. Is there an in-line fuel filter on Manta's (which would stop all the fuel 'falling back' to the tank)? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mantadoc Posted February 4, 2016 Share Posted February 4, 2016 I regularly leave the Manta a couple of years between starts and the fuel us probably 5 years old, no problems. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyc Posted February 4, 2016 Share Posted February 4, 2016 Just found this if it is any help http://www.autospeed.com/cms/article.html?&title=The-Life-of-Fuel&A=112237 Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1900SR Posted February 4, 2016 Share Posted February 4, 2016 My A series is a pig to start if it's been standing more than a couple of weeks. I think the fuel does drain back to the tank or evaporate off from the carb and lines, so it takes a lot of cranking of the mechanical pump to get it back up to the carb. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
611 Posted February 5, 2016 Author Share Posted February 5, 2016 5 hours ago, andyc said: Just found this if it is any help http://www.autospeed.com/cms/article.html?&title=The-Life-of-Fuel&A=112237 Andy Thanks for the link Andy, interesting read. I never got round to hooking up all the pipes that go from the tank breather back to the filler neck so i have probably had quite a bit of evaporation. I think some new fuel and another go to see how it starts. Thanks for all the feedback guys. When i ran a single webber i use to get the fuel drain back issues and it was a pig to get started if left for a while. Im now running full on injection (http://www.theopelproject.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/2012201220111.jpg) with an in tank pump, so the fuel getting there is not the issue, it just wont fire up and it tries to catch but just wont run so after looking at that link from Andy, i think some new fuel and a test again to see what happens is needed! This is what the club is all about :-) Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MANTAMAN Posted February 5, 2016 Share Posted February 5, 2016 16 hours ago, 1900SR said: My A series is a pig to start if it's been standing more than a couple of weeks. I think the fuel does drain back to the tank or evaporate off from the carb and lines, so it takes a lot of cranking of the mechanical pump to get it back up to the carb. This is why i fitted an electric pump to my 1800 Gold Hatch, a small square Facet item that sits neatly ontop of the fuel tank strap. the Manta normally only comes out for shows which is infrequent, so previously when i tried to start it i was having to resort to taking the air filter off and putting fuel down the carb and spraying easy start as i reached round to turn the ignition key, now a few seconds of 'ticking' from down the back and it will fire up straight away. This is a major problem with 1800 Mantas because the fuel pump is high up on the engine driven off the overhead camshaft, fuel will run back down the pipe and/or evaporate, the pump would find it immpossible to drag the fuel uphill, probably cavitating upon ther air inside it because it was not moving fast enough to work at starter motor cranking speed, i have left the orginal mechanical fuel pump in place for the appearance but if you take off the air filter you can see the fuel pipe bypasses it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.