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Help! First time Opel owner - Manta won't start


Fisherwerke
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Hello everyone, 

My name is Dustin and I am in Grand Rapids, Michigan USA. I bought 2 1975 Opel Manta B's from an older German couple in Texas. They have been sitting in a barn for about 15 years. I started trying to get one started. Changed the fuel lines, fuel filter, external inline electric fuel pump, oil, filter, changed the coolant, put in a fresh battery and fuel. The car cranks but will not fire. I squirted some starting fluid into the throttle body and got a stumble a couple times. I do not have a manual on the car so I just did some basic checks. It does have spark although it does seem a little weak. I checked for fuel at multiple points and its getting all the way to the injectors but when I popped the injectors out and cranked no fuel comes out. I of course do not have a manual handy. What would you guys do? 

Thanks for any advice! 

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Problem with our club site is that there is tons of info, but it’s restricted until you join the club. (FYI web membership is like a $30).

Anyway, seems you need a wiring diagram so you can check the connections. However, the LEjetronic system us very basic really. If it’s been stood, and based on what you describe so far, I would be checking the earth terminals on the back of the inlet plenum. The batt+ve is connected to the starter _ve terminal. 
There is a white (or grey) 4 pin plug on bulkhead that has an IGN +ve and green from the Coil (tacho for the injection pulse ).

if all terminals are good and no broken wires, then first place I would look at is airflowmeter. 
 

Although this site is the slightly earlier L-Jetronic setup, it’s very similar and us free access, so might help you fault find and understand the system better

http://www.firstfives.org/faq/ljet/jetronic.pdf

 

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Another useful resource - Google translate works well on it  

https://www.mantablog.nl/elektrisch/l-jetronic/

Check the connections on the ‘ecu’ bear in mind that at 47 years old it may have failed. Try the unit from the other car. 
 

There’s a guy on the Opel GT forums that has been importing CIH engines & getrag 240 5 speed gearboxes etc into the US for GT’s & Manta A’s

https://www.opelgt.com/members/goinmanta.11114/

 

Edited by Trooker
Clarification
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Hi Dustin, welcome over here. Rare, Manta B in the States.

Would do the same as you already did, probably your injectors are stuck. You can get them cleaned by specialised shops. They are ultrasonic cleaned and powered in pulses and get also a new (tiny) filter. Important: Those L-jetronic ones are 6 Volt! I cleaned them myself (look at my topic "new swan neck) but they were still in working order, not stuck. Could also be the injectors get no signal, check the earth cables (also one on the manifold) and the fuse in the fuse box. There is also a spade connection between the thin red wire that is connected on the "+" of your battery, check it for corrosion.  I would also check the ignition, those older Manta's have stil contact breakers so check that and I would change the capacitor cause that part is usually the first to go. Succes and keep us posted.

Edited by H-400
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Can we have some photos of the engine and engine area for reference? May help identifying certain components. We didn’t get injection on the first B1 mantas. I think the GTE was the first one we got injection on which (correct me if I’m wrong) wasn’t till the early 80s. 

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8 hours ago, Fisherwerke said:

Sorry the cars are stored in a barn off site from me. Here are some poor photos. Not sure if they help

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Two lovely looking cars @Fisherwerke 😀but I don’t think they are from 1975. Front panel and lights could have been updated but the scuttle panel vents are only on one side suggesting later models.

I’d love to see more photos and video when you’ve got them running 🤞

Where do the batteries live?

Good Luck.

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Hi Dustin, was thinking excactly the same! See also cold start injectors (very rare on B1) and electronic ignition, typical B2. Black trim on the taillights etc...But looking nice, never seen that body kit. 

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Interesting cars, first time I have seen that body kit. Rear is interesting - very thunder saloon ish.😎

Injection system is LE-Jetronic, injectors will be Yellow (they fade), so you will not have the restistor pack for the earlier L-Jetronic.

They don’t have a hidden switch for the ECU live do they? (Crude immobiliser). We have seen examples of that on the cars on the forums in past, especially as it seems both has same issue ?

 

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19 minutes ago, Jessopia74 said:

Interesting cars, first time I have seen that body kit. Rear is interesting - very thunder saloon ish.😎

Injection system is LE-Jetronic, injectors will be Yellow (they fade), so you will not have the restistor pack for the earlier L-Jetronic.

They don’t have a hidden switch for the ECU live do they? (Crude immobiliser). We have seen examples of that on the cars on the forums in past, especially as it seems both has same issue ?

 

The injectors are gray in color. I have not tried to work on the red one only the yellow one so far. 

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If you give us the VIN I can find the buildyear. You can find it under the carpet (bendable small part) between the right seat and the sill. As jonathan mentioned the scuttle panel has got only one vent and thats typical B2 (pre '82). 

Body kit looks based on the Porsche 959, never seen it before but nice done. 

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The gentleman in Texas designed and built the body kits himself. He is a very talented man and I wish I was able to talk to him and really capture his story. 

 

Vin numbers are:

Yellow - 5961028428

Red - 5961127742

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59= 2 door luxus coupé

6= modelyear of build, 1976 but at Opel the modelyear begins autumn before so 1975 is possible

1=Build in Germany, Russelsheim

The other numbers is the car made in that year.

So the VIN says it is a B1, but technical it looks like a B2.  Is the name of that gentleman Dieter Sedlmaier?

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OK, Its been a busy week. Yellow car has no injector pulse from the ECU. Sadly the ECU from the red car and some other bits are different so they cannot be swapped. The red car seems like it will run but the bosch electric fuel pump under the car is bad. The car does fire off starting fluid. Tonight I plan to swap the new fuel pump to the red car and replace old hardened fuel lines, oil change, etc. 

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1 hour ago, Fisherwerke said:

OK, Its been a busy week. Yellow car has no injector pulse from the ECU. Sadly the ECU from the red car and some other bits are different so they cannot be swapped. The red car seems like it will run but the bosch electric fuel pump under the car is bad. The car does fire off starting fluid. Tonight I plan to swap the new fuel pump to the red car and replace old hardened fuel lines, oil change, etc. 

interesting. They should be both the same Injection setup, unless one is L-Jetronic and other is the later LE-Jetronic.  The pulse out of the ECU is derived from the coil (should be green). Is the  dash Tachometer moving of its rest port under cranking? If not it could be no signal from Disi/amplifier etc OR rare, but still happens, the Tachometer in dash pulling the signal down that would cause it. 

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