E type hard to start after standing a couple of weeks

[Art1012]

with the approach of winter, my 4.2 series 1 isn't getting out as much and when I came to start it after a 3 week lay up, it was very difficult to start. it took about a minute of cranking before the engine even attempted to fire, and once it did, there were clouds of whitish blue smoke at the exhaust which disappeared almost immediately once it started and the engine then runs sweetly. If I start the car daily, then there's no problem. I can only assume that this is due to oil drain-down into the cylinders. Has anyone got any ideas? The head has been rebuilt but laid up for a few years before I got the car running and back on the road in April this year. It has been starting fine all through the summer when it has been out 2 or 3 times a week.
Thanks. Art.

[J44EAG]

Valve guide to valve stem seals if fitted may perhaps have hardened?

I do believe there is an oil additive available which can revitalize the seals.

Mike

[piman]

Hello Art,

possibly the carburettor float bowls are too low when you first crank the engine? Try just switching on the ignition and wait for a short while for the pump to refill the chambers then crank?

Alec

[Car-Nut]

Are you keeping the battery connected to a conditioner when the car isn't in use

[Art1012]

Hi Fellow members and thanks for your comments. Firstly, since I didn't do the work on the Cylinder head, I don't know if my model should have valve stem seals fitted or not, I read that the 3.8 had them, but not the 4.2, can anyone confirm? Mine is a Jan 67 build, but then again, the head is not the original one!. The carb floats are set at the correct height according to the manual, with new diaphragms and springs in the carbs, and I do keep the battery monitor in place.
For the time being, I'll tweak the float heights to see if this makes a difference, until I can get to know more about the valve seal question.
Art

[piman]

Hello Art,

I was not suggesting that the float heights are wrong, merely that the level drops with standing through evaporation\slight leaks? That's why I said leave the ignition on for a few moments to refill the bowls before cranking. I'm not familiar with E Type S.U.s, are they a manual choke, if so these can wear or stick which will not help your starting? I had HD 8s on a DB 5 and had to free up the rod that goes through the carburettor body and also the fibre wheel on the bottom had worn reducing the travel of the choke.

Alec

[oldtimer]

Hi Art,
I would suggest that you remove the air intake manifold. Unscrew and remove the damper pistons from the top of each dashpot. Insert a finger into the air intake of the carburettor and lift the piston to ensure freedon of movement before dismantling. Should there be a resistance to travel on assembly you will know that it was OK prior to starting the job. Remove the retaining screws from the dashpots then lift out the dash pots and piston together by placing one finger into the air intake and lift the piston and at the same time lift the dashpot, remove as an assembly. The assembly contains a lightweight spring so take care that the parts don't seperate at this stage. It is very important to ensure that you note the position of the parts removed in order to replace them in there original position.
You are now in a position to correctly check the fuel level. Switch on the ignition and inspect each carburettor in turn by ensuring that the fuel level is about a 1/16 of an inch down the jet (brass fuel feed pipe.) Slight flooding can occur on low use vehicles, a gentle tap of the float chamber with the handle of a screw driver may settle the float chamber needle valve. It may be neccessary to repeat this several times by switching off the ignition mopping up any surplus fuel and repeating until you are satisfied the levels are correct.
This also presents an ideal opportunity to ensure the jets (brass fuel supply pipes) move correctly down and back up following choke application (Of course only if it is manual choke) Which ever type of choke is employed the position of the jets in each carburettor will be similar, usually about flush with the bridge of the carburettor.
I don't want to teach "granny to suck eggs" but trust this helps a little
Oldtimer

[oldtimer]

PS,
I have just re-read your original note. There is probably nothing wrong at all, it is simply becoming ancient- bit like me - after a bit of huffing and blowing I get going !
Oldtimer

[greensimonc]

Hi, I've been watching this thread as my car has refused to start recently. Just thought I should turn it over regularly but it's been very sluggish despite the battery being on a trickle charger. I assumed that the battery just wasn't holding its charge any more but as it was sunny this morning I thought I'd give it a go, and it fired first time!

So I've been out for an unexpected run, which has put the smile right back on my face. Anyone else been out?

I still reckon I'll be in for a new battery sometime soon, no idea how old it is, but a nice start to 2013!

Happy New Year! Simon.

[Geordie]

Went to bed to sleep through the end of 2012 with the expectation of sunshine, dry roads and no salt on News Years day. No alcohol = no hangover and the ability to drive the E Type, what a cracking start to 2013!

[stuarthardy]

Could be the bio ethanol content of the fuel making its presence felt.

A friend of mine with a Lotus Elan reckons he needs to clean his carbs (Dellorto's) to de-glaze them if it stands for much more than a week without running. This is a recent problem on a car that has been in long term ownership and is kept absolutely spot on in every respect. The only
thing that's changed is the fuel.

Perhaps regular start up is the answer. Regular use would be better but in this weather?

Regards

[Geordie]

Good point Stuart.

I start mine up religiously every weekend and let it warm up to 70f. Even if the weather is too bad to take it out I always move it out of the air chamber and back in again just to rotate the wheels, use the clutch, gear box, brakes & handbrake, then park it up again with handbrake off and reconnect the battery conditioner.

[stuarthardy]

Steve,

Do these religious start ups include readings from the Bible, or the Koran or perhaps Buddhist incantations?

Maybe we should fill our washer bottles with Holy Water.

Right now I'd settle for the church cat to stop the mouse infestation.

[piman]

Hello Steve,

I wonder if doing a weekly start is a good idea without taking it for a good run? Although the water temperature is up the oil will not be anywhere near normal running temperature. This does not get rid of water that condenses in the oil so degrading the oil much more than normal. (Similar to cars that do mainly very short journeys which does the engine no good at all) Maybe I'm overstating but it would be worth checking, possibly with a club technical advisor or an oil company?

Alec

[J44EAG]

Perhaps refer to my article "The problem with oil" which I think was published in the November 2010 issue of our magazine.

The article explains some of the issues which arise as a result of limited warm up.

Mike K