A DISAPPOINTING START
QMy 1968 Vitesse won’t start without a squirt of carb cleaner or petrol into the carbs, but once warm it runs beautifully. Following a two-year layup due to illness, I did the following: compression test (perfect); valve clearances; fresh oil and filter; fresh petrol and filter; checked timing of electronic ignition. It has an electric fuel pump. I used a Colortune to set the mixture and also balanced the carburettors – which I rebuilt with new needles. It doesn’t seem to have any vacuum leaks.
Barry Burke, Dublin
Matt says:
AFirst of all, make sure that the fuel hoses are in good condition, all the way from the tank to the engine.
Remove the fuel hose from the carburettors and direct it into a bottle. Check it starts pumping through promptly after the ignition is turned on. It’d be wise to change hoses in any case, just to keep them up-to-spec with the latest fuel blends. The fact there are two carburettors rules out a random carb fault… or points to a problem common to them both. Can the cable pull the choke fully ‘on’ at both carbs? If there is a disc valve-type choke fitted, is this assembled correctly and are the drilled holes in its disc clear? Have the fast idle screws been correctlyset after the rebuild?
Although everything points to the fuel system or choke, do consider that something else may suddenly come to life during the process of plying the car with Easystart. Are the carburettor pistons sticking at the bottom of their travel? Is there a loose or dirty ignition connector which wakes up after a bit of heat and vibration?
Try checking for a spark before starting the car. Be methodical and you’ll find the culprit eventually.