The V8 Owners Forum -

Hi guys, first a little background. The engine is a complete rebuilt 3.5 efi flapper, heads have been ported and skimmed. 3.9 cam, ecu is a 4cu, new plugs and leads, dizzy cover and rotor, Bosch 12v coil blue, inter motor ignition module/amplifier unit.
Adjustable fuel pressure regulator set at 35psi.
Now when I try to start it up it runs for 10 seconds and dies, and no amount of trying will it start I can smell fuel at the exhaust outlets and if I leave it a day it does the exact same thing as before.
Anybody have any ideas?
Cheers paul

When it dies and fails to start have you checked it still has spark? my suspicions are with that Intermotor ign module I dont like them only one worth using is a pukka Lucas module and I dont mean the current Lucas generic crap

Can you hear the fuel pump run - engined stopped - if you move the flapper by hand?

With that system, the pump runs when cranking and then the movement of the flapper takes over when it fires. It will run for a time with just the residual fuel left in the rail, if the pump stops.

Other thing might be the cold start injector squirting all the time. Squash the rubber hose to it to cut off the fuel supply. The engine will start without it on all but the coldest day.

The sensor which controls the fuelling to the most extent is the coolant temperature sensor. Although that if faulty would normally only stop a hot engine running.

Sounds like it's starting on the cold start injector but the main injectors aren't going.

Have you got the wire between coil negative and the ECU (pin 1) connected?

Chris.

When i turn the engine over i have what looks like white vapour coming out of the rocker cover breather filter.
I think the reason its not starting is over fueling, (plugs are wet)
When it does start as soon as i touch the accelerator pedal the engine dies!

Download this:
http://www.cowdery.org.uk/downloads/FlapperManual.zip
That is the factory workshop manual for that system. Check your wiring is right, then work through the fault finding.

Chris.

Cheers Chris, i'll keep you updated.

Hi Bib
Great to see you yesterday.
Malc,s mate is going to get in touch with you as he apparently is a guru on the injection system.
That screw we were messing with is the one that SHOULD NOT BE TOUCHED according to him.
I have sent Malc your E ail address so that he can pass it onto his mate.

cheers
P

Update:
A couple of things why the engine was running rich.
1. air leak jubilee clip wasnt done up properly on the over run valve!

2. idle mixture adjuster on the air flow meter incorrectly set.

This unit i bought on ebay and the cover had been removed so checked the adjuster by screwing down to home then opening it up to the recommended 2 1/2 turns.

On the initial attempt the previous owner had it set at 1 1/4 turns.

The engine now runs! albeit still a little lumpy still need to set the timing. yippy!

Excellent news.

Chris.

The adjustment screw on the ECU only effects idle mixture. But before setting the ignition timing etc must be correct.
It isn't that easy to get right by guesswork, so asking a friendly MOT garage to set it to 1.5-2% CO might be the easiest way.