Nova not running

[NOVA BUF]

seems to be getting fuel and a spark but still wont start. does anybody no what the battery should read when its turning over??

[brainsnova]

What engine would help diagnose the fault and the battery would read near 12v

[NOVA BUF]

its a 1.2. should it read 12v even while cranking over?

[meritlover]

it should be, even an injection engine will start about 9v while cranking.

battery voltage isnt a concern if its turning over, fueling and sparking anyway.

[mowgli]

is it a 1.2 carb or a 1.2 spi?

[NOVA BUF]

1.2 carb

[mowgli]

ok. is the cambelt timed ok? they can slip.
is the dizzy timed ok? including the advance/retard diaphragm
is the pump definitely pumping fuel?
is the coil ok? they always used to fail, but you'd just about get a spark when the plug is outside.

[NOVA BUF]

I have a strong spark as I have just replaced the coil because it had a weak spark, and definitly have fuel as its brand new fuel pump. it started perfectly a week ago but now just turns over with compression.

[jimbob-mcgrew]

if fuels deffo gushing out the pump hose and your getting a good spark....

maybe crap got pulled into the carb ?
with the airbox off, can you see repeated jets of spray down the barrel, everytime you spin the throttle linkage ?

or maybe like mowgli said, the timings out ?
check belt side timing and dizzy side timing

[jimbob-mcgrew]

where abouts you live mate ?
i might be able to help you if your close

[jimbob-mcgrew]

talking of london, i saw a black mk.1 astra roll thru my ends today, a bit beaten and battered, but deffo oldskool cool :)

[NOVA BUF]

if fuels deffo gushing out the pump hose and your getting a good spark....

maybe crap got pulled into the carb ?
with the airbox off, can you see repeated jets of spray down the barrel, everytime you spin the throttle linkage ?

or maybe like mowgli said, the timings out ?
check belt side timing and dizzy side timing

ive had it running for a few months so I cant see how timing would be out as I went out 1 morning and it just wouldn't start, and it didn't cut out the time before. it ran and turned off fine.
yesterday after posting up on here I went and had another look and found the rotar arm in my dizzy cap had burnt out, so now have a nice brand new clean one on so now it has a stronger spark, but still the nova wont start. im from Bromley South mate.

NICE I CANT SAY IVE SEEN AN ASTRA MK1 FOR A FEW YEARS NOW.

[jimbob-mcgrew]

ah, not so close, maybe about an hour an a half in good traffic, even tho its only 20 miles away, londons a bit of a joke for that.

you may aswell check timing anyway, its only like 4, 10mm bolts for the belt cover, and then turn the engine over by hand with a spanner to see if both markers line up.
its worth ruling everything out for diagnosis. sometimes it can skip a tooth on the pulley while your driving or starting it, and you may not realise.

if timings ok, try pouring some petrol down the barrel of the carb (not loads, a swig out of a bottle like) to rule out if its a fuel issue. these 1.2 engines are pretty hardy, if there getting fuel, and getting a spark, then theyll pretty much start up, even if everything is setup wrong

[NOVA BUF]

ah, not so close, maybe about an hour an a half in good traffic, even tho its only 20 miles away, londons a bit of a joke for that.

you may aswell check timing anyway, its only like 4, 10mm bolts for the belt cover, and then turn the engine over by hand with a spanner to see if both markers line up.
its worth ruling everything out for diagnosis. sometimes it can skip a tooth on the pulley while your driving or starting it, and you may not realise.

if timings ok, try pouring some petrol down the barrel of the carb (not loads, a swig out of a bottle like) to rule out if its a fuel issue. these 1.2 engines are pretty hardy, if there getting fuel, and getting a spark, then theyll pretty much start up, even if everything is setup wrong

I've poured a bit of petrol in the carb earlier on today but it still didn't start. timing is one thing I havnt looked at yet, ill have to have a look tomorrow now as its getting late. were about's in London are you mate? just out of curiosity.

[jimbob-mcgrew]

let us know how you get on.
south ealing im at.

[NOVA BUF]

just been out and checked the timing, all my marks seem to be lining up. I cant understand why its not even trying to fire. all it does is crank and give a little cough. these 1.2 engines have always been so simple for me, its doing my head in, someone please help. I was about a week or 2 from getting it on the road :(

[jimbob-mcgrew]

double check your getting sparks from all 4 plugs. might have corrosion under your newly fitted coil, stoppin it earthing (usually takes a week to set in if no grease is used on the bolts/bolt holes)
deffo getting fuel coming out of the pipe from the pump ? and squirt's of fuel out the carb ?
hows the choke mechanism look too ?

might sound stupid, but have you got any petrol in it ?

so, lemme backtrack a minute. you said you did some work on it recently, a week before it died.
you changed the coil right, and everything was cool. then you changed the fuel pump, and everything was still cool.
and a week later it wont start up ?
did you do any other work to it same time ?

[NOVA BUF]

double check your getting sparks from all 4 plugs. might have corrosion under your newly fitted coil, stoppin it earthing (usually takes a week to set in if no grease is used on the bolts/bolt holes)
deffo getting fuel coming out of the pipe from the pump ? and squirt's of fuel out the carb ?
hows the choke mechanism look too ?

might sound stupid, but have you got any petrol in it ?

so, lemme backtrack a minute. you said you did some work on it recently, a week before it died.
you changed the coil right, and everything was cool. then you changed the fuel pump, and everything was still cool.
and a week later it wont start up ?
did you do any other work to it same time ?

Im defintly getting a spark from all four HT leads but I havent checked the plugs themselves as it should still run on 3 and its unlikely all 4 would go at the same time.
basicly the story is it started as a 1litre I then put a 1.2spi in it but struggled to get it going for various reasons, I then changed the head and inlet manifold to a 1.2carb
and bought it to life, once it was running good I done brand new head gasket and timing belt kit and got it running again, everything was fine apart from a minor leak from the fuel pump so I fitted a brand new one, again it started and ran fine, ive been running it for half an hour a day keeping it warm and the battery going and clearing the exhaust for MOT. then went out to start it the other day and it wouldn't start, so checked the obviose things when I checked my rotar arm the metal arm/prong had snapped, so I replaced this also with a brand new rotar arm thinking this would fix the probem but sadly it has not.

I have cleaned up contact between coil and car body, I don't understand what your saying about the grease.
Fuel is defnitly coming out of the pump and I can see it squirting in the carb.

The choke mechanism looks the same as it did the day I put it together, is there anything specific I can look at the choke for.

[meritlover]

pull all the plugs and check they are actually sparking across the gap.

The frequent short duration runs at idle/and on choke will have made the plugs gum up and a if there was the slightest bit of flooding, they wont be sparking strong at all. you might find them sparking down the inside between the insulator and the body.

remove the plugs
crank over a few times with no choke and full throttle to dry out the cylinders,
swap for fresh plugs
and it will likely be ok.

ML

xxx

[NOVA BUF]

pull all the plugs and check they are actually sparking across the gap.

The frequent short duration runs at idle/and on choke will have made the plugs gum up and a if there was the slightest bit of flooding, they wont be sparking strong at all. you might find them sparking down the inside between the insulator and the body.

remove the plugs
crank over a few times with no choke and full throttle to dry out the cylinders,
swap for fresh plugs
and it will likely be ok.

ML

xxx

so are you saying to crank the engine over with no plugs in and choke off and accelerator pedal fully down

[meritlover]

so are you saying to crank the engine over with no plugs in and choke off and accelerator pedal fully down

that is correct. youll have been cranking it over, pumping the throttle and pouring raw fuel down its throat. itl need a freshen up. dont pump the throttle while you crank it, you'll just end up squirting more fuel down it
let it dry out and pump some air through it for 10 secs or something.
stick fresh plugs in it and itll likely fire up.
xx

[NOVA BUF]

that is correct. youll have been cranking it over, pumping the throttle and pouring raw fuel down its throat. itl need a freshen up. dont pump the throttle while you crank it, you'll just end up squirting more fuel down it
let it dry out and pump some air through it for 10 secs or something.
stick fresh plugs in it and itll likely fire up.
xx

just pulled the plugs out and cleaned them as they are preety new too. tested I was getting a spark from them which I was, tested they were sparking on all HT leads which they were. While they were out I cranked the engine over put the plugs back in, put the leads back on and my nova is now running, cheers mate, much appreciated. very happy now

[jimbob-mcgrew]

lol random - oh well, its running, good stuff ! :)

[meritlover]

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