problem with 1.3

[Anonymous]

Right, i just got a 1.3L given for an early xmas gift a my merit blew the head gasket to hell.
Thing is, it has a problem with the fuel line, so i am told by the giver of the gift.
The car runs fine most of the time but sometimes runs really rough, like fuel is not getting through right. If you stop, leave it a minute or two and start it back up it usually solves the problem.
What could this be, and how much is it likely to cost to get it put right, and dont tell me i could do it myself cheaper, no way me and my spanners are going anywhere near a car, not with my luck at the moment.

Any help is much appreciated.

[Anonymous]

That problem as described above, sounds more like an ignition fault, or carb-freezing.

The symptoms you describe sound EXACTLY like the problems I was getting with my 1.3 last winter (and it was the same when the 1.2 was fitted, plus I had the same with my A-reg 1.2L)......all I did was spray the ignition leads with Damp-Start spray, and the problem was sorted, proving that in my case, the problem was the ignition (dizzy, leads, coil) getting damp.

Do you know if this problem happens no matter what the weather, or does it only do it in damp and/or cold weather?

If it happens at any time, then the carb might be on it's way out.
When I first fitted my Weber, it was well rough.....cutting out, refusing to start, erratic idle speed...you name it.
All it cost me to fix was ?28 for a carb re-con kit, and a bit of time to fit the kit.
It's been perfect since then.

To be sure which is causing the problem your car has, we need a little more info really.

If the carb does need re-conditioning, let me do it for ya since you're local ;) it wouldn't take me long to do.
Try spraying the ignition system with Damp-Start (or WD-40 if you wish!) and see if that helps.

Other than that, there might be some dirt in the float-chamber of the carb....a piece of old gasket or something.....take the top of the carb off and give it an inspection (or get someone to do it for you).
Also, check any fuel-filters for blockages.

[Anonymous]

i dont think its the leads, i had that problem not long ago in my 1.2 merit, not quite the same symptoms. It doesn't only do it when cold/wet, it seems random, and strangely starts off when i go up hill as far as i can tell - wierd...
Could be the carb i suppose - whats easier, doing th recon thing or swapping a carb over from another nova?
as i have two novas sat doing nothing i could use one of theirs if i needed to.

[Anonymous]

i had these symptoms for a while on my sr and all i did to cure it was fit a new fuel filter and disconnect the fule lines at the carb and the tank and blow compressed air down them. this seemed to work for me

[Anonymous]

yeah sounds like crap in the fuel lines/system sumwhere

try the float chamber in the carb or the fuel filter if it has one

Micky@novaload.net :)

[Anonymous]

What age is this 1.3? Has it got the 1B1 or the 2E3? If it's newer than 86 (which I'm guessing it is?), then it'll have the 2E3 (twin-barrel and Auto-choke), so if you do try swapping the carb over from the 1.2, you'd also have to swap the manifold.....bit of a pain in the arse, but doesn't take long. It should run ok doing that, 'cos for months, I ran my 1.3 using my 1.2-spec 1B1.

The first thing to do is take the top of the carb off, and check for dirt, lumps of old gasket or what ever else is in there!

The next thing would be to look at the fuel filter, if it's got one. My old Nova didn't have one, but my Antibes does, and it's see-through, so it's easy to see if there's any crap in it.

Also, it might be worth un-screwing the jets, and checking for dirt and crap in those. You may as well remove the carb from the car, as it's miles easier to work on that way.

Like I said in my post above, I had all sorts of crap running problems when I first fitted the Weber, but a ?28 re-con kit sorted the lot, plus I gave it a really good clean inside all the internal passages as well.
The kit doesn't contain a great deal, and it's amazing that those few parts could make such a difference, but they do.

[Anonymous]

well, at the moment even a mere 28 quid is out of reach - oh so far out of reach, i am probably more skint than half the beggars in london.
its just gonna have to keep runnin crappy for now.