Starting problem
 

During the snow, my '82 sat without being started for a couple of weeks. When I went to start it, the engine would turn over fine and it even fired a couple of times, but not enough to start. After a bit more cranking, it wouldn't even fire. I'm guessing it flooded.

I read a thread about getting a flooded engine started. I have removed and cleaned the spark plugs; sprayed carb cleaner down the carb; cranked the engine with the fuel pump fuse removed; and it is now sitting there over night.

The next steps involved getting someone to help by holding the secondaries open and spraying carb cleaner into the carb while I crank the engine. I'm not to keen on someone sticking a screwdriver down the secondaries to hold the butterflies open. Is this necessary?

Another suggestion was to pour a couple capfuls of oil down the primaries to increase compression in case the seals had dried out. Is this wise? Won't it mess up the carb?

What about (just to see if it will fire) cranking the engine a couple times to get some gas into the combustion chambers; pulling the fuel pump fuse and using a little starting fluid. If it does fire; then replacing the fuse.

Any thoughts?

Thanks.

You can open the secondaries by sticking a screw driver down there, then pour the oil in You don't need the secondaries open to start or deflood and the oil won'rt hurt anything. Keep in mind that the MOP injects engine oil into the carb to lube the apex seals. Flooding wahes that lubricating layer from the housings, reducing the compression needed to start the engine.

You can pull the 'engine; fuse partially out to disable the fuel pump, hold the throttle to the floor. As soon as the engine starts to fire, push the 'engine' fuse back in and back off the throttle.

Make sure you are using your choke when trying to start it.

Also make sure the battery is fully charged and providing ample cranking amps.

Have you verified you have spark to both leading and trailing sides?

Thanks for the info.

What about just squirting some oil directly into the engine through the spark plug openings instead of pouring down the carb? What is the best amount?

Regarding spark ... I did hook a battery charger up to the battery. How do I tell whether I am getting spark to the plugs?

And which plugs are leading? Tops or bottoms?

The bottoms are the leading, the top are the trailing.

to check the spark pull the plug wire off the plug and hold it while someone cranks the engine for you. you will know if it has spark.

jk. don't do that. easiest is to pull one wire off the plug and stick another plug on it and lay it next to the bolt on your strut tower, then crank the engine and see if the plug sparks. best to do it with all plugs one at a time to be sure the wires are all good.

usually when mine floods (wich happens often) i need to take all plugs out at the same time, crank the engine a min or 2 to get the build up out, clean the plugs off or at least dry them really good, then put it back together and it always works.

other thing that might be it the wires got crossed maybe, happens often. T1 -should be rear top L1 -rear bottom T2 -front top L2 -front bottom T -goes to the front coil and L goes to the rear coil.

hope this helps you some more.

Kettleman, isn't the front housing no. 1, and the rear no.2?

My method for de-flooding a rotary:

Pour about an ounce of Seafoam down the primary barrels. Start the car. Works every time. :)

yeah, sometimes i'm a bit bass ackwards. ha ha ha