Guys

I would appreciate you help / advice / warnings.
I am currently restoring a 1967 Jaguar 420g that has been laid up for not far from 40 years!
With great relief the engine fired into life last week after many hours of cleaning, checking and replacing various engine parts, fluids and components.
Thus far i have replaced
Motor oil and filter
Spark Plugs (Gap Checked & adjusted)
Contact Breakers and set gaps
Condensor
Dizzy Cap
Rotor Arm
Ignition Coil
Fuel Filter
Fuel Pump
Full Exhaust System

I have the parts and im about to change
Plug Leads
Fuel tank seals and gauze filter
Coolant Hoses
Drive Belts

I have cleaned up and refurbished
Fuel suction chambers and needles
Carb fuel bowls and floats
General cleanup of carbs

As I mentioned, I have had the engine running, it starts well and idles around 1500 rpm from cold, the engine runs for about 60 seconds then dies off, if the accelorator is pressed it sound like its boggin down and cuts out almost instantly.
My first port of call was to do some carb tuning in a bid to get this car ticking over and revving up, the manual states that before this can be completed the vacuum advance, mechanical advance, valve timing and ignition timing but first be checked, this makes sense but i dont do most of these because the engine will not run for any lenght of time.
I would like to know if any guys have a good idea on what causing the bad running and give me some inspiration on where to look first. I can be a bit daunting for the home mechanic.
I have just purchased a strobe light to get an idea of the state of the ignition timing, i know htat my static results need to be around the 9 to 10 deg advanced of TDC.
I have heard guys complain in the past of TDC marks that are in the wrong place on the harmonic damper, has anyone here experienced this?
Also the figures given by the manual for static timing are for Leaded fuels, do we have a more desirable figures for static timing when running on unleaded fuels?
My carbs have been sat for all this time so i honestly think that im being optimistic in thinking that i can get away with nut fully rebuilding them with rebuild kits. The manual states that a carb should never be removed from the manifold while on the car and then goes on to give details instructions on how to removed the complete assembly, i dont understand this and would appreciate anyone who could explain why you can remove one carb from the manifold, rebuild it and put it back before moving onto the next?
I have also checked the operation of the starting carb/valve, the solonoid works and the pin goes up and down on starting then lifts once the engine has fired, once the pin lifts fully you can clearly hear air rusing through the valve.
Kind Regards
David Latimer
Lancashire

 

Im not sure if anyone can help me. I have just realised that although i stripped the top half of the carbs and gave them a good clean, I did not clean the fuel feed pipe to the starting aux unit.
My question is would the car start without the aux starter unit working? It starts great then dies after about 30 secs.

 

You will need to check air valve and richness of carbs, timing and etc. Might increase idle until you dial it in. Will take some time to get it settled. They will start without air valve, but takes some throttle work. You cannot pump accelerator to make it start. These do not have accelerator pumps like other cars. Make sure fuel pump slows down before starting ( give it time to fill carbs ), then start. You can do a start by using button under hood and use hand for throttle. If it dies, check that fuel bowls are filling. And check plugs occasionally for fouling, too rich or wet. Sync carbs, and mixture.

 

Thanks guys, I had a hunch that the fuel supply to the starting carb was blocked, stripped the carbs down today and confirmed that it was indeed blocked. I am fully rebuilding the carbs now as they are off the car.
I also have problems with restricted fuel lines due to old fuel sludge, the fuel does get through but its taking an age to fill the fuel bowls (the pump is a new pump as old one u/s)
Anyone got any suggestions to clear these lines, the fuel feed pipe in the tanks are totally blocked and currently not in use until i solve the problem

 

To clean out fuel lines I would try and connect an airline blow gun to one end with the other end disconnected. You could try this on the tanks as well.

if this doesn't work you could use some new copper pipe to replace the lines.

 

If your car is an automatic make sure you use the correct rotor button for the dizzy. It protects the trans from blowing up at full speed! The way it works aan old or defunct rotor button would limit revs too soon.