My GT won't start great

[Dr Diq]

Good day, my native is Dutch so forgive me if I say or type something in a strange way.

I have an Opel GT from 1972.

When I first got it, it started great. Only a lot of rust and dent's.
Now 1,5 years later I fixed all. BUT.....

Sometimes, strange enough not all the time, the GT will not start. When the battery is almost emty it starts.
I can drive for hours and no strange things happen. The engine runs great.
If I pull the car over and start it after 1 hour, 5 hours or a day, no problem. It runs almost immediatly.
But not riding in the GT for a week the problem is back.

I can not find the problem. I already changed the spark plugs and cables. Also cleaned the carburettor and checked if there was fuel.
Also checked the contacts and if there was a spark.
With some help from a friend I set the distributor ( Don't now if I say this right in English. In Dutch it's: verdelerkap ) on time.

Still the GT have some starting problems.

Can someone help me pushing my thougts in the right direction, I really don't don't now where to look anymore.
Thanks alot!

[Dmcbrass]

I assume from what you wrote, that the car has problems starting after sitting for a week or more. How do you finally get it started? It's not unusual for the fuel to evaporate out of the carbureter when the car sits for long periods of time. Its possible that the fuel pump is weak or the choke isn't working correctly.

[benncojr]

Dr. Dig, your writing is good enough to understand.

I have a question to help understand the trouble.

When you try to start the GT after it has been sitting for a week, will it turn over (try to start) or do you get a click, and then nothing.

Opel cars are simple to understand. To get them started you have to have all three of the following things.

1. Fuel/Air
2. Spark
3. Timing of the Spark and Fuel/Air

If you do not have any one of the 3 it will not start.

It could be a fuel trouble (fuel not in getting to the carburettor). This happens because the fuel evaporates over time.

Or it could be the battery is not giving enough spark to start.

Or it could be the choke on the carburettor is not set up correctly for a cold start.

I think it is a fuel trouble from what you are talking about.

Good luck
Rick

[Dr Diq]

I understand your questions.

When I start the engine it turns around. I tested if I have a spark by pulling 1 of the leads from the ignition and hold it by the engine. ( Spark went over )
When I pull of the airfilter I see fual entering the carburetter.
So all should be good.
When I check all this, the car will start with no problems. But when I leave it alone for 1 week and try to start it, it will not run.
When I take the airfilter off and try to start, the car will start.
When I place the filter back it also will start.

So maybee its the air filter, but if it's the airfilter, why is this problem so sudden and not from the moment I bought the GT?!

And how can I fix the problem? Should I try an other filter?

Thanks for replying in the first place! Hope you guys can help me again. Sorry to bother you with this stupid questions. ( For you guys this is likely amost too simple, but for me...... I know alot about metal en airbrush, also a bit about engine stuff, but solving this simple problem..???)

Thanks!

[benncojr]

When the car has been sitting for a week, do you ever just take the air filter off and then try to start it, prior to doing any thing else?

It might be the choke is stuck and when you take the air filter off you bump (move) the choke and then it starts up.

It is a though.

[Dr Diq]

I will try all, It can't be much but its a bit iritating knowing my car wont start.
I have a new choke in my garage. I will change it with my old one and will see if it helps.

[Gary]

Hi Dr Dig,
I visited your web site. Very nice. It has the best history of the GT that I have seen!!!

[tekenaar]

Originally Posted by benncojr When the car has been sitting for a week, do you ever just take the air filter off and then try to start it, prior to doing any thing else? It might be the choke is stuck and when you take the air filter off you bump (move) the choke and then it starts up. It is a thought.

A fellow member from Houston has a '67 Kadett with a 1.9 that had a very similar problem. After the car sat for a while, it wouldn't restart. He'd have to open the hood, take off the air cleaner and squirt a little starter fluid to get the engine started. As long as it didn't sit too long to let the engine get cold, it would start . . . a little hard, but would usually catch.

He had a Weber 32/36 carb, but that doesn't make any difference in this case. On his particular carb, the choke was never hooked up and was adjusted wide open. I adjusted the choke to engage it slightly (closed it a bit) and the problem was solved, at least for the moment. Next morning it started up without any fuss . . . first time in over a year!

I told him to hook up the choke properly and then adjust it. Even in Texas heat, you need a bit of choke to start a cold engine. Cold engines need a rich mixture to start and you do that by restricting the air flowing through the carb. That's why the choke is there!

When you remove your air cleaner next time, check that there is at least a bit of choke applied . . . choke plate at least partially closed.

[Dr Diq]

@ Gary, Thanks a lot.

@ Tekenaar,

I will try this, but I can try it not sooner than thuesday.
I will give a report when it done!

[Dr Diq]

Well guys, I think it was the choke.
This morning the GT didn't start ( yeah! ) So I looked at the choke first. It didn't work propperly. I adjustted it a bit and I could see that the gas handle did stay steady.
Started it again and yes, like it was new.
Maybe I have to adjust is again and again to set it like it should, but I really think this was the problem.

Thanks guys!

[benncojr]

Glade I could help. There should be some type of connection from your car to the choke that will adjust it for you without you touching it.

Good Luck

[namba209]

Dr Diq, you didn't say which carb you have, Solex or Weber, but like Otto said, it makes no difference the choke is adjusted the same. There is a spring steel washer that holds the bi-metallic thermal spring housing that adjusts the choke plate, attached by three screws. To adjust the choke plate, before starting, step on the gas pedal one time, this allows the bi-metallic spring to set the choke plate. Take off the air cleaner and look at the choke plate, it should be almost completely closed. If it is not closed, loosen the three screws and rotate the housing until the choke plate is almost closed. Tighten the three screws and you are ready to start the engine, after you put the air cleaner back on. If you have the water hoses on the outside of the housing, the center bolt can be loosened to relocate the hoses after the housing is adjusted. When you have finished the adjustment, all it should take to start the car is step on the gas pedal one time, then start the engine, it should fire right off. HTH.

Ron

[Dr Diq]

@ Ron

I have non of the carburettors that are standard on a GT

Mine is called Varjet II http://www.ascona.kiwi.pl/garaz/schem&scan/var2/2.jpg

But I know what youre trying to say and I will try this, should'nt be too difficult.

Thanks

[namba209]

Dr Diq, if that is your carb in the picture, it is very easy to adjust. The black bakelite (plastic) cover is what you rotate after loosening the three screws to adjust the choke plate, and as you say very easy to do. Keep us posted on how it works.

Ron

[Sven]

You have the same carb as me.
It uses electric current to heat up the bimetlal spring in the choke.
So if the ignition is on (listening to the radio) for some time, the choke will heat up and open and then the car won't start.

[namba209]

For that reason Sven, I have all the radios in my vehicles wired hot off the battery terminal in the fuse blocks, that do not have an accessory position on the ignition switch. This is useful information for engines that have an battery - coil ignition system with carbs. For fuel injected engines, it makes no difference as there is no choke, but a cold start feature on those systems.

[coolchrisp]

I am having this same problem, after a bout a week of sitting i have to pump the crap out of my car to get it going, i try the 2 pump then i hit the starter but nothing. then i just pump it a few more then nothing again. but if i do it a few more times it will fire up.

its almost like theres no fuel in the carb until it pumps up from trying to start it.... any ideas??

[coolchrisp]

sorry about that , i made it sound like the starter isnt working... starter works fine...

[namba209]

Chris, I have the same problem on the monza and I know it's no fuel or low fuel in the float bowl. On the monza, because it has an electric fuel pump that operates on oil pressure, I crank the engine until the oil lite goes off, but the pump keeps running, when the lite comes on, the pump goes off. I repeat the previous steps until the engine lites off. Ususally two series of engine crank cycles. To see if you have the same problem, pull the aircleaner, hold open the choke plate and rapidly open the throttle. You should see a stream of fuel going into the primary venturi of the carb. If not, then the carb float bowl is empty, so you have to crank the engine until fuel gets to the carb, just as you say you do. If you do have fuel going into the primary venturi, then I think the auto choke needs to be adjusted. HTH.

[Washout]

Originally Posted by namba209 Chris, I have the same problem on the monza and I know it's no fuel or low fuel in the float bowl. On the monza, because it has an electric fuel pump that operates on oil pressure, I crank the engine until the oil lite goes off, but the pump keeps running, when the lite comes on, the pump goes off. I repeat the previous steps until the engine lites off. Ususally two series of engine crank cycles. To see if you have the same problem, pull the aircleaner, hold open the choke plate and rapidly open the throttle. You should see a stream of fuel going into the primary venturi of the carb. If not, then the carb float bowl is empty, so you have to crank the engine until fuel gets to the carb, just as you say you do. If you do have fuel going into the primary venturi, then I think the auto choke needs to be adjusted. HTH.

Ron, Couldn't you make a run-around circuit that would power the fuel pump only when the key is in the "start" position? Then when you release the key to the "run" position the oil pressure switch would again protect the system?

[coolchrisp]

okay, i just went out and hit teh throttle becasue it has not been started for a few days. It DID get gas on the first pump, so im guessing the choke is off. If im correct, engine cold, the choke should just be barly closed all the way, not very tight at all?

[namba209]

Originally Posted by Washout Ron, Couldn't you make a run-around circuit that would power the fuel pump only when the key is in the "start" position? Then when you release the key to the "run" position the oil pressure switch would again protect the system?

That circuit is already wired in to the system from the factory. The reason I do it the way I do, is to not run the starter for more than 10 seconds at a time, to prevent overheating it and running down the battery. A better solution, that's gonna be done, is to have a switched circuit to power the fuel pump before I attempt to start it and get fuel to the carb first. If there is fuel in the carb, the engine rarely makes one complete revolution before it starts..

Now, to get this back on topic, Chris you're correct in what you said about adjusting the choke, just barely closed after you open the throttle one time. This allows the choke linkage to get off the throttle stepped cam, adjust the choke plate and put the throttle stop screw on a higher idle setting of the cam.

[tekenaar]

Originally Posted by Washout Ron, Couldn't you make a run-around circuit that would power the fuel pump only when the key is in the "start" position? Then when you release the key to the "run" position the oil pressure switch would again protect the system?

Answered this in a previous post . . . a long time ago.