nickd 111 Posted September 13, 2014 Need advice on starting up a Crossflow 4.1 which hasn't been started in 7 years, it was a car that had a freak of an engine I'd start it up and it always cranked over first time and would leave it for a few years and then start it change oils plugs and it would just get up and go. Spent half hour today trying to start it up, cranked a new battery poured about 10 litres of fuel in the tank and poured some fuel into the carbie with it turning over but no fire. Soon as I pour fuel into carbie she fires up with choke pulled out to a minimum but then cuts out and switches off. I'm going to spray some carbie cleaner and install a new fuel filter tomorrow as it looks like cactus but from what I can see it could be the fuel filter is blocking from starting up. Anything else I should be looking at? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gerg 10,871 Posted September 13, 2014 Stuck float needle by the sounds of it. Take the top off the carby and have a look inside to see if the bowl is filling up 1 nickd reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SPArKy_Dave 8,895 Posted September 13, 2014 It could be a perished diaphragm in the Fuel pump. If it'll run with fuel down the carby, look back from that. I'd take the fuel line off the carby, and crank the engine, to see if fuel will come out. Failing that, verify that the pump can actually draw fuel from the tank. Disconnect the fuel line at the pump/filter, which comes from the tank, then connect up a 12v electric fuel pump and see if it will draw any fuel. If it won't draw fuel, it could be a perished rubber line at the tank end, not allowing the fuel pump to pull a vacuum, and draw the fuel up. It's a stromberg Carby I'm assuming? 1 nickd reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nickd 111 Posted September 13, 2014 I'll give it a go tomorrow hopefully it's something of the above. Keep you posted. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ronny 204 Posted September 15, 2014 I bet its a cracked/split rubber fuel hose leading up to the fuel pump Dont worry about checking hoses up to the carby, if its leaking there you will see it as there is pressure after the pump 1 nickd reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ronny 204 Posted September 16, 2014 Fixed I gave nick a hand last night and there were 2 problems First was the filter on the pick up in the tank had pushed itself up which stopped any fuel getting through Second was the needle and seat needed a few taps to free up and let fuel through (spot on gerg) 3 nickd, Crazy2287 and SPArKy_Dave reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gerg 10,871 Posted September 16, 2014 If you're going to drive it on the road, put a kit through the carby. That sticky needle will let you down at the worst moment. 1 nickd reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nickd 111 Posted September 16, 2014 It's alive !!! Major thanks to Ronny for getting this Crossflow to run, after going through replacing fuel filter and hoses I had given up but Ronny was permitted to get it started as we had some funny moments while working on the old girl. It's amazing how something so small can make you check everything from fuel pump right back to the fuel sender (what a mission it was lol) as we covered everything we could think of as we thought it could be the fuel pump but we remembered your reply gerg ... Ronny magic's flat head screwdriver playing with needle and seat then bang we had fuel running through the carby as she started we had a perished heater tap. Today I changed the heater tap and she practically started first turn key, I let her run for 15 mins then took it around the block twice with no missing running smooth as braking good but will need to fix the handbrake cable which is standard on these cars. Thanks all of your replies with info gerg, SPArKy_Dave and thank you again Ronny couldn't have done it without your help. Info on the car is a 1981 Dec build Ford XD Fairmont 4.1 litre Alloy Head Crossflow, sold from President Ford as my uncle had owned it from 1982 which I took ownership of in 1999 from Mount Waverly. I have 2 options:- 1:- to sell it or 2:- part it out interior is immac has some great parts as we discussed with Ronny last night but .... as there is some rust in the old girl all repairable but I've let the old girl go being parked up and the grandparents place for the last few years as I usually drove it when I needed a car to get to A to B. I' have to make a decision ASAP but I'll keep you posted and post some pictures up as well of the old girl too. 2 gerg and ronny reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ronny 204 Posted September 17, 2014 No worries mate, was fun Share this post Link to post Share on other sites