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My Dx Corolla Won't Turn Over :(


86RollaWagon

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Hey there guys i own a 1986 Dx corolla wagon and I'm kind of new to the car scene. I'v had this for about 4 months now but iv been to busy to work on it. My main problem is i can't use it as a daily runner because of how unreliable it is at the moment, probally because of the previous owner.. Whenever i try start it i usually have to turn the key over about 5 times, it start and stops/ floods, and when i stall it, or stop it at the gas station, i can never ever get it started again it and preety much have to get toed home. it just refuses to turn over!

Drives me insane, but can anyone shed some light on this, it may be a simple fix..

my main goal is just to get it starting as soon as i turn that key! I'm new to the car scene and any helps appreciated, thanks ! :)

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Easy to fix! But first we need to know the exact symptoms, as Reed said.

 

You walk out in the morning and put the key in, then turn it.. what happens in the next 1 minute??

Does it crank every time you turn the key??

Choke in or out??

Cranks over easily??

Fires up readily??

Then runs good or bad??

 

Have you done the basic tuning?? Tappets set, points set, timing set, plug gap set, carb idle and mixture set????

 

it just refuses to turn over!

What does it do?? Just make a click and not turn over??

Turn over but not fire?

Does nothing at all when you turn the key, not even click?

 

Let us know, these are simple cars and easy to sort.

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My first thought is that your points are either burnt out or not adjusted properly. I had the same issue, once the car got warm and everything moved slightly the points wouldnt open enough, causing it to stall and become almost impossible to start.

 

Here is a write up on how to check and set them.

 

Its a very quick and easy to check/adjust and seems to be a very common issue with K motors. Replacement points are very cheap but take your old ones in if you decide to get new ones. There are two different kinds of dizzys on K motors and both types of points are slightly different. Assuming of course the points are the issue.

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So its not that it doesnt turn over, but its that its difficult to start when it is hot?

 

here is a bit of an explanation that i think covers my thoughts

 

"HARD STARTING, HOT

 

Difficult starting of a hot vehicle from 5 minutes to an hour after the engine has been operated, can be caused by the volatility of modern fuel. If you have this problem; try using the following method to start the engine: DON’T touch the footfeed (VERY important). Crank the engine over from three to 5 seconds (different vehicles will respond to different times); and then GENTLY (so as not to activate the accelerator pump) press the footfeed approximately 1/3 of its travel. The engine should start, and may run rough. Run the engine at a high idle for about 10 seconds. This issue is caused by volatility of modern fuel. Once the engine has been shut off, the gasoline is heated by the latent heat of the engine, and percolates the fuel from the bowl into the throttle area, forming a mixture that is too rich to fire. If you push the footfeed to the floor (as has been the traditional method of “unloading” a flooded engine) the gasoline continues to flow into the engine (again due to the volatility). By not touching the footfeed, you do not open the throttle plates, and the engine will pump the overrich mixture out of the tailpipe. Once the overrich mixture has been alleviated, gently opening the throttle will allow the engine to start."

 

Essentially what it is saying is that the petrol in the carburetta boils when you turn off the engine, causing a very rich mixture inside the carburetta/intake manifold. So rich in fact that it doesnt fire. giving it more air (the accelerator pedal) should lean it out enough to get it to fire, or at least pump the rich mixture through the engine.

 

I thought the fuel solenoid valve in the caburetta was supposed to stop this. Sounds like the fuel solenoid in the carburetta might be worth looking at.

Edited by ke70dave
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I thought the fuel solenoid valve in the caburetta was supposed to stop this.

 

Maybe... I thought it cut the idle jet feed line so no fuel could be pulled in by the manifold vacuum and allow the motor to 'diesel-on'. Cetainly the SUs will boil sometimes after a run, makes the garage smell of fuel, and there is no solenoid on them.

 

Tyler, do the whole tuneup as soon as you get time. There is probably more than one problem and once you've set everything to factory spec you will get maximum power out of it. It could be the electrics (points/timing) or carb that is making it hard to start, and checking the points is easy and quick.

 

If the tappets have closed up they will be holding the valves open and reducing the compression, making it hard to start. On the car I've just bought the exhaust valve gaps were fine but the inlet valve gaps were half what they should have been. So half an hour spent with feeler gauges there would be time well spent. Then check the points gap and plug gaps with the feeler guages, reset the timing and you've done everything except set the carb screws.

 

If the points have a mountain on one side and a crater on the other, replace them and the condenser. Once the metal slag builds up you can't get a good measurement of the gap.

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