Super colt, lack of spark :(
Maybe someone can assist me, I cannot get a spark from my colt, I have now swapped out for new the ht lead, ht cap, the coil, the points, the spark plug, in fact all but the iron core the coil sits on!
I can give myself a healthy jolt but can't generate a spark :( this was true before I swapped the coil also, and the old coil measured what seemed to be sensible numbers across the windings, but I assumed it must have been just not generating quite enough to spark properly but now I'm just stumped :(
Any ideas?
Andy
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Super colt, lack of spark
If you are getting a `healthy jolt' it implies that the current to produce a spark is there but not going where it should. You could try removing the plug cap and checking that you actually have some wire visible at the end of the cable, hold the end of the cable close to something metal as you turn over the engine, if you get a spark you are then looking for a problem with the plug cap or the spark plug. I have been caught out by this myself.
The points are as suggested a good place to look for lost sparks, not only is the gap important but I find that they need to be clean or the the spark tends to be weak. I think the points cover has the gap stamped on it if I remember correctly.
Ray.
ok so some progress....
Well, it seems that I could not spin the engine fast enough by hand, as I managed to produce a nice fat spark when spinning it not particularly fast, using a power drill... I subsequently also managed to get spark using the proper recoil starter, so it is likely that I splashed out too soon on that new coil - I suspect the original was in fact good (as indicated by the 4500 ohms accross the secondary - I should trust my readings!)
Anyhow, now that I have sorted the spark side of things, I am still struggling to breath life in to the sorry little engine. I can get it to fire a few times by applying a few drops of fuel through the plug hole, and then turning over, but nothing more than that. I have dismantled the carb, checked that things move, and that the main mixture hole to the venturi is clear, and also the hole in to intake from the idle control valve.
When tickled fuel certainly reaches the bowl, but thats as far as it gets - the intake casting is dry when I check it after a few minutes fruitless pulling!
Anything I have missed? I reset the main mixture screw to 1and 1/2 turns open from the fully closed position and the idle mixture screw 3/4 to 1 turn open from the fully closed position.
Help!
Andy
Super colt, lack of spark
From your description it certainly seems as though your problem is lack of fuel. I can only suggest that you double check all of the passage and drillings through the carb body. Also when the float chamber is assembled to the upper half of the carb check that the float is free to move enough to allow fuel to enter the carb freely
Ray.
It runs! But the clutch doesn't work at any speed?
It runs! I got annoyed and started thinking over a beer.... And realised that there was the occasional bit of fuel dropping out where the air filter goes, so fuel was coming out of the jet ok, just not reaching the combustion chamber... So I pulled the head, and found the exhaust valve stuck open. So I was getting combustion when I dosed the cylinder, but not getting suction when cranking it, as both valves were opening during induction stroke!
Once I managed to free it (will strip it fully next) I finally managed to get it to start and stumble along, not quite got it to idle stanly yet but it's not too bad :)
Next problem however is that the centrifugal clutch isnt kicking in even at high revs??
Super colt, lack of spark
Hi,
It is good to hear that you are making progress, re the clutch problem I suspect that either the centrifugal clutch friction pads have seized on their pivots, or there is something not revolving in the drive line such as the cylinder causing the clutch to slip. If you check that all is free on the drive line to the cylinder first and all is well before turning you attention to the clutch.
If you then remove the four engine mounting bolts and slide the engine out of the clutch drum all wil be revealed, take note of the way that the clutch pads are mounted and check for movement and free them off if seized. As you remove the engine take note of any packing shims that may be under the engine and ensure that they go back in the locations that they came from. Take care to align the engine as best you can when you reassemble to get the clutch drum to revolve freely when spun by hand.
Good luck,
Ray.
It sounds as if the points
It sounds as if the points are not set up properly perhaps, when the points are open the gap between them needs to be 0.020". I've had this problem on a couple of Suffolk Iron Foundry engines, cleaned the points like mad only to find they weren't gapped properly.