GSX starting problem... and showing off Super S!

[ashnelson]

Hi all
Just thought I'd post up a pic of the Super S that I picked up recently. Very nice!
Also, I have an F reg GSX auto (for my wife's everyday use) and K reg 1.2 LX (which I just use to mess with).

Can anyone offer me help with the GSX? It drives great and has obviously been cared for well over it's life so far - but just a lately it is SERIOUSLY bad at starting first thing in a morning, so much so that it makes it unreasonable to use it to get to work etc. as you have to be up so early to try and crank it. There's also a lot of black smoke from the exhaust when you do eventually get it going. It's such a shame because, when it gets going, it's immaculate (well, a bit slow on the accelerator but I guess that's the age).

Can anyone offer any suggestions? I've tried WD40 everywhere, REDEX in the fuel and in the oil etc.. I haven't got a garage otherwise I'd try putting a timed fan heater underneath the engine bay to get it warmed up first thing in the morning before cranking - thought that would sound like a logical idea. What else could I try to make it a reliable car again????

 

[imp124]

im sure you will have already but check the points, plugs, condensor etc. are you sure the auto choke is working properly and does it burn an excessive amount of oil?

Nice looking super s too

Cheers
Steve

 

[ashnelson]

Cheers Steve, I've replaced sparks and put plenty of WD40 on the points.
Will check the condensor tomorrow. Any other ideas if not? Maybe it's just old and it's something we have to put with...

By the way, I'm fairly new to this site, is there a list of regular meets somewhere?

Also, I notice from your profile you have a Super Turbo! Nice - how long you had it/where you got it from etc.?

Cheers
Ash.

 

[imp124]

hi, im sure the problem wont be difficult to fix, its just a case of checking all the connections / vac lines etc, you could try blocking the vaccum hose going directly into the air pan and seeing if that helps (inside the airpan its covered by a metal strip) as this causes some of my running problems.

i sometimes meet up with a few people in the midlands and slightly north, where are you based?

Yes i do indeed have an ST, and its a long story how i found it lol, basically i bought some springs off the guy who had it (was a member on here) and i told him if he ever sold it i would like 'dibs'

having a few problems with that too: http://www.micra.org.uk/showthread.php?t=34296

Steve

 

[frank]

i found that my k10 needed the points "fettling" about every 6 months ash, to keep it running right (either sanding flat and re-gapping, or replacing)

 

[imp124]

i found that my k10 needed the points "fettling" about every 6 months ash, to keep it running right (either sanding flat and re-gapping, or replacing)

ah yes Frank, mine were pitted sorry i forgot this

 

[frank]

ah yes Frank, mine were pitted sorry i forgot this

yes, it was a mf fiddly job fwn (i used to take the dizzy out to fit them) but the dwell setting and gap would make a hell of a difference to the starting and running i found

 

[ashnelson]

Thanks for your help guys - very much appreciated. Messing with this might be a bit beyond me so will talk to my local garage and tell them what was discussed on here. Trouble is, all the garages near us just laugh when I take the F reg to them and tell me to put the whole car in the bin!! Anyone else have this problem?

 

[imp124]

Thanks for your help guys - very much appreciated. Messing with this might be a bit beyond me so will talk to my local garage and tell them what was discussed on here. Trouble is, all the garages near us just laugh when I take the F reg to them and tell me to put the whole car in the bin!! Anyone else have this problem?

to be honest, no, once i have told them about it and what i plan to do (i.e. fix something) they usually do it, i remember when i took my car to black diamond in Warrington for a gearbox and when it was done the workshop manager came out to ask how i had kept it so tidy for a 18 year old car

Where abouts are you, it depends what garage you go to

 

[egres_svk]

yes, it was a mf fiddly job fwn (i used to take the dizzy out to fit them) but the dwell setting and gap would make a hell of a difference to the starting and running i found

oh, really? maybe i have a lucky hand, but i set them by the eye and engine runs great since then.. does even a small difference make big changes? how did the engine run when the gap was too big/small? thx

//ashnelson: "put it to the bin" -> yes, that's quite common.. at least here in Slovakia.. of course there are a few local garages who like their job and the older the car the better is their work, but it is difficult to find them and i do not like to have someone's other hands on my car. hopefully someone from the forums will point you at the good garage

 

[frank]

does even a small difference make big changes? how did the engine run when the gap was too big/small? thx

you can alter the ignition timing by about 20 deg just by opening or closing the point gap, and if your dwell period is too short you will get a weak or intermittent spark

 

[joesouthgate]

that takes me back. my first micra was a red prefacelift gsx looked exactly like that!