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MG TD TF 1500 - Starting problem

I have a 54 TF. When I drive for a while and shut the engine off it does not want to crank. I first thought it was flooding out. If I did not push the gas pedal it would sometimes crank. But now it just refuses to crank after driving awhile. Could it be the coil or does anyone have any idea. Can a coil be checked to see if it is any good. Thanks for any help.
Bud White
S.A. White

Do you mean that the starter will not crank the engine over, or it just won't start? More details may help out.
Bob
R.AF. Robert Finucane

Bud,
If you mean that the starter will not turn the engine over, then you should check both ends of both cables from the battery to see that all four ends are tight. Very possible that one or more of the cable ends is not making good contact. My bet would be the "ground."
David Werblow

SA - I think that you are confusing the term crank with starting. As Robert and David state, cranking is the starter engaging and turning the engine over. If that is happening and the engine is not starting, then the problem is ignition or fuel related. If the problem is happening during hot weather, the problem could be heat soak causing fuel in the channel between the float bowl and the carburetor jet to vaporize and creating a bubble in the channel that keeps fuel from getting to the jet. The next time this happens, try pulling the choke cable out and without pressing on the throttle, see if the engine will start. If it does, you will have to play with the choke setting and the throttle to keep the engine running until the carburetors cool down sufficiently to run properly. Unlike carbureted American cars, pushing the throttle down does nothing, other than opening the throttle plate in the carburetor on a SU carburetor. With SU carburetors the throttle should not be pressed down when starting the engine. Cheers - Dave
David DuBois

Sorry for the confusion about the starting problem on the TF. The engine is turning over. THe starter is working fine. It just continues to turn over and over and just never starts. Hope this clarifies the confusion. Any help is appreaciated.

Bud White
S.A. White

If it starts after it cools down, you're probably experiencing "vapor lock."

Does it start up and run after cooling off for about a half hour?
Jim Northrup

Or, does it start up if you pull out the choke.... Mine is great for about 8 minutes...(run in to a store, run out sort of time)...after 10 minutes it coughs and sputters....pulling out the choke helps a bit to start it....then it smooths out about 2 minutes later....
gblawson(gordon- TD27667)

bud, one question, is this a new issue for your car?

for what it is worth, my car works EXACTLY like gordon's car. a little warm under the bonnet and the fuel vapor locks. if she sits for more than 10 but less than 30 minutes pulling the choke works ans she fires right up..sputters a couple times and push the choke off and away i go. regards, tom

tom peterson

Has anyone thought about a heat shield???
Frank Grimaldi
Frank Grimaldi

frank, he does not seem to have a problem when running...only after a stop when the whole under bonnet area gets heat soaked..would a heat shield help in this case? regards, tom
tom peterson

Bud, see the thread "Starting problems revisited" further down.
Oops, now I see you started that one yourself!
Please also read my thread about electronic ignition.
Raymond Wardenaer

A heat shield will help anytime, but perhaps even more so, immediately after engine shutdown. The heat rising from the manifold is unimpeded by the fan and goes directly to the heat shield.

A quick fix is to further insulate the heat shield. My solution was to add a piece of Hardi Plank house siding (cement/fiber mixture) to the lower side of the heat shield. Hardi Plank is available at most lumber yards.

Frank Grimaldi
Frank Grimaldi

This thread was discussed between 14/08/2011 and 28/08/2011

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