Hi Guys,

i spent yesterday in the garage and i now have a lot less hair than i had when i went in there

i've been having allsorts of problems with starting ( well it don't:mad.

slowly but surelly i've been crossing the problems off the list.

i've replaced all the earthing straps on the block with braded ones. checked all the connections: ive replaced the knackered starter motor.

there is a spark at the plug, there is fuel at the carb.

there are only 2 things left that i can think of

the timing is out and or the fuel mixture is out. the brother inlaw the ferrari mechanic fiddled with both last time it was running. .

does anyone know how much the timing should be advanced on a pinto with an FR33 cam?

i'm running dellorto 45's which way do the screws turn to richen up the mixture?

any help would be appreciated as this is now getting me down.

ferrari mechanic is not back up at mine till after easter.

regards
Ditch

10 degress BTDC should get it running, maybe not ideal but ....

usually mixture screws have a tapered end that fits into a hole; as you screw it in, more of the taper moves into the hole thus closing it off = smaller area for fuel to get past = less fuel = weaker mixture.

With dellorto and weber you are supposed the screw fully in then unwind it a number of turns before fine tuning; unfortunately I cannot remember the number of turns ( somewhere between 1.5 and 3 but could be well out).

This won't help until you get it running but maximum advance should be 36 degrees and it should be all in be 3500 rpm if I remember correctly.

I think 9-12 should get it running, has it been running since you changed the cam? it could be the cam timing is out be 180 degrees, the giveaway will be the backfire, probably out of the carbs.

i bought the engine new from vulcan engineering, and i have had it running. at first it would start after persistant cranking, then only by bump starting it, but since my brother in law played with the timing and fuel settings it does not start at all. having eliminated all the other electrical and fuel options this is the most likely cause (although it was running sweetly when he did it.

when he is down i will have him set it right. but it is along time to wait, as this and the tracking are all thats left for the sva.

ditch

I would go for about 16 deg static with that cam.

See here

The FR33 has a duration of about 300 deg

Cheers

Mark

Just to confirm the head was on and the cam already timed when you got it?

yes the engine was complete, and i was told by the guys at vulcan that it was set at about 11 degrees but may be out and would need setting once installed.

brother inlaw may have set it at about 7 or 8 degrees from what i remember.

ditch

Whether you set your ignition timing at 8 deg or 16 deg will make little difference as to if it starts or not. Similarly a turn on the idle mixture screws won't either. As I understand it you can't get it started at all?

My advice (if you wait for the return of the Ferrari mechanic) would be to find a std two litre Pinto downdraft carb and manifold (any will do). Fit that and I bet you'll find it'll start dead easy. Then get all the other issues sorted before dealing with the carbs. Then drag or carry it to a rolling road and let them finish off the set-up.

You cannot set engines up by reference to "look up" tables published on the internet!