Cleaned carbs but won't run

[sahunt66]

My 240Z ran when I got it, but poorly. I took the carbs off and cleaned them by removing the suction chamber, piston and float assembly and spraying with carb cleaner and soaking small pieces in Berrymans. And wiping and scrubbing with a toothbrush well. I checked the adjustment on the floats and they were fine. I left the other adjustments as they were. Now the car won't start. When you crank it with the starter the car will rev-up but when you let go of the key the car immediately dies. I thought that if the car ran with dirty carbs, just cleaning them would at the very least help a little. Any thoughts why it won't start?

Thanks, Steve

[240ZX]

Well..........

Have you visited Z Therapy's website? Please do!!!

[seerex]

well I had the exact thing happen 2 weeks ago with my 240z , ended up being the fuel pump , check to see if its getting fuel to the carbs , you can take a long piece of fuel hose and run the out side of the fuel pump to a coffee can and see if it fills up , to make sure you are getting fuel first , good luck:geek:

[2ManyZs]

Double check that you didn't knock a wire loose at either the coil or ballast resistor, or the wires from the distributor....

[Bruce Palmer]

Car won't start? Crank it with the starter it will rev up? Release the key it dies? I see some minor inconsistencies.

Check fuel supply as suggested and check spark to the plugs. Gotta have both for anything to happen.

Thirty something year old wiring can do goofy stuff just for the heck of it. Especially ignition wiring through the ignition switch that has crystalized from carrying full starting voltage for too many years.

Make sure all your coil connections are good, clean and tight. I'm liking that "you disturbed something" theory too, a lot.

Also, when I assembled my last Datsun (a 510 wagon) there were some electrical gremlins in the system that drove me nuts. Dissasembling the fuse box and giving it a bath in vinegar solved all of them. Honest!!

The acid after 10 minutes or so cleaned all the light corrosion off the contacts, reducing resistance to a point that all them little electrons could continue on their appointed rounds. Soak wires and connectors and all rinse well and blow out with compressed air and dry well with a hair drier. Even start with fresh fuses. Think of it as clogged arteries.....

[peterc]

Simple solution to this one.

Definitely the ballast resistor. Either a wire is detached or the ballast is shot. Cheap fix either way.

BTW, if you're not familiar with it, it's the white rectangular ceramic thing with wires attached at both ends, close to the coil.

Cheers.

Peter

[Chino 240Z]

What they said! But also make sure that the vent lines from the top of the fuel bowls are clear and vent freely. The other day at the races I temporary capped the lines and forgot, and cranked, cranked but no start, then remembered and fixed it and started right up!:stupid:

Keep looking and once you find it you'll never forget it again, good luck.

[Marty Rogan]

My money is on the ballast resistor. I've had that hapeen twice. When strting the car, try holding the key slightly toward the start position (not enough to ground the starter though!), just don't let is spring back all the way. IF it stays running while you are holding the key, and then dies when you let go, it is definitely the balast resistor. They are about $5.

Good luck.

Marty