Austin 10/4 Electrical or Fuel issue?

[Andrew]

Heelo.

Well the old lady was 89 yesterday - first registered on 24th March 1934.

To my shame last years total mileage was just 36.
Won't go into why (a busy year elsewhere!) but planning to give her wheels more of a spin this year.

We've had a few little runs out and she runs well. Starts well, steers okay (ish) and loves doing about eight miles in one stretch.
Have noticed on two occasions now that after about eight miles there is a slight loss of compression in the form of a small misfire.
Today, having got home the engine wouldn't re-start when warm.

I don't think it's fuel - there is a fuel filter and fuel shows in the filter.

Given the lack of use over the past year or so could it be breakdown of coil / condenser?

Strange how it only happens when the engine is thoroughly warm.

Any ideas?

Many thanks.

Andrew.

Austin 10/4 BPD 318 West Hoathly, West Sussex.

[Ivor Hawkins]

I would go for a drive and once it starts missing, stop and do a compression test, it sounds like once it warms up, the head gasket could be blowing between a waterway or even between a couple of cylinders.

Once you get it sorted, I think you’ll find the more you drive it, the more reliable it will get!

[Rod]

Andrew, adding to what Ivor has suggested, I would also add sticking valve(s). However, before you get too involved I would recommend a short stint of Automotive Diagnostics 101 and see if you can isolate the faulty system to mechanical/fuel/or ignition , especially now you appear to imply you have a no-start issue. Things like checking the points gap and condition, testing the HT spark intensity and quality, is the condenser adequate, is the moving point sticking on its pivot? And so on. I don't personally rate testing HT spark the traditional lie-a-spark plug-on-the-cylinder-head method as a reliable test, preferring to use an adjustable gap, or a modified spark plug (any old plug-I use an extended nose N9Y) with the gap opened up to 2-3mm and put some stress on the system. If the ignition checks out as satisfactory, but still no luck, its worth *carefully* squirting a small amount of known to be fresh fuel straight into the carburettor air intake. If it goes (even if its only for a few seconds) when you do this, then you need to look at the fuel side of things.
Apologies if you know all this and I'm teaching egg-sucking, but its difficult to evaluate technical experience/ability on a forum and I don't want to appear to be coming across all condescending.
Good Luck!

[6350_William_French]

Hi Andrew

It is not unusual for for a Austin to be reluctant to start when hot. The fuel in the carb evaporates with the heat. As previously mentioned get some easy start ( Halfords) and get someone to spray it straight into the carb air intake while you try and start it (no choke).. If it starts even for a short burst you have a fuel problem. If not you may have to look else where. I would do a compression test on the cylinders next.

From Bill French