Hello tifosi! Two weeks ago, I took my 400GT automatic 1978 out of the garage and left it alone outside for few minutes to warm-up the engine before driving. Everything was OK. When I came back, the engine was stopped and no way to start it again. I replaced the points, condensators, plugs by new ones...nothing new, it doesn't start. I just get some rare put! put! put! as if one or another of the 12 cylinders was (rarely) producing an explosion, but not frequently enough to start. The crank turns well, the battery is full, the electric pumps seem OK (normal noise), the plugs give sparks....so what!!!! I precise that the engine is otherwise in perfect condition. Do you think that leaving the switch on for few minutes while the engine was stopped could deteriorate some electrical component??? which one??? Please light my night with all your suggestions and comments. I thank you for any help! lecciagelata - Poitiers, France
I would think you have a clogged fuel line. The car sat, some sludge (rust) got sucked in while it was idling and got stuck somewhere. Check the fuel filter first and work backwards. Fuel line is really thin and easily clogged, especially at T junctions. Could be the fuel pump itself unless your comment about "pumps seem fine" applies. ken
My sceptical nature nature suggests to me that it just fouled its' plugs, and now in your frenzy of replacing things, you've created a new problem that wasn't there before. It's happened too many times before. But, have a look inside the carbs. Especially clean out the low speed/idle/progression jettings and drillings.
Well, if you have spark, gas, compression and timing the car can't help but run. You say you have fuel and spark, right? I'd double check the timing. Even a few degrees off and it won't start. Static test it and see if it will start. I had a loose distributor once and had the same issue. Ran fine but then wouldn't start. I checked all the obvious stuff like you did. I finally noticed by accident that I could twist the distributor in the mounting bracket! I was "sure" the timing was right since I had timed it a week earlier so I didn't check it until last. Poor shop technique there! Ken
I thank you for your suggestions guys. I'll check the timing and clean the carbs and tell you what happens.
sorry, that's me again with my stuck 400GT. I looked at the plugs to change them and observed that some are wet and others dry. I think that some of the 6 webers don't do the right job. Before unmounting the whole carbs ramp, which is a terrible job, do you have a technique to try to clean them? I have an air compressor and I was thinking about blowing air through the jetting tubes. How about that?
It's a big job to strip down the carbs and air boxes etc, but you can do a lot of work without using a spanner at all. Just pull the tops off the carbs, and remove the jets and tubes etc and blow them, and their drillings out. Check the accelerator pump jets are working too.... look down inside the carbs while pumping the throttle. You may need a mirror for this. Check the fuel filters that are inside the fuel rail inlet area, not just the one near the fuel pump.
