Trouble restarting after a drive

[tfrisoni]

Any idea on the reason I cannot restart my car after I have taken it out for a drive. It doesn't happen all of the time, but it has happened enough to have me concerned. I am assuming it is because my engine is overheating, perhaps because I am so excited to have my new toy that I have driven her when it has been really blasted hot. I would like to see if it is better at night, but I have yet to have time to figure out the reason my headlights don't work.

 

[JPSmit]

Assuming it turns over etc, then, likely your getting vapor lock - indeed caused by heat. Heat shield on carb is one of the easier solutions. Non ethanol gas is better. A header, especially a ceramic one is better than the manifold, but, th best long term solution is an electric fuel pusher pump mounted by the gas tank.

Have you cleaned your contacts at the fuse box for the headlights?

 

[tfrisoni]

I do use Ethanol free gas. So at least there is that. I will look at the contacts at the fuse box. Thanks.

 

[Sarastro]

Especially with today's fuels, vapor lock can be a real problem. It's not just the ethanol; there are other additives that are volatile.

I had this problem, too. Adding an electirc fuel pump back near the tank, as John-Peter suggests, helped a lot.

 

[tfrisoni]

Thanks guys. After reading up on vapor lock, it sounds like exactly the problem I am having. I guess I can put another project on the list for this fall.

 

[Sarastro]

If you'd like the long story of my experience, and how I solved it, it's here:

https://www.nonlintec.com/sprite/fuel/

 

[DrEntropy]

If it's a '66 Sprite, there ain't a fuse in the headlight circuit. :wink:

Clean all grounding points. The screws holding the lamp housings to the body provide the ground on these old lumps.

Check every Lucar connector in the circuit (Any of the wires with blue, some are with white tracers, some may have a brown tracer) and clean them, dielectric grease or Vaseline in there as they are reconnected.

Have you got the original SU carbs? I didn't see if that was the case.

 

[tfrisoni]

I don't know about original, but they are SU carbs. The body is a 66 but I think the engine is from an 68. I am not sure if they changed any of the other components. The electrical seems original with many kludges. I have found a few wires that are cut off and loose in there.

 

[ABfish]

I traced my headlight woes to a bad dimmer switch connection (no lights at all, unless the switch was stomped on) and bad grounds behind the headlight housings (produced very dim lights).

 

[DrEntropy]

Well, SU's are a plus. Has it got the heat shield in place?

 

[aeronca65t]

All good stuff above.

let me just add this re: hard starting when hot:

Check valve adjustment. Valves tighten a bit when warm and if they're already tight, this causes a problem (you're always safer to have valves a bit loose).

Carefully feel the coil after running. It should be warm but not HOT. A bad coil will get hot after a while and then will have weak spark.

 

[tfrisoni]

Well, SU's are a plus. Has it got the heat shield in place?

Yes, there is a heat shield.