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Vauxhall Fourteen DX 1938 - not starting


Guest stevefizz

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Guest stevefizz

Hi

Where do i start, dont shout at me please.

I connected up the battery the wrong why round (a genuine mistake)

and tried to start it.

Now guess what it does not turn over.

Could the starter motor be jammed now or something worse

please help

Thanks

Steve

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Put the tranny in high gear and see if you can push/rock it. If this works the engine is not stuck.

If the battery is charged with the car out of gear take jumper cables or very heavy wire and go from the battery directly to the starter.

If this works then start checking wires, connections, switch, etc.

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Are you using a 6 volt or 12 volt battery? It was probably 6 volt when new.

But 12 volts on a 6 volts starter is usually OK, so long as you do not try to crank over for a long time

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Guest stevefizz

Thanks for help guys. It is a 6V system and a new battery. I have recharged the battery. The ignition light goes dim when i pull the starter handle. the engine does turn over with the start handle. is possible i have damadged the battery or its not powerfull enough its only a 1/2 size battery

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You didn't harm anything with the battery backwards if you discovered your mistake right away. If the car has been out of commission it will be harder to start than if it was in use every day.

Suggest you get a bigger battery and clean all the cable connections carefully. This means take them apart and polish with steel wool, wire brush or sandpaper. Make sure all connections are clean and tight.

How long has the car been off the road? If the gas has gone bad DO NOT start the car, bad gas can ruin your motor. If it smells like old stinky varnish it is bad. If it smells like gas it is ok.

When in doubt, diconnect the fuel line and use a motorboat gas tank or some other container with fresh gas.

Once you get it turning over you will want to check for spark.

If you have gas, compression, and spark the engine should start.

There are other details that need looking into.

If you are new to working on cars you may need to take the car to a garage.

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Guest stevefizz

Cheers, i will check it out. The car does start the chap delivered it drove it down my drive. He took the battery away with him though he told me to get a "type 421". he said in the advert that it needed a new battery. Its the first time i have come across a "positive earth" setup.

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. The ignition light goes dim when I pull the starter handle.
That indicates a heavy current draw:- something may be getting warm. As above clean all the electrical terminals & earthing.

But battery may not be big enough. You need the amp capicity. Something liked fitted to 1950's Fergie TEA tractors

Cables for 6 volt are twice as thick as 12V. Have you the correct size battery to ground earth cable?

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Guest stevefizz

Hi and thanks

It looks like someone has had a go at converting her to 12v

From what I can see, upgraded earth strap new ignition coil and replaced some wiring

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