I've been putting together a Cossie powered Mk5 Cortina, tried starting the engine today for the first time as the cars pretty much finished but couldn't get it to start. The engine turns over and fires once or twice then just dies. It's getting fuel and sparking.
If I take out one of the spark plugs it will start straight away but obviously very roughly... tried all the plugs and its the same with whatever one you take out.
Thought the plug leads might be on wrong but they seem to be correct, also tried a fresh battery.
Does anyone have any ideas????
On the plus side all the other electrics etc seem to be working!! I'm sure it's something simple timing related but never worked on a Cossie before.

Thanks

Tom

 

Are all the parts like crank sensor and phase sensor etc ok and gapped properly?! Also what plug gap u running?!

 

Just checked the crank sensor gap and its 0.7mm, plugs are a bit wet but they are firing (gaps about 0.6mm), not checked the phase sensor yet. I'm sure it's got to be something timing related as the engine always stops with a crankshaft pulley marker exactly over the crank sensor. It does fire once or twice and sounds like its about to start then just stops as if its firing out of sequence or at the wrong time, bound to be something simple but I'm stuck!

 

I'd check phase alignment first.
tabetha

 

Thanks, I'll try to check that tomorrow, is it just a case of checking the gap from what I've found on the net it should be between 0.2 and 0.3mm?
Is there a chance it could be plugged in the wrong way?

 

Nothing to stop you from plugging the plug the other way inside the dizzy.
As for aligment if most defo is NOT just a case of gapping, to 0.2-0.3mm as you say, when the engine is at tdc(no1) the rotor arm trajectory must be bang in line with the scribe mark on the top of the dizzy outer lip visible once cap is removed, imagine the line the arm would point the mark should be dead centre in this, even 1 tooth out will cause havoc, with consequent chronic overfuelling, you wouldn't be alone made that cock up myself as well, my fave is trying to start cars with no rotor arm as it can't be seen missing with cap on when working on the older types that used these.
tabetha