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Tough starter in moist weather

Niels Svane

Renault 4TL '83, 1B1 845cc engine, Ducellier diz
Messages
382
Location
Denmark
Cheers fellows renaultisti

I live in Denmark and at this time of year the weather is 80 % wet nastyness.

So the dear R4 (845cc) 1983 is sometimes having a tough time starting. Am I right to suspect the wiring at some point is the troublemaker?
I have coated a lot of electronics with silicone spray, and I am also using some moisture-removing spray.

The scenario is:
fine, dry day with sun -> It starts after 10 seconds even though it have been standing for two weeks
moist, foggy day -> It starts after repeatedly turning the ignition over a period of 5 - 10 minuts (5-7 seconds pr try). First it wont fire at all, then it begins to cough after a few minutes.
General for when its running: Its a bit uneven in idle but this I think is normal, and it sometimes seem like there is some dirt in the carburettor.

The engine smells of petrol so I only suspect the electronics. The petrol pump though seems like a bit underengineered :) Especially when parking with the engine uphill and tank downhill ;)

Hope you have a pointer for how to prevent this in the future. I can clean the leads even more and spray more silicone on.
 
If you suspect dampness in the electrics, the likely culprit would be the high tension circuit (coil, distributor and spark plug leads). Try replacing the leads and distributor cap, and use Vaseline to seal the connections. Make sure everything is clean.
 
I agree with the "the engine uphill and tank downhill"......I was thinking of fitting a none return valve in the fuel line after the pump and before the carb to give it a chance
 
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