1974 MFI Carrera will not start.

[JTH 36]

Hello Everyone, I have a 1974 Row Carrera 2.7 MFI that will not start. I was driving it, parked it in the driveway I went out to restart it and nothing, it just cranks I have done all the things I know to do. I borrowed a friend's coil and CDI box which are known to be good and nothing. I checked the rotor and the cap and they seem to be ok.

I did get it to start once after cranking for a while. It ran for a few minutes and then died and now will not restart.

Any thoughts?

[gomezoneill]

Check for spark then fuel.

[icarp]

Sit in the car , hold the gas pedal to the floor , hand throttle to 3/4 up, crank the engine for 3-4 seconds , let your foot side slip off of the gas pedal, or lift your foot as fast as you can , while still cranking , it should start in the next 3 -4 seconds . You are trying to snap the throttle shut as fast as possible .
Why this method ? You are trying to reset the rack inside the injection pump .Sometimes they get stuck , this process helps to reset this mixture rack.
I hope this works for you, if not then to the next step
Ian

Only try this once , then to the next step. we don't want to flood the air box

[gomezoneill]

Originally Posted by icarp

Sit in the car , hold the gas pedal to the floor , hand throttle to 3/4 up, crank the engine for 3-4 seconds , let your foot side slip off of the gas pedal while still cranking , it should start in the next 3 -4 seconds .
Why this method ? You are trying to reset the rack inside the injection pump .Sometimes they get stuck , this process helps to reset this mixture rack.
I hope this works for you, if not then to the next step
Ian

Only try this once , then to the next step. we don't want to flood the air box

I was trained in Montvale NJ in 1974 at the Porsche training school and I forgot all about this, awesome. MFI was way ahead of it's time.

[manbridge 74]

Points. Almost always the points. How did it idle before this? Raggedy and unsteady?

[Macroni]

Sell to me as distressed merchandise.

[JTH 36]

Thanks, everyone for your input. It was the points. I put a new set in this morning. It is running like a champ again. I appreciate it.

[manbridge 74]

Originally Posted by gomezoneill

I was trained in Montvale NJ in 1974 at the Porsche training school and I forgot all about this, awesome. MFI was way ahead of it's time.

They are still teaching. I learned from Reinhold Noel who started at Porsche in 1966, wrote most of the service manual sections. Classic fuel and ignition training in Ontario CA, 2017.

[bkreigsr]

Originally Posted by JTH 36

Thanks, everyone for your input. It was the points. I put a new set in this morning. It is running like a champ again. I appreciate it.

Cool - glad you found the culprit.
Now make points adjustment part of your usual maintenance.
As soon as the tach starts acting crazy, (jumping around at idle), get out your dwell meter and re-set the gap.
Bill K

[Jeff Higgins]

I'm glad you found the problem, but, just as an aside, I firmly believe we simply cannot source quality points anymore. I gave up trying more than a decade ago. Beyond old 911's, I own (and have owned) a broad variety of vintage cars and motorcycles that were originally fitted with points. They have all been converted to some form of appropriate electronic triggering device. I can see maybe sticking with points on a concours level restoration that does not get driven, but anything you would like to take out on the road and enjoy will be far more reliable and enjoyable if you eliminate the points.

[manbridge 74]

Sourcing quality Bosch points with the rubbing block made of the traditional Bakelite type material is difficult but not impossible. Once adjusted after using good grease on the correct side of the block maintenance should be a yearly event. Easy enough to carry a spare set in the glovebox. I have nothing against the pointless conversions but guys do have issues with those as well.