engine

[Jasper Tamboezer]

Hello,

I'm a Dutch student. My eye cought a Beta coupe, but it has sat in a garage for five years. I'm trying to get it running, but so far......no success. Can anybody help me with some tips on how to get an engine running.

Thanks,
Jasper

[Hamish]

OK,
First of all stick the battery on charge (assuming it needs it) and check there's actually petrol in the car...
Then check the timing belt is in one piece and check the integrity of all the HT leads, the distributor cap and the rotor arm. Remove and clean all the spark plugs and pour some redex down the bores. Stick the car into 1st or 2nd gear (jacked up ofcourse with the plugs out!!) and attempt to turn the engine over by hand by turning the road wheels. Assuming it will 'turn' replace the plugs and re-connect the HT leads.
Is it a carb or injection? This is important.
Try firing it up again but don't flood it - not a good idea with redex still in the cylinders.....
If it still wont start and it IS getting petrol we'll start again...

[Jasper Tamboezer]

I already brought a second battery as the old one was dead. I thought it would be best to try and turn the engine by 'hand'. I haven't tried anything yet though. Probably next weekend. It's a carb, but why is that so important? Thanks for your help. I hope it'll work.

regards
Jasper

[Hamish]

The injection has a metering device which can be the cause of some betas of that ilk being discarded - it's expensive to fix.
If its a carb things are much more primative and therfore (in theory at least) easier to fix. Good luck, let us know how you get on.

[keith turner]

Once you have turned it over by hand give it a spin on the starter pour a little petrol down the carb, if the engine runs briefly you know it is basically ok it may even keep running if the fuel pump has pursuaded some petrol to reach the carburettor. This trick can save churning the engine over on the starter until the fuel arrives also the diaphragm & valves in the fuel pump can fail if left for a long period.

[Jasper Tamboezer]

Thanks a lot, both you and Hamish. We removed the spark plugs, put some oil in thev cylinders amd turned the engine by hand, which posted no problem at all. We poured some petrol down the carb and tried to start it (with the spark plugs in place of course). The starter engine had to wake up, but after trying three times the engine started!!!! After five years the engine finally runs again!!!
The only problem now is the fuel pump. It's broken. And it won't be an easy job to mend the thing. It's located at an absolutely impossible place. I was thinking of letting it be and buying an electrical pump and placing it somewhere else. Or has any of you got a better idea of fixing this problem?

Thannks again............a new Lancista is born.

Jasper Tamboezer

[michael fischer]

hello jasper
the beta,s are very good cars
if you do all against rust
motor is excellent to drive ,
but only when it,s warm !!!!!!
try to find a elektric gas pump
it is very easy to install it

lancisti mikele

[Tony McMaster]

Hi Jasper
I have a '81 hpe and have replaced the mechanical fuel pump with an electric pump [it's a good idea to fit a filter between the pump and the tank]. I wouldn't leave the old pump in place .You can get a cover plate and it is possible to remove the pump and fit the cover without pulling the car apart.[difficult but possible].If you can't find a plate it is easy to make a plate and gasket.Good Luck
Tony

[Peter]

Jasper

Have a look at your local car wrecker for some beta (HPE, Coupe or Sedan) with electric pump setup.
You can take complete system and adapt to yours.
If you are lucky you wont need to buy a new pump since the FACET pumps used in Lancia last forever (they to tend to get noisy but they still work at it's optimum).

P.S.
While you are changing pump replace all fuel hoses from tank to carb with brand new. My hose once busted and I lost 30l of fuel in 10km drive, I was just watching fuel gauge going down rapidly.

Peter

[Jasper Tamboezer]

Thanks guys,

I already have contact with somebody who has a lot of parts. I will let you know what the outcome will be.

Jasper