It's sulking

Hog wrote:
> TMack wrote:
>> "Lady Nina" <spamtrap2.TakeThisOut@ntlworld.com> wrote in message
>> news:pjitl3ppf8f9vjb8rg0ot9c71rm9r7hu9c@4ax.com
>>> Benly will not start. It sounds as though it wants to start it just
>>> isn't catching. I've given it a squirt of easy start and turned it
>>> over still no joy.
>>>
>>> What next? How long shall I keep truning it over while for whilst
>>> balancing the not flattening the battery thing?
>> If the weather is dry or the bike is undercover, try heating the
>> engine with a fan heater blowing towards it for a half hour or so,
>> then try again. You may also find it helps if you remove and clean
>> the plugs then put them under the grill until hot. Then replace them
>> as quickly as possible without burning your fingers. Then try again.
>
> This might be the most ridiculous thing I ever read on UKRMC

Yes. You want a Desmo paraffin sump heater like your grandfather
put under the engine on frosty nights as he couldn't be bothered
with antifreeze.

--
Eiron.
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"Hog" <hogSPAM.RemoveThis@freenetCHIPS.co.uk> wrote in message
news:fjn4f0$4u1$1@registered.motzarella.org
> TMack wrote:
>> "Lady Nina" <spamtrap2.RemoveThis@ntlworld.com> wrote in message
>> news:pjitl3ppf8f9vjb8rg0ot9c71rm9r7hu9c@4ax.com
>>> Benly will not start. It sounds as though it wants to start it just
>>> isn't catching. I've given it a squirt of easy start and turned it
>>> over still no joy.
>>>
>>> What next? How long shall I keep truning it over while for whilst
>>> balancing the not flattening the battery thing?
>>
>> If the weather is dry or the bike is undercover, try heating the
>> engine with a fan heater blowing towards it for a half hour or so,
>> then try again. You may also find it helps if you remove and clean
>> the plugs then put them under the grill until hot. Then replace them
>> as quickly as possible without burning your fingers. Then try again.
>
> This might be the most ridiculous thing I ever read on UKRMC

Hmm... warmer engine means thinner oil, less resistance for the starter to
work against, less resistance if it starts firing, better vapourisation of
fuel, more power from the battery etc. Why would any of that help?
Obviously a ridiculous approach. Hot plugs means some warming of the
cylinder head through conduction, which assists fuel vapourisation plus trhe
ceramic around the central electrode tends to retain heat which aids
vapourisation near the elctrode and prevents fuel condensing on the
elctrode. Why would any of that help? Obviously a ridiculous approach.
The thing is, I have no problem with the ridiculous if it works. I have
used both techniques successfully on many occasions to get a persistent
non-starter going again. Just because it looks or sounds silly doesn't mean
that it won't work.

--
Tony
'04 XL1200C, '95 LS650
OMF#24
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On Tue, 11 Dec 2007 22:54:20 -0000, "Hog" <hogSPAM.RemoveThis@freenetCHIPS.co.uk>
wrote:

>TMack wrote:
>> "Lady Nina" <spamtrap2.RemoveThis@ntlworld.com> wrote in message
>> news:pjitl3ppf8f9vjb8rg0ot9c71rm9r7hu9c@4ax.com
>>> Benly will not start. It sounds as though it wants to start it just
>>> isn't catching. I've given it a squirt of easy start and turned it
>>> over still no joy.
>>>
>>> What next? How long shall I keep truning it over while for whilst
>>> balancing the not flattening the battery thing?
>>
>> If the weather is dry or the bike is undercover, try heating the
>> engine with a fan heater blowing towards it for a half hour or so,
>> then try again. You may also find it helps if you remove and clean
>> the plugs then put them under the grill until hot. Then replace them
>> as quickly as possible without burning your fingers. Then try again.
>
>This might be the most ridiculous thing I ever read on UKRMC

Really? My shite old dispatcher z650 regular refused to start in
winter, and warming the plugs under the grill always sorted the
problem.
--
Champ
neal at champ dot org dot uk
 >> Stay informed about: It's sulking 

Eiron <E1ron DeleteThis @hotmail.com> wrote:


>
> Yes. You want a Desmo paraffin sump heater like your grandfather
> put under the engine on frosty nights as he couldn't be bothered
> with antifreeze.

We had those when we lived in Sweden, when I was a nipper. Mind you, in
Sweden you needed them.

ISTR that nowadays Scandinavian cars have electrically heated engine
blocks. You can sort of plug them into standing power points to prevent
the lumps from freezing solid.

Can anyone confirm?


--
BMW K1100LT 750SS CB400F CD250 CB125 SL125
GAGARPHOF#30 GHPOTHUF#1 BOTAFOT#60 ANORAK#06 YTC#3
BOF#30 WUSS#5 The bells, the bells.....
chateau dot murray at idnet dot com
 >> Stay informed about: It's sulking 

The Older Gentleman (totallydeadmailbox@yahoo.co.uk (The Older Gentleman))
gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying:

> ISTR that nowadays Scandinavian cars have electrically heated engine
> blocks. You can sort of plug them into standing power points to prevent
> the lumps from freezing solid.
>
> Can anyone confirm?

Yup.

Cousins-in-law on the edge of Stockholm have exactly that setup. A socket
just under the front bumper, a 240v socket-onna-stick by their parking
spaces, and a male-to-male extension lead in the boot.

-10degC, 6" of snow overnight - the windows are clear and the interior
toasty by the time you've got your seatbelt on.

You see the socket-onna-stick everywhere. Many outdoor carparks -
including offices - have 'em.
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The Older Gentleman wrote:

> ISTR that nowadays Scandinavian cars have electrically heated engine
> blocks. You can sort of plug them into standing power points to prevent
> the lumps from freezing solid.
>
> Can anyone confirm?

Yep. Plenty of Scandinavians here and most of us have block
heaters installed in place of one of the freeze plugs, as a
factory option. Years ago "tank heaters" were more common,
plumbed into the heater hoses or the radiator hoses, more
popular for self-installs since you didn't have to faff
around with removing a freeze plug.

In Winnipeg (paging Bob Mann) they used to have electric
outlets on parking meters and every car on the street would
have an extension lead running back from the hood, wrapped
around the n/s outside mirror.

Actually freezing the coolant isn't likely unless you're in
the antarctic or too pikey to pay for antifreeze, but warm
engines do start a whole lot easier and it's easier on them
if the oil's a bit warmed up before you drive away.

--
'01 SV650S '99 EX250-F13 '98 ZG1000-A13
OMF #7
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On or around Wed, 12 Dec 2007 09:21:25 +0000 (UTC), Adrian
<toomany2cvs RemoveThis @gmail.com> enlightened us thusly:

>and a male-to-male extension lead in the boot.

bloody dangerous, those. I made one (temporary) with 3-pin plugs on, and it
managed to bite me several times, by having live plugs in unexpected manner.
--
Austin Shackles. www.ddol-las.net my opinions are just that
Travel The Galaxy! Meet Fascinating Life Forms...
------------------------------------------------\
>> http://www.schlockmercenary.com/ << \ ...and Kill them.
a webcartoon by Howard Tayler; I like it, maybe you will too!
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Austin Shackles (Austin Shackles
<austinDITCHTHISFORBETTERRESULTS RemoveThis @ddol-las.net>) gurgled happily, sounding
much like they were saying:

> On or around Wed, 12 Dec 2007 09:21:25 +0000 (UTC), Adrian
> <toomany2cvs RemoveThis @gmail.com> enlightened us thusly:
>
>>and a male-to-male extension lead in the boot.

> bloody dangerous, those. I made one (temporary) with 3-pin plugs on,
> and it managed to bite me several times, by having live plugs in
> unexpected manner.

It raised my eyebrows, too. Apparently they _always_ make sure the car
end is plugged in first.
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The Older Gentleman wrote:
> Eiron <E1ron DeleteThis @hotmail.com> wrote:
>
>
>>
>> Yes. You want a Desmo paraffin sump heater like your grandfather
>> put under the engine on frosty nights as he couldn't be bothered
>> with antifreeze.
>
> We had those when we lived in Sweden, when I was a nipper. Mind you,
> in Sweden you needed them.
>
> ISTR that nowadays Scandinavian cars have electrically heated engine
> blocks. You can sort of plug them into standing power points to
> prevent the lumps from freezing solid.
>
> Can anyone confirm?

The Kenlowe Hotstart has been available for aeons:

http://www.kenlowe.com/pre-heaters/cars/whatwill.html

Might be overkill on a Benly, though.
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On or around Wed, 12 Dec 2007 09:49:27 +0000 (UTC), Adrian
<toomany2cvs RemoveThis @gmail.com> enlightened us thusly:

>Austin Shackles (Austin Shackles
><austinDITCHTHISFORBETTERRESULTS RemoveThis @ddol-las.net>) gurgled happily, sounding
>much like they were saying:
>
>> On or around Wed, 12 Dec 2007 09:21:25 +0000 (UTC), Adrian
>> <toomany2cvs RemoveThis @gmail.com> enlightened us thusly:
>>
>>>and a male-to-male extension lead in the boot.
>
>> bloody dangerous, those. I made one (temporary) with 3-pin plugs on,
>> and it managed to bite me several times, by having live plugs in
>> unexpected manner.
>
>It raised my eyebrows, too. Apparently they _always_ make sure the car
>end is plugged in first.

I prefer not to rely on that sort of assumption, myself.
--
Austin Shackles. www.ddol-las.net my opinions are just that
Travel The Galaxy! Meet Fascinating Life Forms...
------------------------------------------------\
>> http://www.schlockmercenary.com/ << \ ...and Kill them.
a webcartoon by Howard Tayler; I like it, maybe you will too!
 >> Stay informed about: It's sulking 

Mark Olson wrote:
>
> Actually freezing the coolant isn't likely unless you're in
> the antarctic or too pikey to pay for antifreeze, but warm
> engines do start a whole lot easier and it's easier on them
> if the oil's a bit warmed up before you drive away.

It has occurred to me that, from an eco POV, using a car cap or some sort of
blanket on the windscreen would be better that leaving the engine running
for twenty minutes and the blower on defrost.
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On or around Wed, 12 Dec 2007 12:07:55 GMT, "platypus"
<monotreme RemoveThis @blueyonder.co.uk> enlightened us thusly:

>Mark Olson wrote:
>>
>> Actually freezing the coolant isn't likely unless you're in
>> the antarctic or too pikey to pay for antifreeze, but warm
>> engines do start a whole lot easier and it's easier on them
>> if the oil's a bit warmed up before you drive away.
>
>It has occurred to me that, from an eco POV, using a car cap or some sort of
>blanket on the windscreen would be better that leaving the engine running
>for twenty minutes and the blower on defrost.

when it's really cold I fire up the bus 10 minutes before departure time.
Plug-in pre-heater would be more effective, and would actually get it to
operating temperature, which 10 minutes at idle doesn't.

--
Austin Shackles. www.ddol-las.net my opinions are just that
Travel The Galaxy! Meet Fascinating Life Forms...
------------------------------------------------\
>> http://www.schlockmercenary.com/ << \ ...and Kill them.
a webcartoon by Howard Tayler; I like it, maybe you will too!
 >> Stay informed about: It's sulking 

Austin Shackles <austinDITCHTHISFORBETTERRESULTS RemoveThis @ddol-las.net> wrote:

>
> when it's really cold I fire up the bus 10 minutes before departure time.

I tried doing that this morning,m and thought I'd be clever and lock the
doors just in case an enterprising tea-leaf happened by. Inscos don't
pay out if you leave a car with the keys in and running, do they?

That's when I discovered that the remote keyless entry system on the
Nissan Silver Tuddy doesn't work when the engine's running. Ho hum.

--
BMW K1100LT 750SS CB400F CD250 CB125 SL125
GAGARPHOF#30 GHPOTHUF#1 BOTAFOT#60 ANORAK#06 YTC#3
BOF#30 WUSS#5 The bells, the bells.....
chateau dot murray at idnet dot com
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