Valver turning over slow, won't fire! Help!

[richieA]

Alrite all

the valver in the rocco is turning over but far too slow to fire! Without the plugs in it's fine, with load (compression) it's slow very very slow! Any ideas, gonna replace all the main starter wiring, earth straps and battery/alt leads, a 1.8 8v Carb starter should be man enough to do the job right?

It's a rebuilt block/head, runnin weber carbs, and 4-branch!

Any other ideas?

[Nate]

to start with, connect up the starter with jumpleads from a freshly charged battery. -ve to the starter case, +ve to the big red cable connection, then short the little spade connector to the +ve (make sure it not in gear first)

if it still turns too slow, starter is either too feak and weeble or just plain buggered

[GT Matt]

Check the earth straps on the engine/gearbox as well especially as the engine has installed later in the cars life. If they are loose/dirty, it will create high resistance in the circuit and give the impression of a flat battery.

[richieA]

sorted that problem, changed the leads and the starter for a mk3 td unit, its now turning over nicely but the sparks gone... was there before i changed the starter! frustration level is quite high atm!

[Nate]

start at the plugs and work your way back up the ignition system.