Trouble strating a TEA-20

Hello everyone - hope you might be able to help me and my old man get a 1947 TEA-20 going. We bought it in a bit of a state off ebay for a challenge, and it"s starting to get the better of us!!!
It"s a 6v machine, and we"ve got a new battery, new dizzy and coil and a couple of 24t2 carbs off ebay that we"ve cleaned and refreshed with refurb kits. So we"ve put it back together, tried to start it, the starter spins (slowly) and nothing happens, except petrol poured out of the air intake of the carb!

We"ve got a spark at all the plugs (they are new), and we"ve fuel to the carb (as it spilling everywhere testifies!), the plug leads are on in the right order, 1-3-4-2, but we"re not even getting a cough.

My old man has taken to trying to start it with a 12v battery connected to the 6v. I was never very comfortable with this approach, and the articles I"ve read on here confirm this, although there seems to be an acceptable method of hooking it straight up to the starter motor (having the tractor out of gear etc etc).

So anyway, sorry for the long message, but as you can imagine, I"m running out of ideas to look at next. Any help very gratefully received.

Thanks, Matt

We've got some things to check like the govenor and throttle linkage, but then we're back to the timing and stuff I guess. There's fuel getting to the carb, and he's done the "easistart" around the gasket checks, which are fine, so I hope we're close.

Then there's just the iffy clutch to look at!!!

Thanks for your reply.

MAtt

Without being there, I think it's a spluttering stop. I'm going over on Sunday, so I'll have a proper look and test the fuel flow.

Matt

good luck you will get her going,, spark,gas and air all at the right place at the right time is all they take, you sound like you followed them all to where they should be,,, pat

Won't get over until the weekend, but I'll let you guys know how we get on!

As Matt suggested - have you checked each cylinder compression?

I think the next thing to do is check the compression - is there a particullry effective way of doing it? Thanks for your reply!

Matt

You may need a compression test gauge to check each cylinder compression.

Assuming there is no mechanical problem, if you have a strong spark at the plugs, the problem sounds like fuel. Is the fuel new and clean or old and stale?

I've seen a few Zenith 24T2 carbies for sale on EBay (in Australia and the UK) but I'm not sure they are off Fergies and may have incorrect jets etc?

On the one or two occasions my TEA20 flooded, it will usually start with the throttle wide open, or open the carby bowl drain cock whilst tapping on the carby bowl. That may dislodge the needle valve and float (if stuck) and drain off excess fuel.

Is the ignition timing correct? There is a 1/4 inch hole through the casting under the starter motor. With a 1/4 inch rod through that hole and through the corresponding hole in the flywheel, No 1 cylinder will be on TDC.

Apparently there"s been a bit of progress today - my old man put the engine back together and it ran for about 5 seconds, but completely drained the battery (grrr!!). I think the timing does need doing, that"ll be the weekend job I think.

Thanks for your advice, I"ll keep you posted!!!!