Sp22;

Welcome to the Brickboard Forum!

Starting:

The solenoid/starter assembly does two things when all is well (which means connections, particularly those at starter and ignition switch, are clean and tight, and preferably immune to corrosion*):

1. Connect the battery + to the starter to energize it (by way of two large stationary contacts and a bridging movable armature contact)
2. Engage the starter gear to the flywheel to "turn engine over".

...so if you get a click from the solenoid and no starter rotation, the solenoid contacts are suspect...but these symptoms may also be caused by a low battery voltage (causing insufficient current to fully activate solenoid)...or a starter with a "dead spot" (rare but not unheard of). The best way to check which condition exists is to measure solenoid output voltage at the (uninsulated) stub of cable running from solenoid directly into stater...have an assistant turn key (without breaking it off!!!**) while you measure voltage on stub of cable...if it clicks, but you get no voltage, solenoid contacts are likely to be in poor shape...if it clicks and voltage is measured at starter input but no rotation results, startermotor is suspect...

Good starter diagram here: http://sw-em.com/service%20notes.htm#Engine

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Accelereator pump/Choke:

Whoever told you that pushing the accelerator to 3/4 is a problem is no expert...SU carbs do not have an accelerator pump...you could depress the accel pedal a hundred times, or until you got a leg cramp and it wouldn't hurt a thing...because with engine OFF, NOTHING is happening...accelerator pump function strictly occurs while engine is running!

Ignition should be set correctly, and components should be clean...including inside surfaces of dist cap (carbon dust from the rotor brush in combination with surface condesate will bleed off a high voltage spark faster than you can say ZAP!)...and choke needs to be working correctly to start...see: http://www.sw-em.com/checkchoke.htm

....making both of these things right (and the starter electricals too) will go a long way to preventing the finiky starting action!

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Cheers

* Recommended reading: http://sw-em.com/anti_corrosive_paste.htm
**Upgrade to start pushbutton is highly recommended to prevent this...see: http://www.sw-em.com/swemkits.htm#Start%20Switch