Difficulty starting engine

[Tinster]

Just a general question. When my car first became operational
and everything was new or professionally rebuilt- the engine
would start instantly on the first turn of the key.

Now the engine getting near to 2000 miles, it is
getting more and more difficult to start. I have to crank
it and crank it and crank it and crank it before it will
fire up. Once fired up it runs just great.

Something is wearing out with use. But I have no idea
where to look- short of replacing the ignition system again.

thanks,

dale

 

[BobbyD]

Dale.......are you talking hot start or cold start? And for each type, how much do you have or not have the accelerator pedal pushed down? Some cars start better with the foot off of the go pedal while others like the pedal slightly depressed. Or sometimes a pump or two before turning the key helps. My car was one way when I first got it, a different way after rebuilding the carbs and completely different with TBI.

Gee...you could start a thread on hot vs. cold starting.......pump or no pump.....pedal depressed or not......choke in or out. So many variables and I bet it varies from car to car.

 

[Tinster]

BobbyD- A cold start with choke pulled out.

Until recently, I could start my car standing outside
by the turning the key with the choke pulled out.

With a warm start- no choke was or is needed.

Now I have to sit in the car and crank and crank
with some gas pedal action- cold engine only.

The warn engine cranks right up.

I want to replace the wearing out part BEFORE I'm
sitting 50 miles from home and the cold engine won't start.

d

thanks,

d

 

[poolboy]

Dale, have some one work the choke knob at the dash and you watch what's happenning at the carbs. Don't be turning the ignition key, just work the choke cable. It could be related to the linkage problem you are having...

 

[RonMacPherson]

Sounds like fuel problem.. Hopefully not as severe as the last fuel problem you had... Go get a couple cans of Chevron Techron and pop them in the tank, or STP fuel stabilizer. Drive it for a couple of hours then see what happens.

 

[Tinster]

Probably just needs a new set of spark plugs
or maybe a new coil!

d

 

[AltaKnight]

I would bet that the choke cable has slipped at the hold down screw on the carbs.
Check to make sure that at full on choke that the high idle cams (the rotating plates that the cable screws onto) are opening the throttle plates on both carbs.

 

[DNK]

What about the fact that a while ago he was running full choke all the time. Maybe at 80* he doesn't need choke?

 

[AweMan]

That would be my best guess too. {choke problem} Choke not operating properly.
Were it me, I would look to see if the choke linkage and mechanisms were in proper working order before anything else.

 

[tomshobby]

Choke makes sense. Dale, you could always do like I did with my old John Deere model B farm tractor and park it on a hill then coast to start it!

Seriously, it has been great reading how you are finally enjoying your car!! Way to go!!

 

[Tinster]

The choke cables, thingybob cam lobes all seem in working
order. Also I can smell the rich mixture.

I've never had a stuck open choke before, Don.
I had a very rich mixture that I leaned out with the
special long tool from TRF.

You are correct, I need the choke only at cold engine start.
My engine sits in the garage at 80*F.

I made a test- Standing beside the car, choke full pulled out,
the engine started on the 8th crank of the key and went into a
very, very rough idle. Then it smoothed out after ten seconds or so.

Maybe I better pull a spark plug to be sure.

dale

 

[DNK]

Sounds over choked to me. Dale- You DON"T have to pull it out all the way.

 

[emmett1010]

Dale:
You may find that since you've been driving the car (finally), that the valves may have seated, and become too tight.
My rebuild engine did that. At first it would start instantly, then gradually became harder to start.
When I checked my valve lash, three valves were too tight. Readjusted, and now it starts instantly again.
I, like others in the forum, revel in the love/hate relationship that you and your car enjoy!
At some point you'll become familiar enough to be able to diagnosis and fix these minor annoyances, and DRIVE the car with confidence: well with semi-confidence.
Happy driving, Emmett

 

[Tinster]

What is valve lash?
My engine has not been rebuilt since
we bought it three years ago.

thanks,

d

 

[poolboy]

3 years, but how many miles? It's not the age; it's the mileage. I'm sure you've heard that before.

 

[TR3driver]

What is valve lash?

Also known as valve clearance, it's the space between the tip of the rocker arm and the end of the valve stem, when the lifter is on the base circle of the cam (ie valve fully closed).

It's a normal maintenance adjustment, generally every 12,000 miles or so (check your handbook). But definitely a good thing to check if you have otherwise unexplained problems with mixture, idle, starting, etc.

Emmett, I hope your clearances continue to stay stable. But having them close up in just a few thousand miles may be a sign of valve seat recession. They normally shouldn't "bed in" enough to measure.

 

[angelfj1]

I may be wrong but I don't believe we (or Dale) have any idea as what engine work was done, e.g. how fresh the valves are or in fact if anything was done to the cyl. head and valve train.

Dale: Can you confirm this?

fja

 

[TR4]

Have you tried starting without choke and as the engine turns, slowly pull out the choke to see if there is a sweet spot for the choke that the engine likes?

 

[2wrench]

Would you believe the buddy system as backup till it's resolved?

You can always give it a good push while in first gear and pop the
clutch, if you have to.....

You can:

Buy the guys in the bar a beer and ask them to push start ya.

Or, have Wendy with you and ask her to push you (no high heels, please, on
these rides.)

Or, park on a respectable downhill slope to roll it down to start;

or you can push Wendy and hope she doesn't freak out when it starts...
(car can be just a little jumpy off the line) and do it that way....

Outta other ideas. Anybody got one to add??

Brings to mind another story: While in Mexico, guys used to jack the rear
wheels off the ground and, using a piece of rope, wrap it around a rear
tire and pull it off quickly spinning the tire, time after time, till it
starts. Reminds me of an old Gibson tractor I still own...and it still
runs, by the way.....pull rope start.

 

[Brosky]

I don't think that it's more than a change of season and a feathering of the choke, provided that all adjustments are as they should be.