Re: New to Forum and Needing Help Starting Car

Posted by Ima48too On 2014/9/10 16:41:41

There is a good chance four cylinders have low compression. Those would be the ones that sat at the bottom of the bore during storage and probably stuck in the ring lands. The four that rested near the top would have been in an expanded area and may be working well. Once it is running they should free up and all will test equal.
To help start it while overcoming sticky pistons and valves you can remove the plugs and put a half a teaspoon of gasoline into the cylinder between tries to start it. A judicious shot or starting fluid will help, but only a very light touch. Be sure to put the air filter back on when attempting a start. You can get a 2 foot flame shooting out if you don't. Keep nursing it and it will start. Just be careful not to overheat the starter.
Once it starts you might have to give it just a kiss of starting fluid to get it going until you have about 200 miles on it.
We were doing this with a Hudson Commodore Eight once and my son was about 10. He kept hearing us talk about it "firing". Being professionals, we didn't have the air filter on. I bet he still remembers saying "Wow! Is that firing?"
Bernie