Packard Forum Index » Post-War (1946-54)

Just curious to poll each Packard owner to see what is their engine start procedure for the following conditions:

Engine Cold-ish Not Been Run In A Week

Engine Very Cold Not Been Run In A Week

Engine Cold-ish Not Been Run In One Day

Engine Very Cold Not Been Run In One Day

I believe that I have the choke set correctly however I am just curious to see how many pumps of the accelerator is required for each condition.

Twice to the floor in all instances for my 39!!

Turn the electric fuel pump on, let it pump for about 10-20 seconds, pump accelerator twice and they start right up.

In all cases you give, I just lightly tap the gas pedal once to set the automatic choke, turn the key and hit the starter - usually starts within 1/2 to 2 revolutions. Same process with either the 34 or the 56.

No electric fuel pumps here, if the car has sat for 14 days or so, I pump the gas pedal lightly to set the choke and then two or three times while it's cranking - starts very quickly. I understand you can't do this on cars with the Carter carburetor starter switch.

If it's been sitting for a long time [weeks], I'll switch the electric pump on for about 15 seconds. Then I give the accelerator 3 half pumps [a full pump would activate the starter] and then to the floor and she starts right up ... every time. This applies to the '50.

Does the starter engage if the ignition is off????

When I reinstalled the engine I also installed a glass float bowl filter just prior to the carburetor float. I noticed after the car had sat for 3 days that the fuel in the glass bowl was only about one quarter full. This car does have an electric pump so that makes refilling the carburetor float bowl easy.

It seems that to pump the gas pedal twice with the ignition off and then hold the accelerator pedal all the way down after the second pump, and then turn the ignition switch to the right it seems the car starts up fine.

With a hot engine it seems that pushing the gas pedal down makes it start a bit rich.

Thanks for the suggestions!!!

With a hot engine it seems that pushing the gas pedal down makes it start a bit rich.

Perhaps so, though if the automatic choke unloader is properly adjusted it should activate at full throttle depression.

Quote:

No, but then the electric pump is off too. I suppose I could; ignition on, prime, ignition off, pump once to the floor, ignition on, again to the floor to start... but that seems a bit involved.

If the car hasn't been sitting for a week or more, I just get in, turn the key on and start the car. No drama.

Ignition off, one pump, ignition on and floor the pedal ( carb starter switch) and the car is running.