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Last fall my starter burned out which led to carb failure which led to having my lifters replaced this spring. All perfectly logical....

When I had the pot rebuilt I got the kit from the guys in Florida (plus 2 pr of nice new brass floats) sparing no expense.

Today, as in the recent past, the car starts easily in 30 degrees but will not run continuously until warm--after 5-10 minutes. Before that, pop it into drive or reverse and the engine will die, especially if you are silly enough to put even one toe on the gas.

Fast backward: when I got the car I started by just turning the key, but was told that since this car has a carb, I need to give one firm pump on the gas letting up maybe half the travel, then twist the key.

At this point, one of two possibilities raises its head: the car starts beautifully and (if halfway warm) off I go for miles of smiles. Or it sputters once and expresses absolutely no interest in starting (particularly if blocking the street). Then it takes a fifteen minute nap and starts like it had become a wonderful day and runs happily thereafter for the day.

Am I flooding it? Does the carb need a specific reset? Once it decides not to start there is no partial ignition, no rough sputtery start--apparently I have organized union pistons....

Did I mention that thefuel pump is new and was rebuilt about three years ago by Arthur Gold. It has been on the bench waiting for a chance to show what it can do....

The car has gotten a recent tune with new points and plugs as well as a new distributor cap and condenser; wires were said to be ok.

Any suggestions would be welcome. I'm getting afraid to drive for fear of being marooned or abandoned.

Sounds to me like a lean mixture due to a misadjusted choke.

Quote:
"... starts easily in 30 degrees but will not run continuously until warm--after 5-10 minutes. Before that...engine will die, especially if you are silly enough to put even one toe on the gas.

...ive one firm pump on the gas letting up maybe half the travel, then twist the key."


TO begin with, when ambient temps are below 50 or 60 degrees ANY engine should be alloweed to warm up for at least 3 full solid minutes. It's not an electric motor.

"one firm pump" of the accelerator pedal before starting is a pie-in the sky explanation often used to describe a text book starting procedure. That is the MINIMUM requirement that will often work for SOME BUT NOT ALL, in fact not most engines.


Use this procedure AND EXPERIMENT WITH IT instead of trying to follow somekind of a text book set of directions:

At ambient temperatures below 60 degrees give the accelerator pedal a good swift push to the floor. IF temps are down in the 30 degrees to colder then mite require 3 or 4 such pumps of the pedal.

Hold gas pedal about 1/8 to maybe no more than 1/2 throttel. Engage starter to start engine. Once it fires USE TWO EARS to listen to the engine. If it sounds like it is trying to stall then PUMP THE ACCELLERATOR PEDAL with about 1/4 to 1/2 stroke to KEEP IT RUNNING.

IT is possible that the choke setting is too lean. Also the heat riser on the left exhaust manifold mite not be closing. BUT SYMPTOMS of THOSE PROBLEMS CAN BE OVERCOME by the above procedure i outlined above!!!

For ANY engine manufactured by ANY company past or present that happens to exhibit stalling when cold under ANY CONDITIONS then pumping the gas pedal to keep it running is a standard, usual, normal, customary and generaly accepted procedure.

Drive the car. Don't let IT drive you.

With a stick one can quickly disengage clutch and pump the gas pedal when the engine is attempting to stall. With an automatic it requires left footing the brake while pumping gas pedal to keep the motion of car under control if close obstructions are present.

I've seen people that simply can not do that with either sticks nor automatics. Maybe has something to do with personal coordintaiton, IDK. But if one does not know how to drive a car or lacks coordination of feet and has severe hearing problems then they should wait until the engine is at least reached operating temperature.

Pat, one possibility is that your exhaust manifold heat control valve isn't functioning properly or at all. The purpose of this valve is to enhance engine performance during the first 3-5 minutes after a cold startup.

Dear Pat:

You may have more than one thing going on here. I handled a 47 Cu8 that would die for no reason and then restart before any specific symptom could be isolated. At the dealer they would start throwing parts at it.

Let's look at the cold start and die issue. Pull the air cleaner and look at the choke action. If the pull off is worn out then the bimetal may be set lean to prevent flooding. Floor the accelerator and look at the butterfly. It should be firmly closed and when started be partially open. If it is open too much the car needs to warm up because the pull off is probably worn and you'll have to let it warm up. When new you could just start up and drive away whenever the temperature was above something like 20 degrees Farenheit.

The start and die and restart after fifteen minutes is more complicated. Check the ignition and pull the air cleaner to check for fuel. Prime the carb and check for a difference.

At least you can replicate the symptom.

Hope this helps.

Impressive suggestions. Will go at it Wednesday with many thanks, weather permitting.

When warm, it runs so well and seems to have more power, so we are making progress.

Mechanic has been over twice since my last post, each time assuring me that all is well except the choke needs a slight adjustment.

This morning I went to the garage and the car will not start or give the slightest sign of life. (It turns over fine, but that's it).

To the best of my knowledge we have done all the obvious things: carb rebuilt, tune-up, new vacuum hoses, fuel pump etc, etc....

When he gets it running, it runs fine, although it seems to go through gas very quickly.

I am at my wits end on this. I do not want to drive a car that may not start when called upon--for reasons that should be obvious.

start proicedure used to be to hop in and twist the key and off we went. Now I am told to depress the accelerator to set the choke, then let up and crank.

I'd really appreciate any knowledge you can share on this.

Step on the pedal is the way almost all did it to set things up. That was Packards recommendation as well although they had you depress it lightly and keep it depressed. Pushing the accelerator moves the linkage so the choke spring can close the choke, the fast idle cam step can move into position to be used, and in the slightly depressed state, a tiny squirt of gas primes the carb & manifold.

Unless the engine was flooded or you smelled gas, if it gave absolutely no sign of life I'd wonder if something happened to the ignition with all the work being done around in that area. The coil and distributor are next to the carb. It would be easy to knock a wire off or with some of the old terminals, perhaps one broke. If you still can't get it started I'd ask him to check there too.

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What is the number on the new spark plugs recently installed??? Need the ACTUAL NUMBER that is on the spark plug. Not book numbers, not mechanics trying to recall numbers, not recommended numbers, not numbers written on a work order release. The actual number PRINTED on the spark plug itself that is physically and currently installed in your engine.