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My 288 is hard to start after sitting over night.I have to use starting fluid to get it going.after that it cranks all day just fine...any suggestions? All help appreciated

It would help to know if the carb is empty of gas and it needs a lot of pumping and cranking before the carb fills which is alleviated by the starting fluid or if the mixture is just too lean because of the choke not closing.

On the chance it is choke related. some have gotten into the habit of giving the accelerator pedal a pump to release the choke so it can fully close and also give the carb a squirt of gas before turning on the key and starting.

I'm gonna try pump n it a couple of times..choke is closed and opens normal when warmed up....I think the bowl may b leaking out our fuel line sipbhoning
back to rank.runs great warmed up...does rock the car a bit at idle

Glad to hear the choke valve is apparently functioning normally, that eliminates one possibility.

Fuel in the carburetor bowl can not siphon back to the tank for 2 reasons. (1) the fuel inlet to the bowl is above the liquid level, and (2) the fuel pump has one-way valves which prevent a reverse direction flow.

When is the last time the engine had a comprehensive tune up?

It had plugs,wires and points when I first got it..it runs fine just hard to start when cold.when its warm it idles good but body rocks lime maybe idle is to low but when I speed up the idle I feel its to fast but rocking of body seems better.i don't hear a skip at all..

On my 47, I find it best to push the pedal all the way to the floor before turning ON the key. This may put a little gas in the intake manifold if the carb. isn't empty and also this makes sure that the Auto-Choke is reset to the closed position once you let the pedal all the way back up.
Next with the key in the ON position, I push on the pedal slowly until it starts to crank ( I often find I can take a little pressure off the pedal while it's cranking, this insures that I'm not pressing so far as to open the choke at all.) Once it fires, I remove the pressure from the pedal.
This works for me. Also below is from the Packard Manual.
Wes

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I've tried it the way the manual says.it only does it after sitting for a day or two.one time it wouldn't start after a few tries so I gave up,but when bi came out later it fired right up...ki da wierd..makes me think fuel issue..lines are cljean,new fitter and pump
...I wonder if te caccum side of the pump could b causing an issue

Wow..I could check my typing!!sorry!

I had similar cold starting issues with my 1950 Series 23 288 engine. After checking and fixing everything I could think of I finally solved the problem. I installed an electric fuel pump controlled by a switch on the dash. The pump is installed in front of the radiator core support where it is cool and does not show. The fuel line is in parallel with the mechanical pump so a regulator is not needed. To start cold I turn on the electric pump and wait a few seconds to let the carburetor fill up. Then with the key off I pump the gas 6 or 7 times to set the choke and pump some gas into the manifold. Then I turn on the ignition and the engine starts right away. Then I turn off the electric pump and drive away.

This method only works when cold. If the engine is hot it floods with too much fuel due to pumping the throttle. When hot I use the Packard instructions with no pumping.

When driving the car on a hot day the electric pump fixes vapor lock.

I may try the electric pump.I really don't want to mess with the wiring alot.it's in poor condition.thanks for the advice.I'll keep looking.I have not cleaned or replaced vaccum line from pump to wipers.I may have a vaccum leak.there is a port on the intake in rear that is only covered with tape..got to check it out.I think it's a port that was used on a elecromatic clutch,which I don't have