Hard Starts

[philo_beddoe]

Probably a popular problem when us in the north get down to single digit temps. But nonetheless, why is it tough to start after sitting for a couple or a few days? Choke adjustment? Why dont it start at the touch of a key like new cars?

[zieg85]

Carbs just be that way... is the best explanation I got.  They all take a couple of pumps

[1967KaiserM715]

Modern cars have "instant" fuel because the injectors can start giving fuel the instant the motor starts to turn over. They can also provide the extra fuel needed for cold stars.

Carbureted cars don't have that instant fuel, partly because of fuel evaporation from sitting and partly because they need some air flow to start "pulling" fuel down the the intake, pumping the gas gives a couple squirts of fuel which can help in cold starts


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[philo_beddoe]

Understood,  but they can get flooded easily. Here is a short part of a column in the "ask ray" section of Hemmings. 


Make sense?

[Irish_Alley]

yes and no. i noticed with my mud truck when i bypassed the old tank and old mechanical pump with a boat tank in the cab and electric pump. if i turn the key on for a few seconds she will start right up. i dont know if its from the fuel evaporating in the fuel bowl or what

[philo_beddoe]

Oh, BTW, truck sat since last thurs. The temp went from 10 to -13 wind chill to 50 and back to 10. Typical new england. Anyway,,,4 or 5 pumps of the gas pedal, started right up.

[philo_beddoe]

Well now that starting is fine when its super cold, giving it 4 or 5 pumps works great. But I have another cold problem, or maybe its not a problem. Here is the question..

How do I eliminate the high idle all together? I mean so I DON'T HAVE to "kick it down". It was stated in my HMM magazine by a good tech, that's its best to not let your vehicle idle to warm temp before driving off, that that's the worst thing for an engine. But instead, start the engine and drive off slowly and let warm up come gradually (and quicker).

I have been doing that lately, but today (really cold out) since I don't let the vehicle warm up in the driveway and kick it down before driving off, I got all the way to work and the engine was still racing. Here is my question again..

How do I eliminate having to kick it down to normal idle? (so the engine NEVER races high in the first place)

Why does it race high? Don't get me wrong, it's not screaming and I know about the high idle screw adjust. But I never want it to go above normal warm idle rmp in the first place, no matter how cold. Manual choke, or a simple adjustment?

[gunrac]

Maybe I'm old school, but I don't even attempt to put in gear until temp. gauge move's up a touch. Cold starts are hard on any engine, but I think what is just as important, is to get the tranny fluids moving a few min. before take off.

I also always thought high idle starts was designed to operate just as they do, getting fluids moving an warming up engine an trans. My high idle will gradually slow down a bit, when I hear or see that on RPM gauge, that when I kick down and get my regular idle.

Maybe I've been wrong all these yrs. but living in town, with several short runs, "lite to lite" I know if I kick down to early and try to go, all I get done doing is feathering gas peddle and riding the brake until temp. gets up a little, or it will die on me.

[bd]

Well now that starting is fine when its super cold, giving it 4 or 5 pumps works great. But I have another cold problem, or maybe its not a problem. Here is the question..

How do I eliminate the high idle all together? I mean so I DON'T HAVE to "kick it down". It was stated in my HMM magazine by a good tech, that's its best to not let your vehicle idle to warm temp before driving off, that that's the worst thing for an engine. But instead, start the engine and drive off slowly and let warm up come gradually (and quicker).

I have been doing that lately, but today (really cold out) since I don't let the vehicle warm up in the driveway and kick it down before driving off, I got all the way to work and the engine was still racing. Here is my question again..

How do I eliminate having to kick it down to normal idle? (so the engine NEVER races high in the first place)

Why does it race high? Don't get me wrong, it's not screaming and I know about the high idle screw adjust. But I never want it to go above normal warm idle rmp in the first place, no matter how cold. Manual choke, or a simple adjustment?

Fuel injection.

[philo_beddoe]

Well now that starting is fine when its super cold, giving it 4 or 5 pumps works great. But I have another cold problem, or maybe its not a problem. Here is the question..

How do I eliminate the high idle all together? I mean so I DON'T HAVE to "kick it down". It was stated in my HMM magazine by a good tech, that's its best to not let your vehicle idle to warm temp before driving off, that that's the worst thing for an engine. But instead, start the engine and drive off slowly and let warm up come gradually (and quicker).

I have been doing that lately, but today (really cold out) since I don't let the vehicle warm up in the driveway and kick it down before driving off, I got all the way to work and the engine was still racing. Here is my question again..

How do I eliminate having to kick it down to normal idle? (so the engine NEVER races high in the first place)

Why does it race high? Don't get me wrong, it's not screaming and I know about the high idle screw adjust. But I never want it to go above normal warm idle rmp in the first place, no matter how cold. Manual choke, or a simple adjustment?

Fuel injection.

I know, l love the way new vehicles kick down all by themselves in about 25 seconds and idle perfectly all day the same rpm. Must be nice.

Wasnt avail in the 70's.

Can we do to these engines like the small 2 stroke stuff. Choke-start-let off choke-go?

Anyone ever convert to manual?

[VileZambonie]

You're thinking backwards. What you describe you want is a TBI system.

If you want it to come off of fast idle sooner try adjusting the choke.

[zieg85]

Well now that starting is fine when its super cold, giving it 4 or 5 pumps works great. But I have another cold problem, or maybe its not a problem. Here is the question..

How do I eliminate the high idle all together? I mean so I DON'T HAVE to "kick it down". It was stated in my HMM magazine by a good tech, that's its best to not let your vehicle idle to warm temp before driving off, that that's the worst thing for an engine. But instead, start the engine and drive off slowly and let warm up come gradually (and quicker).

I have been doing that lately, but today (really cold out) since I don't let the vehicle warm up in the driveway and kick it down before driving off, I got all the way to work and the engine was still racing. Here is my question again..

How do I eliminate having to kick it down to normal idle? (so the engine NEVER races high in the first place)

Why does it race high? Don't get me wrong, it's not screaming and I know about the high idle screw adjust. But I never want it to go above normal warm idle rmp in the first place, no matter how cold. Manual choke, or a simple adjustment?

I always have my fast idle set about 200 rpms higher than base idle.

https://video.search.yahoo.com/yhs/search?fr=yhs-itm-001&hsimp=yhs-001&hspart=itm&p=rochester+quadrajet+fast+idle+adjustment#action=view&id=1&vid=6c53db1c31fbcafa7a6598443fcc6ba0

[1967KaiserM715]

I would adjust the choke and high idle, almost everything carbed I own needs a little extra throttle or choke time in the winter. It's just the nature of the beast.

I guess I should say that while running a cold engine at idle for a few minutes is slightly harmful to the engine; gas is a cleaner, cold engines need more gas, some of that gas "cleans" the cylinders of protecting oil deposits that would reduce wear. It is also just as harmful to put power to an older cold engine as you have no idea if you are leaning out the cylinders too much(creating hot spots) Letting the truck run for a few minutes while scraping frost or trying to defog the window IMHO is much better then trying to take off right away on a cold engine.


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[blazer74]

The choke and high idle is just the way it is for carbs to overcome cold friction of the engine to get it started and keep it running until it comes up to temp.

If you lower your high idle and reduce your choke spring tension your not going to like the result.

[Stewart G Griffin]

1) What carb you got?
How much cranking do you have to do to get it to start when cold?

2) Actually Cadillac had electronic fuel injection on the 76 Seville............
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cadillac_Seville
Also note, some sevilles had 5x5 bolt pattern.

3)