Hard starting Samantha

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Sylvester
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Location: Sylvester, Georgia
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Hard starting Samantha

Post by Sylvester » Fri Oct 18, 2019 6:15 am

After my Colin visit, I have gone to start Samantha once yesterday. It took awhile, while turning over she would catch just for a second, then continue to turn over. It took five times trying to get her to finally start. It reminded me of years ago in my Bug, the choke was stuck on no choke and I would either turn it over until it heated a little to start, or manually activate the choke the carb myself.

Unless there is a massive air leak somewhere, or the rubber plugs I have for the carb are not doing the job.

Samantha - rebuilt carburetor. 1600 DP, Pertronix. The carburetor does choke, I checked every time I started to see if it was on full choke. Getting gas, after started I drove for 10 minutes.

Would a troubleshooting be using carburetor cleaner spraying the carburetor itself and seeing if it is allowing more air than needed for starting? My goal is to at least start this in cool weather the first try.
Up, up the long, delirious, burning blue, I’ve topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace. Where never lark, or even eagle flew. And, while with silent, lifting mind I've trod, The high untrespassed sanctity of space, Put out my hand, and touched the face of God.

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Amskeptic
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Re: Hard starting Samantha

Post by Amskeptic » Fri Oct 18, 2019 9:43 am

Sylvester wrote:
Fri Oct 18, 2019 6:15 am
After my Colin visit, I have gone to start Samantha once yesterday. It took awhile, while turning over she would catch just for a second, then continue to turn over. It took five times trying to get her to finally start. It reminded me of years ago in my Bug, the choke was stuck on no choke and I would either turn it over until it heated a little to start, or manually activate the choke the carb myself.

Unless there is a massive air leak somewhere, or the rubber plugs I have for the carb are not doing the job.

Samantha - rebuilt carburetor. 1600 DP, Pertronix. The carburetor does choke, I checked every time I started to see if it was on full choke. Getting gas, after started I drove for 10 minutes.

Would a troubleshooting be using carburetor cleaner spraying the carburetor itself and seeing if it is allowing more air than needed for starting? My goal is to at least start this in cool weather the first try.

Hello Lee,
A) Check under the electrical taped mess of your brake booster-to-intake manifold and ensure that there are no air leaks along the booster-one-way-valve, etc. Yes, you need better vacuum block-off plugs if you have not already replaced them. Ensure that your idle air cut-off is really actually working. You will not get a good start without it clicking open.

B) Before even turning on the ignition, go back and snap open the throttle to set the choke. Is it freely mostly closed? Is the fast idle cam pushing the throttle lever open?

C) Try this experiment: Two full snap-opens of the throttle lever, then manually set the throttle screw on the end of the fast idle cam then try to start the engine without touching the gas pedal.

If it does catch and run, tap the accelerator if the idle gets too fast.
Let me know if the idle speed does or does not hold.
Colin
BobD - 78 Bus . . . 112,730 miles
Chloe - 70 bus . . . 217,593 miles
Naranja - 77 Westy . . . 142,970 miles
Pluck - 1973 Squareback . . . . . . 55,600 miles
Alexus - 91 Lexus LS400 . . . 96,675 miles

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