What’s your cold start procedure if the car has been sitting?

[Zedder]

I was overzealous with the gas this morning and flooded the carb. What’s your cold start procedure if the car has been sitting for a few weeks/months?

[SuperNovaSS]

You can either let it sit for awhile or hold you foot all the way to the floor while cranking. That should help get the unturned fuel out. If that doesn’t do it, starting fluid may be your friend. I imagine it is pretty cold up there right now.

Jason

[Zedder]

Thanks Jason. It’s actually a beautiful day today!

Sorry, I meant cold start in general - not after it is flooded. I know I am thinking that I need to get it started quickly because I don’t want to kill the battery as I only use a tender when it’s in storage. That is making me pump the gas too much like an idiot!

[SuperNovaSS]

Every car can be a bit different. Takes getting used to. I’d try a couple pumps and foot to the floor.

Jason

[1971ls6]

My alluminum motor is 4 full pumps, yes not 3 or 2, it fires right up.

Steel big block was 2-3

Both without a choke blade

[Zedder]

Thanks! I’ll try 3 or 4 pumps and see how it goes. I’m going to charge the battery first so I’m not thinking about killing it turning the car over. It was close to starting so I kept pumping this morning and it puked some gas onto the manifold likely from the shaft as the inside of the breather was dry. I’m letting it evaporate fully before trying again.

Might as well polish it while I wait 😀

[KevinW]

The gas in my Qjet evaporates after a week. I don't touch the accel, crank it until the oil light goes out, try 1 pump, crank it, then 1 pump, then crank, etc. Usually takes 2 to three separate pumps to get the fuel bowl filled and it starts.

[TimG]

If it’s been a few weeks, I use a squirt bottle to fill the front bowl. That helps prime things.

[Zedder]

Thanks guys!

[Too Many Projects]

If it’s been a few weeks, I use a squirt bottle to fill the front bowl. That helps prime things.


His should be a quadrajet, no bowl vent tube.

The carb should have a working choke. Pump the pedal once to set the choke and then crank until it fires. If the gas has bled back to the tank, it can take a while to get it back. If it hasn't fired after 20 seconds, pump it once again then crank.
A good maintainer should be able to keep a healthy battery near peak and allow it to crank that engine for at least 3 minutes. If not, you may need a new/better battery.
You may want to invest in a decent jump box too, for times when a battery wears down prematurely. I've had one for several years and it has saved me many times.

[Zedder]

Thanks Mitch. Yes, it’s a QJ. Like I said, I’m to blame for trying to get it to start quickly. I’ll give it another shot tomorrow. It’s charging now.

[Big Block Bill]

I was overzealous with the gas this morning and flooded the carb. What’s your cold start procedure if the car has been sitting for a few weeks/months?

I took a drivability class at the GM training center in Hinsdale Illinois back in 1979 and the teacher Peter Hockmooth told a story about a GM training employee was called to a dealership to address a customer who complained his late 60’s Chevrolet would not start for him in the morning.
So he had the customer leave the car at the dealership overnight and they met in the morning to show how he started the car. The customer got in the car and started by pumping the gas pedal as he turned the key. The GM rep stopped him and told him to pump the gas pedal twice to set the choke and high speed idle cam and then told to roll down the window and get out of the car then he said to lean in the window and turn the key to start and it fired right up in a high speed idle. The after 30 seconds he told him to get in the car and hit the gas pedal once. From that point on he never had a starting problem the car. Driver error was the culprit.

[Zedder]

That wasn’t me…I swear! ;)

[Darth]

His should be a quadrajet, no bowl vent tube.

The carb should have a working choke. Pump the pedal once to set the choke and then crank until it fires. If the gas has bled back to the tank, it can take a while to get it back. If it hasn't fired after 20 seconds, pump it once again then crank.
A good maintainer should be able to keep a healthy battery near peak and allow it to crank that engine for at least 3 minutes. If not, you may need a new/better battery.
You may want to invest in a decent jump box too, for times when a battery wears down prematurely. I've had one for several years and it has saved me many times.

I'm no carburetor expert but I thought the tube at the front of the primaries on the 67 Qjets was a bowl vent tube. I've poured some fuel in there to start a dry engine and it seemed to work?

[flyingn]

my Judge with the Q jet can sit for 5 months and fire right up after about 3-4 seconds of cranking and settle to a 1100 rpm idle perfectly. the Torino on the other hand with a Quick fuel 750 sitting for that time can be a bit finicky. A quick spray of starter fluid into the air cleaner inlet and she fires right up. So it depends on the setup you have and how well its set up

[napa68]

I had seen a video on Youtube that was produced by Legendary Motorcar. What Klutt had suggested was to pump it twice, and wait 10 seconds before cranking (in order to let the raw fuel vaporize a little bit). I must say, I can tell a decided difference with that practice (assuming your carb is not leaking down and has fuel in it for the accelerator pump).

[Zedder]

Thanks for all of the advice guys. My son is 21 and he came home while I was out in the garage yesterday playing around with the car. I explained what was going on and he said, “you have to pump the gas to start the car?”. Then it struck me that it’s been 13 years since I’ve had a carbureted car in the garage.

[Zedder]

Thanks to all who offered advice. I found the problem…me! I was so focused on trying to start it quickly that I was flooding the car. Went out this morning with a stone cold motor that hadn’t been started in 2 weeks because of the rain. 3 pumps of the gas, turned the key and it fired right up! Never stalled once. Took her for about a half hour drive around the neighbourhood. It’s shocking how an old car makes people smile!

My Son asked if I was embarrassed that I had forgotten how to start an old car. Hell no! I’m old too, so you gotta cut me some slack 😀

She’s back on the lift. Going for a drive down by the lake in the 993 with my daughter before she takes off to Calgary for the week.

[Too Many Projects]

I'm no carburetor expert but I thought the tube at the front of the primaries on the 67 Qjets was a bowl vent tube. I've poured some fuel in there to start a dry engine and it seemed to work?


The wire on the accelerator pump arm that lifts the rubber stop is the bowl vent. The tube seems to be over the enrichment needles in the jets, so pouring gas in there would get into the intake to prime the engine, but I don't know if the gas is actually going into the bowl. I'm not familiar enough with that particular carb and tube.

[Zedder]

From what I’ve read, I believe Darth is correct. Someone recommended putting a slim object down there and pushing gently to free up a stuck float.

[Too Many Projects]

Interesting. No idea why they had a vent tube AND the rubber seal vent that the accel pump arm lifts ??
In your situation from a few months back with the stuck float, they usually stick to the bottom of the bowl when it dries out, holding the needle open. Pushing may jar it enough to free up, but a short shot of carb cleaner with the straw down that tube may be a better tactic to dissolve the gummy residue left from oxygenated fuel and free the float. No idea if you Canadians have to deal with the oxygenated crap gas, but I only run non-oxy in anything I have a with a carburetor.