Starting issues
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Joined: Jun 2010
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Starting issues
I have a 72 vert 350ci. I just had it out for a ten mile ride and parked it for about an hour. I tried to restart it and it will not fire. It turns over fine, we tried a quick shot or two of ether, without luck. This happened before about a month ago. I let it sit overnight and it fired up fine the next day and have driven numerous times since.
It is parked at my buddys house for the night, but it is outside.
Do i have a flooded carb, a stuck choke, or am I looking at an electrical problem?
Any suggestions?
It is parked at my buddys house for the night, but it is outside.
Do i have a flooded carb, a stuck choke, or am I looking at an electrical problem?
Any suggestions?
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 23,419
Likes: 22
From: In limbo
St. Jude Donor '13-'15, '17 thru '22
Using "starting fluid" or ether on your classic car is a bad idea in my opinion. Too much risk of punching a hole in a piston.
That said, if the car is flooded, you should be able to get it started by flooring the gas pedal and cranking. It might take some cranking, but if that is the only problem, it will start. If that doesn't work, I would pull a spark plug, re-connect it to the spark-plug wire, hold the metal part on the side next to a grounded item (like exhaust manifold) and turn the engine over. If you can see the spark jumping, your electricals are probably fine, if not, you will need to find what is going haywire.
That said, if the car is flooded, you should be able to get it started by flooring the gas pedal and cranking. It might take some cranking, but if that is the only problem, it will start. If that doesn't work, I would pull a spark plug, re-connect it to the spark-plug wire, hold the metal part on the side next to a grounded item (like exhaust manifold) and turn the engine over. If you can see the spark jumping, your electricals are probably fine, if not, you will need to find what is going haywire.
Safety Car
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 3,732
Likes: 710
From: Shelton, Connecticut
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16
Check for the float
If you have a Q-Jet carb, check to see if the float is weighted due to absorbing gas. It will flood the bowl. Since it cranks, the starter appears OK. Have you set the points correctly? Is there play in the distributor shaft?
Thread Starter
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Joined: Jun 2010
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I stopped by tonight expecting the worst and hoping for the best. I hopped in and she fired up with no hesitaion as soon as I turned the key.
Just like last time, I let her sit overnight and she runs, idles and performs fine.
Any suggestions for preventing this from happening again?
And....what do you think happened?:
Just like last time, I let her sit overnight and she runs, idles and performs fine.
Any suggestions for preventing this from happening again?
And....what do you think happened?:
Racer
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 269
Likes: 0
Years ago, I had the same problem with a Cadillac I owned. Turned out that my fuel return line was clogged. To this day I really don't know why that would be any sort of issue but I suppose that maybe I was getting vapor lock on the feed side because the fuel wasn't circulating fast enough??? (guessing here...)
All I know is that I cleared the block in the return line back to the tank and I didn't have that 'no start after run' issue.
I have also had the "would not crank" after run issue but that was a hot starter and a heat shield solved that problem.
Hope some of this helps. Good luck to you!
All I know is that I cleared the block in the return line back to the tank and I didn't have that 'no start after run' issue.
I have also had the "would not crank" after run issue but that was a hot starter and a heat shield solved that problem.
Hope some of this helps. Good luck to you!
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 1,198
Likes: 0
From: staten island new york
St. Jude Donor '10
i got to keep my eys and ears open on this thread cause i'm experiencing the same problem. i have a holly 650cfm carb and hei dizzy. had the problem,got a short tow. next morning car started fine @ the shop. mech found that my water pump and fan clutch were n/g. i took the car back while we waited for parts to come in. so i drove the car home (1 mile) washed it and went to go put it away. car wouldn't start. (crank but no start) i ordered a dizzy from summitt. he came to my house put it in and it fired right up. he timed the car also said that he leaned out the carb. went to red bank car a couple of weeks ago and when i got home i shut her down then went to put it away and same problem. NO START CRANK BUT NO START.....
Drifting
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 1,546
Likes: 5
From: Sacramento California
These problems sound like an old coil that gets hot and fails. most coils are as old as the car, but like stated earlier you need to check for fuel and spark before attempting any further diagnosis, then at least you know what you're dealing with.
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Racer
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 269
Likes: 0
Good idea! I didn't think of that but you are right. I had a coil do this to me once as well. Do they still sell those coil checkers that you place on the center post and it lights up when you crank the engine?
Pro
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 592
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MY '73 was acting up sometimes she would start right away and other times she would run for a litle while then sputer and die going 55 MPH. Finally she simply laid down and died. We had her towed to a shop and they found the distributors was completely fried.
Currenty she sits at the shop waiting for the distributor to arrrive so it can be installed. We are hopeing this is the only issue for a while anyhow. We want to be able to get out and drive her. She arrived at our home in Missouiri from Florida the middle of June and haven't gotten to enjoy her yet. I will always wonder if the owner knew the distributor would have to be replaced.
The transporter drove her onto the transport truck and told us she started right up for him.
Currenty she sits at the shop waiting for the distributor to arrrive so it can be installed. We are hopeing this is the only issue for a while anyhow. We want to be able to get out and drive her. She arrived at our home in Missouiri from Florida the middle of June and haven't gotten to enjoy her yet. I will always wonder if the owner knew the distributor would have to be replaced.
The transporter drove her onto the transport truck and told us she started right up for him.
Pro
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 592
Likes: 0
YAHOOOOOO!!!! After having a new distributor and wireing installed in our "73 she runs like a striped ape.
Next we are having door panels and new seat belts installed....if only we could locate someone in our area that has expereince with this type of work.
Next we are having door panels and new seat belts installed....if only we could locate someone in our area that has expereince with this type of work.