Starts On Second Crank.
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 27
Likes: 0
From: coral springs fl
Starts On Second Crank.
hi, my 1980 will never start on the first crank when its cold. it wil turn, turn and turn. but on the second crank it starts right up. is this a fuel pump problem? thanks.
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 10,362
Likes: 5
From: San Diego - Deep Within The State of CONFUSION!
Originally Posted by schi74
hi, my 1980 will never start on the first crank when its cold. it wil turn, turn and turn. but on the second crank it starts right up. is this a fuel pump problem? thanks.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 7,463
Likes: 1,485
From: Little Rock AR
Probably the fuel is leaking out of the bowl well plugs while sitting. If you can fire it back up right away from a cold start, your bowls ran dry and the fuel pump was buizy filling it back up while you were cranking.
-Mark.
-Mark.
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 1999
Posts: 2,897
Likes: 0
From: Moon Township PA
Originally Posted by schi74
hi, my 1980 will never start on the first crank when its cold. it wil turn, turn and turn. but on the second crank it starts right up. is this a fuel pump problem? thanks.
If you are talking about cold as in after sitting all night or for many hours, then you have what sounds like a normal operation for an old carb equipped car. As others have suggested, the fuel is draining out of the carb and must be refilled by cranking the engine before it will start. OTH, if you are talking about letting is sit for 30 minutes or so, it should start right up. Same thing for some of the fumes you smell in the garage on shutdown. Limited evaporative controls and you get some interesting fuel/oil/exhaust smells in the garage.
After I had a complete and thorough rebuild of my original Holley, the car could now sit for a day or two and still have fuel in the bowls.
Gary
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 4,071
Likes: 0
From: San Diego CA
Curious, is he pumping the accelerator a few times before turning the key? When cold I usually press the accelerator about 1 - 5 times, depending on how cold it is. On a really warm day sometimes I don't even have to pump it at all.
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 3,296
Likes: 8
From: Avon, Indiana
My '80 does the same thing.Cold where I live is under 60 degrees, but there is a difference in starting at 60 vs 80.I crank her once, then pump twice and she kicks in on the second crank.
Very temperature sensitive. When it's cooler it takes a while for the idle to come down.
Very temperature sensitive. When it's cooler it takes a while for the idle to come down.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 924
Likes: 15
From: DFW Metroplex Texas
When I bought my Vette recently, the salesmen reminded me about "pumping the gas pedal " prior to starting. It had been a very long time since I owned an "older" ca,r so I actually forgot about doing that.
I belive pressing on the gas prior to starting is like setting the choke(??). The very first car I owned, a late 60's buick, had to be pumped about 5 times on a cold morning to even have a remote chance to start
.
I belive pressing on the gas prior to starting is like setting the choke(??). The very first car I owned, a late 60's buick, had to be pumped about 5 times on a cold morning to even have a remote chance to start
.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 6,247
Likes: 471
From: Glen Allen, VA
Take the top of the air cleaner off when the car is dead cold after having sit all night. Go inside the car, and pump the gas pedal to the floor once, now go back out and see if the choke plate is closed off. It should be closed completely. If not, your choke needs adjustment. FWIW, on mine I pump it twice to the floor and then start it. The first time sets the choke, and I figure 1 more time to put a little extra gas in the carb. I acutallky tried more than 2 times once, and it flooded the carb. I have a Q-jet carb. Actually after the car has set for a few days or more, even with 2 pumps it still cranks for a couple of seconds before starting. Again though, this is all dead cold only, once it's been started once, it starts right up.