Not Starting Well

[rbbailey]

Long story short, after working to try to fix what ended up being pinging at higher RPMs due to advanced timing, I have another problem.

The higher RPMs now have coughing and hesitation when I put my foot down to take a hill. I decided to see about addressing this as a fuel issue. I did a cursory cleaning of the carb with spray to see if any change was noted. While this did a lot for making it run better, the problem now is I can't get it started without spells, and prayers to Lucas, followed by a waiting period of some 3-5 minutes....

Even if it does start, and even if it runs great for 40 miles of mixed driving. It always runs rough, and even dies, whether warm or cold.

Choke works. Plugs fine. Dizzy fine.

Seems to want to start better with little choke when cold. More when warm. Small backfires too.

But again, whether warm or cold, it clears up once driving. Even when pulled up to stop light and idling.

Here is me trying to start it after it had been sitting for 20 minutes: https://flic.kr/p/DhS1ez

[rbbailey]

A good example of it starting when the engine had cooled for about two hours: https://flic.kr/p/DF7QLh

[lumpydog]

In your second video, sounds like pinging (hard to tell) can be heard. Go down the list.

- Make sure your points are clean and properly gapped. Use a points file.
- Make use your fuel bowl and filter are clean/clear.
- Since the problem started when you adjusted the dizzy - and it sounds like you have pinging, re-check it.
- Check the carb's rich/lean setting and also idle setting.

With the pinging at higher RPM, suspect the timing advance. Check the vacuum and centrifugal advance. Check that you are getting vacuum at the disty and also make sure the centrifugal weight springs aren't broken.

[edit] From your other videos, looks like you already checked the advancing mechanisms in your disty. Try timing then carb, then timing, then carb. There is a little interplay there. One improves and slightly changes the other so you need to dial them in a little to get them to work together. Another thought is maybe the float setting in your carb.

[rbbailey]

Yeah, this is pretty much what I've been doing. Which is why it I'm baffled -- the engine now runs better than it used to.

Before this starts were about 90% success on first try. Sometimes it just randomly didn't want to start, but it would not act strange after starting, and it would almost always start on second try.

[singingcamel]

Make sure you don't have have air leak at the carb base .


Yeah, this is pretty much what I've been doing. Which is why it I'm baffled -- the engine now runs better than it used to.

Before this starts were about 90% success on first try. Sometimes it just randomly didn't want to start, but it would not act strange after starting, and it would almost always start on second try.