Great starting became hard starting.

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swifty

swifty

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I have a rebuilt la 360 with about 500 miles on it.
262 comp cam
holley 600 with electric choke
hei ignition
18 degree advance ignition timing with 35 total.

Its not really a problem but not sure what happened. Car use to start excellent when cold. Touch the key fire right up, no need to touch throttle. Warm up on fast idle, blip the throttle, idle nice. Did not change anything but a few day ago came out to start and had to crank for 4 or 5 seconds. When it did start it ran rough and wanted throttle to keep it running. When it warms up it runs and idles fine. So I am wondering what changed? I checked the timing and fuel level and both are fine. I checked for vacuum leaks and changed the PVC with no change. I checked that choke was closed and it does if you tap the throttle, when closed. Choke opens when running. Any ideas what to check next?
 
I also forgot to mention vacuum is at 20, it is probably a little lower because gauge is at 3 and not 0 at atmosphere. I rechecked fuel idle mixture and had best vacuum with where they were at initially.
 
Is the weather turning cooler up there? It may be that the carb was not using the choke much before, and now it is. If that is the case, then try adjusting the choke leaner as suggested. If you don't have much driving experience with carbed engines, then these common cold start symptoms may be new.

Good vacuum numbers, even if it is 15-17".
 
nm9stheham said:
Is the weather turning cooler up there? It may be that the carb was not using the choke much before, and now it is
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It is slightly cooler but car is in a insulated garage so I do not think it is much cooler.[/QUOTE]
 
That is not the choke pull off. That is a part of the choke that literally 'pulls off' (opens) the choke when you open the throttle. But that it not operational at idle.

Regardless of it not being 'much' cooler, the choke may be closing more than before. It just may be too much for the temps. It won't hurt to adjust it leaner and see.
 
Before cranking, are you pressing the pedal to the floor to give a little shot of fuel and to let the choke close?
 
JoeSBP said:
Before cranking, are you pressing the pedal to the floor to give a little shot of fuel and to let the choke close?
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My question as well. Edelbrock carb? After they set a few days the fuel will evaporate out of the float bowls. If you were starting your car more often ehen the engine was new and now you only start it every few days or so that could be the issue. Normal operation. I can park mine and come back in a day or so and it takes right off. After 3 days or more I have to crank on it a bit to get it lit.
 
I am now. Before when it started great I did not do anything and it fired right up. After I thought about it some more, problem may have started after I changed the lokar throttle linkage that broke. I am doing all kinds of things to car to get done and all days look the same. I leaned choke out some. Will try when engine cools down.
 
swifty said:
I am now. Before when it started great I did not do anything and it fired right up. After I thought about it some more, problem may have started after I changed the lokar throttle linkage that broke. I am doing all kinds of things to car to get done and all days look the same. I leaned choke out some. Will try when engine cools down.
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You won't have fast idle unless you step down on the pedal when cold.
 
toolmanmike said:
You won't have fast idle unless you step down on the pedal when cold.
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I checked and it is on fast idle before I crank. I am thinking that before the throttle cable was too tight causing choke to be open farther and causing a higher idle. That's why it started without touching throttle. Now that it is looser it is using the idle screw for idle and is too slow. So maybe open choke leaner and give more fast idle.
 
Like I said earlier its not really a problem it starts with a little cranking. I am just wondering what happened to change it. When it started easy it was probably the best starting carb car I have ever had.
 
I would go back through and baseline the carb. Set floats, choke, idle circuit, etc.

Just check YouTube, tuning videos for days
 
I think I found the problem. Was leaning out choke and hit the throttle to set choke and fast idle. When I looked down carb throat the secondary's were very wet. Car has been sitting for a few hours. This is vacuum secondaries and car has not been running. So I will take carb off and go through. I suspect the needle and seat are not sealing. Am I right thinking secondary's should be dry?
 
No backfire. No power valve on secondarys. On some other forums sounds like it could be needle and seat.
 
Yea if you don’t really get into it and hold it often, you are likely to open the secondaries and find some snotty fuel.
 
Here's my 2cents;
I think you said; When the lokar was sticking the idle speed was higher. So at that time you had more T-port exposure.
Now with the cable relaxed, the throttle is closing too far down the T-port.
The solution of course is to increase the curb-idle adjustment. And if the idle speed is too high for you, then the only solution is to make sure the secondaries are closed up tight, but not sticking. And if the idle speed is still too fast then you will have to back off the timing.
The 18* of idle timing and 20inches of vacuum is telling me that your engine doesn't need or want that much idle-timing. The 262 is fighting back by being too far down on the transfers.
AJ's guide to Transfer Port Synchronization
 
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swifty said:
Am I right thinking secondary's should be dry?
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Yes, you are. Opening the throttle activates the accelerator pump but that is on the primary side only. Perhaps some dirt or gunk in the needle and seat on the secondary or a marginal secondary float setting. Or boiling of the modern day fuel may be contributing.
 
There ya go. Its a holley. AJ has some good advice.

My thinking is, old throttle linkage holding it off idle stop permitted choke to close without touching throttle. Now the changes made necessitate setting carb up from square one.
 
Picked up a half inch carb spacer to help with carb boil. Will pull carb off tonight and go through. I think I have enough parts lay in around to pretty much rebuild. I noticed some brown crap in filter. Everything on fuel system is new so I am thinking could of boiled off the fuel?
 
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