Starting it

[47ply]

Here's a dumb question that might save me trial and error trys.

 

Is this correct?

 

If engine cold, full choke, push gas twice and try to start 

 

Do i ever hold gas down or pump it or anything?

If engine warm just pump twice and start no choke?

 

Wondering if pushing the pedal a bunch or holding it open is ever called for 

 

Thank you

[Bryan]

Been so long I'm not sure. Only time you hold the pedal to the floor if it's hot and flooded.  Then you might still have to wait 10-15 minutes before you try it.   Cold I think you pull choke out full, when running then ease it in somewhat short of motor stumbling.

[soth122003]

Any starting, push in the clutch to unburden the tranny from the engine. 

Cold:

On cars with a manual choke there is a specific starting sequence you need to follow:
Pull the manual choke out 3/4 to 1 inch.
Pump the accelerator once or twice.
Then hit the starter button.
When you pull the choke out it doesn’t set the throttle on the fast idle ramp until you step on the gas once. At the same time a spring snaps shut the choke butterfly. This will insure easy cold engine starts.

 

On the leader bar above click the technical tab the click tech tips. A lot of good info in there.

 

Joe Lee

 

 

[Sniper]

Mine has the Sisson choke (automatic), with that it's pump once, hold it about a third open and crank.  Fires right up.

 

From what I remember about manual choke cars, pull the choke out, pump it once, fire it up.  But I haven't had a manual choke car since the early 90's and that was my 64 300, I put an Edelbrock carb on that wasn't compatible with the original choke and I was too cheap to buy Edelbrock's electric choke kit.  Had a 38 Plymouth around then too, but that was in San Diego, so no choke was really needed.

[47ply]

Thanks, I'll try that.

 

The carb has some linkage that i need to put back on, goes from top to bottom of carb but it still runs. I'll have to get some clips and put it on sometime.

 

 

[47ply]

If the engine temp is showing 160* do i even need the choke, even if it is freezing out?

[Doug&Deb]

Once the engine is at operating temperature you shouldn’t need the choke. Every carbureted engine has its own unique starting procedure. A little trial and error and it becomes second nature.

[keithb7]

Indeed every carbureted engine has its own unique starting sequence. There are so many variables. The engine’s general state of tune is a big one. 
 

Many of these old cars have crusty accelerator pump cups. 2 pumps of the gas pedal may do little to nothing for the engine. When you pump the throttle you are stroking a healthy accelerator pump. Forcing it to squirt a stream of raw has into the carb venturi.  The position of the accelerator pump linkage can vary as well. Short/medium/long stroke length.  Also known as Summer or winter settings. 
These can affect how many pumps of the gas pedal your particular engine likes. 
 

Holding the gas pedal down or partially down, you are opening the throttle valve at the base of the carb.  If you have leaky gaskets between the carb sections, (fairly common on these) results may indeed vary too. 
 

Tappet clearance or leaking valves can have a big impact on how easily your car starts, hot or cold. Compression levels too if quite low. A nice blue/white hot spark sure helps too. Plenty more points to discuss on spark quality. 
 

So if you are struggling to start your cold ot hot engine consider some variables. A well tuned, warmed up 6V flathead Mopar engine can start up before the starter turns the flywheel 1 revolution. Without the operator touching the gas pedal or choke. I’ve smiled with satisfaction every time it does so. 

Edited December 11, 2021 by keithb7

[Young Ed]

It's hard to remember but ive found if your engine is really hot just hitting the starter with no gas at all works on mine. 

[47ply]

Thanks

I just went outside and tried to start it. Its 17*. Would a carb rebuild help it start or would switching to 12v? The 6v system sounds so weak. Rem................rem..............rem..

[greg g]

I believe the owners manual calls for full choke, one pump to the floor to set high idle, then hold the gas pedal a 1/4 to 1/3 its travel then engage the starter.  Or pull out the throttle about half it travel if you car has a hand throttle.  These cars are only a few years removed from models that still had hand crank relievers on the crank pulleys.

 

State of tune is much more a factor than cranking speed.  The drill for hand cranking was,, close choke, open throttle, retard timing, put a cylinder on compression stroke, then give it a good tug. If you got one to fire, the others should light off too.  The old movie scenes where the guy is cranking the car like a washing machine wringer were for comedic purposes that did not mirror proper practice.

 

Another important issue is to assure that the starter and solenoid connections are operating with minimal resistance.  Good clean tight connections, heavy cable, and proper ground.  The more resistance the starter needs to overcome, the less voltage goes to the coil, less volts equals weaker spark.

[47ply]

There is a linkage missing from what looks like the choke to the throttle, is that important?

 

It did start this morning but it died and didn't want to start again, i asume i flooded it. I think I've noticed holding the pedal in a little helps it start.

 

It does have a hand throttle pull but i think it's not hooked up.

 

I'm wanting to figure all this out before i go on a drive cause I dont want to kill it and then not be able to start it again to get it home. Which seems to be the case. I can get it started but then i kill it and it won't start for a while.

[bamfordsgarage]

48 minutes ago, 47ply said:

Thanks

I just went outside and tried to start it. Its 17*. Would a carb rebuild help it start or would switching to 12v? The 6v system sounds so weak. Rem................rem..............rem..

My perspective and experience from 30 years driving a mechanically stock 1947 D25, the sister car to yours:

—  The 6-volt +ve ground system worked just fine back in the day and still will if properly maintained.

—  12-volt conversions have their place for various reasons, but if done just to help the car "start better" they are an expensive bandaid.

—  Really slow cranking "rem......rem........rem..." sounds like a weak battery and/or dirty connections.  Poor battery cable connections cause a lot more trouble with 6-volts than 12-vts (but cleaning them up costs a lot less than a 12-volt battery and all new bulbs)

—  I'm negligent when it comes to regular tune-ups (it's been several years and thousands of miles) but my D25  starts reasonably quickly at -15°C/5°F without being plugged in.

[47ply]

I just assumed  6v crank slow 

Starter is rebuilt.

I'll check all the wires and give it an oil change and see if that helps

30w oil right?

Is an old starter switch maybe why?

[Kilgore47]

The 47 P15 turned over slow when I got it.  It has the original 6 volt system.  So I cleaned all the grounds and battery connections and it still turned over slow.  Next I removed the starter - cleaned and re lubed it.  Still turned over slow.  Then I replaced the cables with 00.  Still turned over slow.  After all that I replaced the battery with one that has 1000 CCA.  Spins like a 12 volt now.

[keithb7]

A couple of my videos you should watch related to 6V performance:

 

 

 

 

 

 

[47ply]

Thanks I'll watch those now!

So for the first time i got it running and then shut it off and got it running again so that's a good sign. Throttle handle pull works so maybe I'll do some trial an error with that. 

 

I'd love to get the starter spinning fast so wonder if it just needs a beefy battery, I'll still clean all the connections and make sure wires are beefy.

 

As of now the pos ground goes to the water outlet bolt, is that wrong and maybe why?

[47ply]

Good video, I'll check the cables 

So is my ground in the wrong place on the water outlet bolt and what oil should i use, i was told 30w

 

Thank you

[greg g]

If you are planning to drive in cold weather you want sae10, or sae20 if 10 isn't available.

 

My old man stuck a couple 100watt trouble (shop lights) one near the float bowl, one near the battery overnight.  Car thought it was spring in the morning.  Then he found a heated di0stick that kept the oil warm too.

[Sniper]

Just run 10w30 and you will be just fine.

[LazyK]

7 minutes ago, Sniper said:

Just run 10w30 and you will be just fine.

just make sure it is NON detergent.

[Sniper]

lol, been running detergent 10w30 since I got my 51 2+ years ago.  nary a problem.  Been putting in MMO too, so I guess I am headed for a fall.

[Booger]

Im w Sniper on that one... 10W-30  First of the modern multigrades and performs well.  !0-30 ND if you wanted impossibe to find. And straight 30w going away as well. Discussion of oils go back to the last days of the Roman.empire. If your engine was broken in using a synthetic blend. Fine. I doubt it was  Extra virgin olive oil.. oops wrong forum

The hole on opposite end of throttle arm shouldnt be of concern, your using the top end

[greg g]

The throttle cable to the gas pedal bellcrank at least on my 46,  there is a second pivot arm that carries the throttle knob cable, that provides the adjustable secondary stop for the carb linkage.  This should work whatever position the high idle cam is in.

[Ranger]

Choke the hell out of it. Pump the hell out of it. Adjust choke as necessary as it warm up. Each car is different. You’ll learn what yours likes. A 12 volt conversion is nice and you can add a CD player and a cell phone charger but you also need to change the lights and fuel gauge.  Or switch from a 6 volt battery to an 8 volt.