Cold Start problems with Holly 2bb

[2Blew2B]

All,
I have been having a problem getting the engine started in cold weather.

History = totally rebuilt engine
Installed a electric choke

I had it running yesterday but today the weather was pretty cold. Also, the only way I have been able to get it started now a days is by using a remote starter under the hood. I have to play with the choke plate and throttle, then it seem just by luck. Today, I couldn't get it started for anything.

Stephen

 

[rbohm]

8) when you say you have to play with the choke, do you have to open it or close it?

 

[ludwig]

Couple of questions:

1) Is the choke actually closing when it is cold? If not, depress the accelerator completely ONCE before you first start to crank it. The choke does not jump into place just because it is cold. Depressing the pedal engages the choke. Modern EFI systems jump to life without even depressing the pedal and this may be your start routine.

2) Is the choke ALL the way closed or is there some residual spacer for air to get in when it is actually closed? The gas needs some air to combust. The choke just puts more fuel with the mix for the start. If it closes all the way, you are getting a flooding situation; no air and too much gas.

If this is a go, then - assuming you have fire - you either have too little or too much gas and you need to sort that out next.

 

[2Blew2B]

All,
thanks for the help. i had to do a little reading to understand the system. I put the electric coke on, held the throttle, then craked the choke plate 1/8'. Then tightened the 3 screws on the electric choke cap. Pump the throttle 2 times and pushed in a little. Cranked right up. Been very cold here with record snow falls. It has cranked every day. Thanks all

Steve

 

[Ronbo]

I just put one on my car (Georgia) and noticed the INDEX mark doesn't line up where its supposed to. Me thinks the quality is slipping a little more Like the the big Lud said, I had to make sure in a "start" condition air was coming in. I pulled the carb off this past weekend to check the install and its was correct per instructions so....I can only believe that the manufacturer put the wrong cap in there or it wasn't made correctly.

Ron

Glad it worked for you though, I love the electric choke AND the A/C soldenoid they sell for the carbs.

 

[2Blew2B]

Ron,
The alignmemnt marks did not line up.. I also followed the instuctions but that did not work. I had to rotate the cap quite a bit to get the 1/8' clearence wit the throttle pressed. I wouldn't pay attention to those markings.

Steve

 

[Ronbo]

RGR that. Good to know I'm not alone! On the Bronco it lines up perfect so I'm guessing that like everything else, quality is going down hill for us. I wasn't going to mention how far I went but since you did it was waaaay past where it should have been. Makes you wonder what other hidden problems there are with the carb. Mine was brand new, off the shelf. Sheesh!

Ron

 

[ludwig]

There is no gear or mechanism in there that needs to line up. It is nothing but a bimetal spring coil anchored on the cap that pushes against the choke pull-off. It expands and contracts with heat (from whatever source: exhaust air, electricity, coolant flow). It seems to me that different spring manufacturers will make the springs slightly differently so they are not all exactly the same size. The only consistent thing they must do is pull off at the same rate. So some may be longer and some may be shorter and the marks won't line up as they did when all the springs came from one American manufacturer 40 years ago.