Starting Problems w/ my 68

[Anonymous]

I have a 68 Mustang with a 200 I6.
Im having problems starting it cold. The only way I can seem to get it started is a shot of Starter Fluid. Once its warm it starts fine. The choke seems to be working fine. The only thing that I can see is the plastic cap on the back of the carb where the choke cable connects is kinda loose.
Any suggestions would be much appreciated.

 

[ludwig]

That black cap is what allows the choke to function properly. Inside is a spiral spring that closes and opens the choke. If the spring is not anchored in the slot inside the cap, it will not engage or pull off the choke.

You need to take the cap off, make sure the coil spring is engaged in the little slot and re-install it securely, then check the choke flap to make sure it is closing and opening properly. You adjust the movement by turning the cap one way or the other. When you get it working properly, screw the cap down tight.

There is a small tube coming off the exhaust manifold to the choke pull-off. When hot air gets to the spring, it causes it to expand and this pulls the choke off. If the spring/tube arrangement doesn't work properly, the choke will not engage. Or it might not pull off.

 

[pedal2themetal45]

befor you mess with the choke check you accelator pump... Thats seams to be the main prob with not starting when cold and the choke works no shot of gass or not enough to get its juices flowing.. Check to see there is a shot of gas when you move the linkage..
tim

 

[JackFish]

I usually give a few pumps with the accelerator before starting, and once all the way to the floor, which is supposed to set the choke.
Just checking on the start-up procedure.
As was stated in the other post if the accel. pump is shot and the choke isn't set it can be tough to prime a cold motor.

 

[ludwig]

Well, you can visually check and see if your choke is closing or not. Take the air cleaner off and do the start up procedure the other guys mentioned. Usually, you push the accelerator all the way to the floor and the spring will flip the choke plate closed. The heat from the air tube will pull it back off. This can get garbled up if you fool with the mechanism and then the engine warms up.

Just pull the aircleaner and see whats up with a cold start. If it doesn't close, you know its the spring. If it does close, start looking somewhere else.

 

[grocery getter]

befor you mess with the choke check you accelator pump... Thats seams to be the main prob with not starting when cold and the choke works no shot of gass or not enough to get its juices flowing.. Check to see there is a shot of gas when you move the linkage..
tim

doesn't hurt to check. but, if the accel pump was bad it would be falling on it's face (hesitate) everytime you stepped on the gas.

full tune-up and a compression check can't hurt.

 

[JackFish]

Is this a manual choke, or what?
"Black cap" = electric, so maybe the wire for it is that of which he speaks. :

 

[ludwig]

the plastic cap on the back of the carb where the choke cable

Tighten it up, make sure it works and then go to phase two.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for all the suggestions. It is a manual choke. Pulling the choke cable w/ the pedal down seems to be closing the flap fully. I will check it over to see if anything you guys suggested seems to be the problem. Once started it seems to run fine. hitting the gas doesnt seems to make the engine hesitate.
Thanks again

 

[Shrinkdude]

Here is a shot in the dark.
I had a problem where it was very hard to start if it had been sitting for a couple days. I finally realized my problem when I switched to a DS2. My vacuum line was going to the base of the carb so it was getting full advance right off the start. I had to pump it dozens of times to get it started. The hard starting wasn't there after the engine had ran for a bit. Once I put the line to the carb it was alot easier to start.
Just something to check.

 

[fordconvert]

Shrinkdude, Are you using the ford module with your DS2? This would be the situation where that (white?) wire would be used to give the 10* retard during cranking?

 

[Anonymous]

I would check 2 things first.
1 --see if the accel pump squirts before you try cranking it the first time--sometimes carbs develop a problem that lets the bowl lose all its gas when parked any length of time. I have an old motor home that the carb goes dry on all the time when parked over any time. If it has a healthy squirt before you try cranking then likely not your problem. If you just dump a little gas down the carb and it fires right up then this could be the culprit. The starting fluid could get going just long enough for the fuel pump to fii her up more. Could even be a low float level. Takes a lot of gas to crank er when cold.
2-- what is your timing set at? Too much or even too little initial advance is problematic at times.

If niether of these pan out it may simply be time for a tune-up. --eg rotor, Plug wires, dizzy cap etc. Also look for a vacumn leak. with the choke closed it will take air from the easiest path eg a vac leak below the throttle plate=air and no fuel.