trouble starting my 200 ci engine

[Anonymous]

It takes about 15 tries to start my car. The weird thing is that it only happens in the morning, throught out the day it starts perfectly fine. I dont know what the problem is. Also, i want to time my car but i dont what the idle should be and what the dwell should be. Any ideas?

 

[Anonymous]

With the starting problem in the morning, do you leave your car left on a slope? Maybe the gas is draining back into the gas tank. That could be why it takes so long to start in the morning and then starts fine later on in the day. Also is your choke working properly? Maybe the choke is left wide open and doesnt close. Then when the motor warms up it starts better. When you pump the gas the choke should snap shut to start when the engine is cold. For the idle speed I don't know what car you have but for my 65 falcon with a 200 cid the idle is 1000 when the engine is cold and 800 when it's warmed up.

 

[mikeyo]

Hi. I agree w. Reeders. Sounds like the fuel may be draining back to the tank. A modern fuel pump should not allow backward flow from the carb. This being said, there should be enough fuel in the carbs float bowl to get the engine running. If you have to pump the throttle to get it started, and then continue working the throttle until the engine warms a couple of minutes then be sure to check the choke. If the engine has been down say 8 or 10 hours or more then a tap of the gas pedal should allow the choke plate to close. Last check your ignition system. Make sure you are getting a strong, fat, blue spark that will jump a good 3/8" or more from the plug wire to ground. BE CAREFUL! hold the spark wire with a heavy rubber insulated glove or insulated fuse puller (industrial kind) and try not to touch the car while checking. I don't wanna get yelled at from someone getting the dickens shocked out of them...lol. The point being that a weak spark can make it hard to start a cold engine.

 

[Anonymous]

I have a chevy 400 that has a good choke & good ignition and has to be primed every time it sets for more than 3 days. Tiny gas leak in carb bowl, if all the fuel leaks out between cranking it is hard to get fuel pressure up on the starter fast enough to get it to crank. Typically hard starting like this is choke problems or ignition too far advanced. other possibilities are endless--bad plug wires, weak condensor, bad coil wire, bad points setting or condition. If your choke is closing nice and tight in the am I would start looking at plug and coil wire ends for corrosion and battery and starter wire connections also.
As far as tuneing I gap my points about 15-17 thousandths and set my timing at 10* before TDC. i believe book says 6*, plugs at 35. idle about 1000-1100 rpm (warm)--too slow is worse than too fast as oiling and charging works better with a little speed. although a 600 rpm idle sounds wonderfull. Had a 54 lincoln OHV v-8 that book said to idle at 450-500 rpm- loved to just watch it tick over. you could see the individual fan blades at idle. course it probally had a 75 lb flywheel.