VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1929-1932 Spring starting issues

It seems that every spring my 31 doesn't want to start. I end up having to spray gas into the carb to get it going. After that first start it work fine all season. What's the best guess as to what is happening and is it normal? Does anyone find it necessary to add an electric fuel pump? I've never used one on any of my early cars. I'm guessing either the fuel line drains or the gas in the bowl evaporates.

Ok I will jump in on with my suggestion. Others may have other recommendations or corrections to what I do every year for start up.
What you experiences seems to be normal for me as well since many times the gasoline may evaporate a bit.

The day before I plan on starting I remove the valve cover and shoot a little oil on the valve guides and down the pushrods to lube the lifters as well as the rocker arms.
Remove spark plug and put a little oil in the cylinders.
Next day I remove the coil wire to the distributor and slowly hand crank (with the plugs removed) watching to make sure the valves/pushrods are free.
If all looks good, I hook up the full charge battery and let the engine spin a few rotations with the plugs still removed to try and bring some gasoline through the system to the carb,
Then put in the plugs, hook up coil wire, open the choke and she starts every time (with some smoke till the oil burns off)
I try not to rev the engine too high at first start until the oil gets flowing but ease on the throttle as it warms up.

electric fuel pump - not sure since others have used them but I would expect you would get your gasoline to the carb much quicker.

Interesting to see what others suggest - my procedure may be over kill. :-)

Happy Motoring!
John Lanning

Reply to the first question., ....yes the carburetor is dry. A good fuel pump should refill it after 30 seconds or less of starter cranking unless cranking speed is too slow or the fuel pump is weak.

Reply to next post......Over the last 40 + years of have never done any of those tihngs with my cars (had up to six cars many years) and never had a problem.

If you don't mind going through all that work keep it up.

Ha - I would agree with you Chevygene....sometimes I thought it an overkill on what I did every spring. Maybe it is the need to get a little grease under my fingernails in the spring ;-)

Just to confirm what Gene says, a lot of cranking after a long layup is normal for these cars. The fuel in the carburetor float bowl does tend to evaporate away over time and it takes the mechanical fuel pump about 30 seconds of cranking to refill it. Knowing this, you can speed things up a bit by pulling the choke all the way out until the engine fires, then proceed with normal starting. Every one of the '29-'31s I've owned was exactly this way. It's actually a good thing in a way, because the oil pump runs for about 30 seconds while you crank, which gets a little more oil up into the engine before it fires up.


All the Best, Chip

Thank you all, I may replace my fuel pump as I am not sure how long ago it was last rebuilt. I really don't want to go the electric fuel pump way.

i just rebuilt my fuel pump not too long ago... if possible just rebuild it. pretty simple and instructions are pretty straight forward.

1929 Fuel Pump Rebuild

I have installed electric pumps om my 49 and 54 just for filling the carb, they both would crank a while even after sitting a few weeks. Started the 49 today first time since last fall, filled the carb and it fired right. Getting it ready for the spring tour.

I have 4 cars, a '24 Dodge, '27 Model T, the '32 Chev and a '59 Chev.
I move a battery tender around during the off months, which is going to be LOT more OFF the way the weather is going.......
At any rate I quit using a gasoline stabilizer a few years ago but I start them and let the engines warm up every month or two when the days are above freezing.
On the rare occasion one might not fire up quickly I have a squirt can of gas handy to shoot some gas down the carb rather than over work the starter.

I started the 31 yesterday, a friend stopped by and while I hit the starter he gave a couple of squirts into the carb. 20 seconds and it was running. Now starts with two rotations. I will have to decide over the summer if I want to put an electric start on it or just decide to start it once a month through the winter. Thanks for all of the feedback.

I assume that you mean electric pump and not start. Anyway I have found the regular pump more than adequate for the average use.

It is better for the engine (and oil) if it is not started during the winter unless it can be driven at speed for at least a half of an hour to get the oil hot annd air passing through the crankcase vent system.

I fully agree with Gene. Running occasionally may make you feel better but is not a good idea. More exhaust gas (acidic) and water gets into the crankcase until the engine is at operating temperature. That generates sludge and corrosion. Also deteriorates the oil faster. Best to drain the gas tank, carburetor, fuel pump & lines and then don't refill until you are ready to drive it again. If you are worried about priming the fuel system and carburetor just put a little air pressure on the gas tank (less than 5 psig) to push the gas to the pump and carburetor. Have another set of eyes on the carburetor to be sure it doesn't overflow because of a stuck needle. In the spring it is far better to turn the engine over with the starter until oil pressure is enough to reach the gauge and rockers before starting. Operating the starter for 0-15 seconds will do little harm to the starter. Too long with overheat it and can lead to premature failure.

I cringe when I read of someone bringing a long idled engine back to life in a few revolutions. They would not be so proud if they knew of the potential damage that did to dry lubricated parts when the instant stress is put on them!

All good points, I had forgotten about the air trick and yes I meant electric fuel pump.

I wish someone would really “ start spring” around here. Still winter at 33 degrees today

I agree, we had 75 today, then storms tonight and back to the 40's !!

I have been waiting for Spring weather so I can take over the wifes parking spot in the garage and get more working space. Usually do so April 1st . Right now it is 29 degrees with freezing rain and she would not be happy if her car was outside even if I do the ice scraping. The last time we saw 70 degree weather was believe it or not in February.

I dream of consistent 40's. That's shorts weather here. 70's? That would have been August last year lol, late Sept really.., Maybe mid to upper 30's today and feels great and warm enough to chip ice. Getting sick of winter this year.

When my stuff has been sitting, I'm with Chipper and I LIKE it to crank a while before starting to get things oiled before pumping the gas or setting the choke.

Not necessarily advocating the procedure below, but have been personally using it for more than 50 years with ZERO issues.......cars, trucks, boats, tractors, lawn & garden tractors, even weed eaters.

First, I fill the carburetor with fresh fuel. Not real easy on the 1932, but it can be done with a small tube through the bowl vent which is located beneath the intermediate shaft on the tower on the bowl cover.

Next, with a second person to crank the engine, I give a very small squirt of starting fluid into the carburetor. Generally, the engine will fire and die. The second time it will start and run as if it had been started yesterday.

To date, the ONLY engine issue I have experienced (during the hot summer, I had to walk) was a fiber timing gear failure on a non-Chevrolet.

Jon.

That is exactly what I do as well.

I don't use starting fluid. It is diethylether which can be a problem if you use too much or allow it to oxidize to explosive peroxide. Too much can break pistons and/or crack heads. So I use carburetor cleaner which works very well and does not have those problems.

I rarely resort to starting fluid I find that some gas in a spray bottle works just as good. I first started it a week ago, it has sat unstarted and this morning 31 degrees out and it started on the first crank. 1/4 throttle and full choke.