VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1929-1932 Annual Starting issues with 31

Every year when I first start my 31 it takes me forever it seems to get it running. This year with ten to fifteen second cranking periods and squirting gas in the carb between cranks it took 15 minutes. It sputters until it runs out of gas. There is gas in the tank, the fuel pump is full so it doesn't seem like it should take that long to start. The engine compression is good so I know I am getting draw at the carb. After the initial start it restarts very easy. Any suggestions welcome,

You probably have several small problems. First the carburetor bowl starts out empty. Only takes a month or so to evaporate all the gas. If the bowl gasket leaks it can take far less time. It is necessary to have bowl ~1/2 full to get enough gas in the bowl to run the engine. If you add gas into the carburetor air intake it fairly quickly goes into the bowl and is not available for the initial burn. You will need to add approx. 1/2 cup of gas to the carburetor to start the engine. Even then you will need to have the choke fully on during the initial few seconds. It is far better to use aerosol carburetor in short squirts to get the initial start. It may be necessary to do it several times to get the engine to run longer than a few revolutions.

Suspect the fuel pump glass bowl gasket is dry and is not a good seal. Once you get it saturated it will seal. Also can have a little polymerized gasoline glue the fuel pump wafers to the seats or get between seat and wafer so pump is not effective. Once the seats and wafers are wet with gas then the pump can work. Just because the glass bowl looks full doesn't mean the pump is working.

May also be a weak spark. Points can corrode during storage. Light cleaning and checking the intensity of the spark at the coil or better yet at spark plugs should be part of the initial start up process.

Personally I have used starting fluid for about 55 years in the spring for the first start on everything from weed-eaters to 3 horsepower 1 cylinder lawnmower engines to a 450 horsepower very high performance "street" engine.

My method requires TWO people; one to crank the engine, the other to spray small amounts of starting fluid into the carburetor WHILE THE ENGINE IS CRANKING.

Engine will start, and run for a couple of seconds, thus allowing the fuel pump to pump. Generally, twice is sufficient, occasionally, have to use the third squirt.

Some folks hate the use of starting fluid, so I am NOT suggesting that you use it; simply conveying personal experience. To date, NO KNOWN ISSUES, and one of the engines on which I used this method lasted 440,000 miles and was still going strong when the body rusted out for the third time (Missouri winters with salt and cinders).

Jon.

I understand that many use starting fluid but NOT me. While the moderate use of starting fluid (mostly Di-ethyl ether) is okay, too much can destroy pistons by premature ignition. So I take the safe route and use carburetor cleaner which is a less volatile hydrocarbon mixture. Of course at -40 deg. carburetor cleaner will not be nearly as effective as Di-ethyl ether. Texas doesn't often get that cold (maybe the last ice age?).

Thank you for the suggestions I will look in to all of them. I am reluctant to use starting fluid but I have. I have also had good luck with a helper, it usually starts with in a minute or so. Unfortunately help isn't always available because it helps if the helper has some idea what is supposed to happen. Thanks again

For what its worth I use starting fluid the first start up ,just a quick spray a second or two then get in the car and it usually starts right up. If it stalls it will usually start on its own again and run,if not a second squirt usually does the job. I have had no problems. I figure that is better than cranking the starter over and over. My car is a 32 special sedan.

I use WD-40. It works good as a starting fluid and it is a good lubricant.

The main thing is you know it's not just your car, and that it needs more fuel to sputter just long enough to get the fuel pump pumping.

The one thing that hasn't been mentioned is heat. The warmer everything is the better the fuel will vaporize and the less you will need to dump down the carb and the easier it will start. There is a reason the exhaust heat riser valve stays closed for a few minutes after startup.

My 216 has an electric block heater threaded into the water jacket right below the manifolds, in front of the oil distribution valve. I assume the USA built blocks would have this approx 1" threaded hole as well? The block heaters still show up on ebay. Thread appears to be NPT so possible to find a modern heater that could be made to fit as well.

As a kid I used to laugh at my dad putting a 100watt light bulb in a steel trouble light under his oil pan for a couple hours on cold winter nights. It looked so futile on a -30 night. As an adult I've tried his method with snowblowers, etc and it works amazing. It does not take much additional heat to make starting significantly easier. A small electric heater or magnetic block or oil pan heater could make your starting a bit easier.

You are using oil that is no thicker than a 10W30 correct?