I have been working on a car for a friend and have it running pretty good once I get it started. It is very hard to start cold, but when it is warmed up it starts great. It has plenty of power and pulls hills well. Just don't want to start cold. Done the regular things. Cleaned timer, cleaned and gaped plugs, adjusted coils on Strobo Spark, checked wiring. Haven't tried to prime the cylinders by pulling out the plugs and putting gas in them or using starting fluid.
Thanks for you ideas.
Glenn
Glenn, have you checked the timer timing by piston position. I find this to be the single most effective adjustment to aid starting. You must bend the timing rod in the radius just above the timer.
I know this is going to sound odd and maybe a little on the not preferred method, but, crank it till it stops wanting to fire, then safely ( if at all possible with this method ), crank it continuously - round and round until it fires and adjust one started with the choke pull just to the left, it works but be careful, it has to be retarded all the way up, just keep in mind- if it kicks back and your arm, wrist and shoulder are in line, you may end up in Hospital.
David.
There are a few other variables that might be helpful: Are you hand cranking? Are you starting on mag or battery? How is the compression?
If compression is good and it is being cranked fast enough and ignition has been ruled out, you probably just need to find the right combination of mixture and choke.
None of my T's will start cold, even if it's 100º, without a QUICK choke.
Glenn
Just something to try........ My car exhibited similar hard starting until I found the magic combination of controls (as John said above).
In my case it was the throttle. My car will not start unless the throttle is about 80 % open. I have rebuilt, cleaned and adjusted the carb (L4) countless times but it still wants that almost wide open throttle to start.
If you try this make sure your parking brake is good or the wheels well chocked.
Good luck
schuh
I have 6 T's and each one starts cold differently. One needs to be choke and cranked over three times before I turn on the switch and then it starts on the first pull. Another one will only start if I open the throttle half way and open the mixture control knob by half a turn. Only one of my cars has a starter and that one starts on compression most of the time, even when cold as long as I crank it over twice with the choke on and then turn on the switch. What I am trying to say is that you have to experiment and find what works for your car. All of my cars have NH carburetors except for one that has a Kingston. I'm going to try a vaporizer on the one with a starter but have not gotten to that point yet.
After ten years I broke down and bought four plugs from napa. With new plugs and points I run a dizzy. Set the fireing at about 1/16" over center from TDC. With the spark lever all the way up, and the gas lever level my T now starts and runs like it used to run.
Starts in about a half turn dead cold no choke.
I had cleaned the plugs and filed the points a couple of times before, no where close to what I have now.
I have a starter and when I start to depress the button for the starter I hold the choke for 1-2 cylinders to hit the compression stroke and she starts right up.