Help starting a Carburated 308 in cold weather

Sounds like the battery is heading south. In cold weather it may take a few more cranks or a few more pumps of the gas pedal but it shouldn't be that much harder to start.

 

Hang on there - no choke - ever - there's a thread somewhere about this (inevitably)

Ignition on / wait / pump gas a few times / clutch down / turn key to start

If it does not catch fairly quickly stop and repeat

 

Definetly need to wait closer to 30secs (which seems like forever when you are sitting there) for the fuel to get up to the carbs on a cold car.

FWIW, YMMV

JIM

 

What Jim said and I have to pump mine about 10 times once it is cranking when it is cold out.

Dave

 

Also remember that the gasoline that comes out of the pumps these days is really crappy. Even small problems with your fuel system can be amplified by this fact. Carbs just don't like cold corn oil.

 

Yes, definitely AT LEAST 4 or 5 pumps before turning the key, then while it's trying to catch (and while it's actually catching) it's surprising just how much you need to step on the throttle (it's not the delicate touch you might expect).

I removed my choke cables entirely (the choke is useless). You might also try stuffing a towel down the passenger side air intake.

Let us know how you get on.

 

Here is my NY upstate process. Turn the key on and wait until the "seatbelt" light goes out (you will hear the fuel pump work and you can hear gas going into the carbs). Pump the gas maybe 3-5 times (half way down and quickly). Turn the key to start and pump a little more as the engine turns. When you hear it fire keep pumping until it runs( it will only tend to run at 500-800rpm ). Cecke your oil pressure. Then keep pumping until engine revs to 1000-1200 rpms. You got it now and just need to feather the throttle until it will idle by itself. Mine will sit for a few minutes at around 800 rpm then you can hear it start to increase as the motot warms up. This whole process takes maybe 3-4 minutes. Also my chokes are disconnected and my "fast idle" valve is adjusted to "not" work. My garage stays about 40-50* all through winter unless we have a string of 0 days. I have a trailer furnace when I work in the garage so heat is available. Another thing is I have "hot" plugs BP5ES which I think start easier and don't foul during cold starts. By the way the engine turns over maybe 4-5 times befor it catches and the battery is now 7 years old. I try to use the car as much as possible and in fact I am out to the gym in a bit and it is 28* out. Oh I also plug the oil cooler body hole with foam so the oil warms up and stays warm. When I drive in 0* weather I also block the rad. to keep the WT at 170*. Enjoy

 

Canada cold start. Choke on full. Turn on the key, wait for seat belt light to turn off. Key to start position & pump gas pedal as engine is turning over. Keep feathering gas as engine warms up. Gradually back off on the choke as engine climbs to driving temperature. I don't go anywhere for at least 7-10 minutes of warm up time.

 

In my experience, if the car exhibits the symptoms you describe, it is a weak battery. Temperatures in the 40 degree range should not make it that difficult to start. Get a fresh battery. For temps well below freezing, if you aren't driving it that often, consider removing the battery and keeping it in a warmer environment until you are ready to go. You will be amazed at how much better a "warm" battery works even when everything else is nearly frozen!!! It isn't that big a deal to remove and then reinstall when you aren't driving everyday...used to do this all the time in Wyoming in minus-15 to minus-25 range and it works every time.

 

+1 on replacing the battery. If the battery is marginal, the cold will kill it for sure. I have an Interstate in my 308 GTS right now. But I had put a Sears DieHard in my old Mondial a few years back and it was great. Also, consider installing a battery tender or trickle charger. I have a Sears automatic and have the wires attached to the battery permanently. I just plug the wire into the charger, and leave it. Keeps the battery topped up, no problems starting. But that won't help if the batter if going bad on you. Batteries are cheap, just replace it.

 

I never use the choke either, if a stiff choke hangs 'on' you will flood it and wet the plugs for SURE.

Let the pump run 30-60 seconds.....before starting at all pump the pedal 3 -4 times.

Crank it.

If it does not catch first try, wait 60 seconds for the starter to cool down then repeat process.

Once it catches take that baby to 3-4K until you hear it cleanout and hit on all 8.......

 

+1

I always use a twist battery disconnect and remove power from the battery to the car because the clock will drain the battery in a week, less in cold weather. Its always ready to go when I connect up the power. You need lots of juice to turn that engine over.

 

First off, why start it every few days to put the car through all of this? I just read somewhere that Ferrari indicated it would take two hours to burn off contaminants in the oil, and every time you start it your mucking it up. If your not going to drive it, store it. Get the oil hot, change it with good clean oil, and fog the cylinders. Disconnect the ground lead on the battery and leave the car sit. If the coolant is in good shape, if the battery is decent, if the fuel is fresh or treated with chemicals, you shouldnt have any issues for over 6 months.

 

40 degrees is not cold. I have started my car easily at less than 0 degrees when I absolutely had to. With heavier oil like 20w50 I would at least let a space heater warm the garage a little bit. But once again if your car won't start at 40 degrees something is wrong. Make sure you have a proper mix of coolant and a charged battery and I bet the problem is gone.

 

Paul is correct.

Put a battery tender on it and all will be well...

Sounds to me like he fouled the plugs with the Choke, thats all.......that's too much gas.

I left Chicago last February in one, they run GOOD in the cold.....LOL!

 

Per Lady Valeria, anything below 65 degrees is 'cold'....LOL!

 

Per "Nanook of the north", anything below -65 degrees is cold. Just depends on yer point of reference Alan.

I once read that after people lived in Alaska, if they ever got tired of the cold and moved, they always moved to places like Hawaii or Florida, not Minnesota or Michigan

 

She ran from the Plains of Kansas to the Gulf Coast of Texas, driving an old Dodge van with a German Sheperd named "Grumpy" at the shotgun seat.....LOL!

Now back to our cold weather bretheren..

I'm gonna drive my cars one at a time to Dave Helms for stainless steel valves....

That's THREE ski trips right there.......Picabo Street wrote special instructions into my Spyder shirt.....

 

I don't think there is anyway I'd get my 77 308 started without the choke in 30 degree weather. I use the choke all the time without problems. I can remember my AutoShop teacher saying something about pumping all that raw gas down a cold engine wasn't good, but then again he never worked or drove an F-car.
Bill

 

well....i've got my car set up to run really lean on cruise, so there's no "fat" in the mixture for it to run when starting on a very cold day.

a lot of people have an aversion to using the choke because of the rich mixture washing the oil off the bores and causing premature wear.......BUT.....

from a logical point of view...what's worse?? having to pump the throttle to keep it running, which pours in huge amounts of fuel (have you guys SEEN how much raw fuel gets pumped in when you press the accelerator?)....or modulating the choke to be JUST enough for it to run nicely and then turning it (the choke) off as soon as the car with idle without it?

makes more sense to me to use the minimum choke required, but happy to be told otherwise.

 

Well. Nice to see some logic being put to use with the choke system. I too have questioned the general consensus about it, but until now nobody argued otherwise. Actually its not really a choke, but an enrichment device, another set of jets and idle passageways to give the engine a richer mixture. And honestly I dont know if anyone ever has reported trouble with it, just that everyone didnt use it.

But if it works the way its designed, it should work incredibly well. Instead of shooting a solid stream of raw fuel down the throat, the choke would offer a emulsified mixture of fuel and air, which would burn a heck of lot cleaner, light off faster and not wash as much oil off the walls.

So I guess the question is, has anyone used the system and had it give any trouble?