What's you're starting protocol cold and warm?

[42swing]

I have a mostly original '42 MB, 6v system in good condition. This forum has been very helpful in helping me resolve a couple other issues, but I continue to have an annoying starting problem.

The battery is good, connections clean, 6v at all the right places. Reading the forum, I seem to hear various takes on starting protocols.

In the TM9 the protocol is pretty clear; Cold - Neutral, clutch in, full choke, throttle open about an inch, switch on, crank until it starts then push choke and throttle in slowly as engine warms up . When warm it should require no choke but no mention of throttle position. This is the protocol I use and when cold will usually fire after a couple cranks but the Bendix seems to disengage and starter spins. After several more of these fire and spins, it'll start and run very well. When warm with no choke, it will fire and spin until I'm worried I'm running the battery down when it will finally start. I've tried various choke and throttle settings for a warm start, but I have a niggling feeling its flooding.

On my Model A and '42 EV8 Ford I close the choke as soon as the engine fires, both cold and warm - they start right up each time, but also seem to turn over better. Am I missing something? What are other people using for starting protocols?

[Farrell Fox]

[Post Deleted By Author]

[Joe Gopan]

When starting warm engine there should be no need for throttle cable to be pulled out as the engine is warm and ready to go.

[Bruce W]

If, when only one cylinder "hits" but the others don't follow and the starter dis-engages because of that one "hit", the starter drive is worn and needs to be replaced. It is being "kicked out" too easily. BW

[Chuck Lutz]

You might want to consider that Farrell and Joel's responses are built around the assumption that your jeep is properly tuned and will idle as it should when running. If not then all bets are off...

With the jeep not running, have a friend sit in it and pull out the THROTTLE about one inch. You should be watching under the hood how far that moves the throttle linkage on the Carter (this is a Carter, isn't it because if it is a Solex, fuggeddabbouddit). Then have that friend push the throttle back in. Now, move the linkage on the carb to the same position as it was when you had your friend pull it out "one inch"....

The point here is if you are using FULL choke you are reducing the AIR in the mixture, (making it rich) and then pulling out the throttle you are dumping even MORE gas down the carb....those two actions seem to be making the mixture RICH and flooding the engine.

That is making the engine fight to start and not the way to go....read Farrell's post and do it that way. After you have checked that your timing, dwell, fuel mixture and advance are all by the book and when warm....this little engine will idle at 600 RPMs +/- with no choke or throttle at all....and it does not stall/stutter when you rev it up.

[tsmgguy]

Right, Chuck. My MB starts warm with just a touch of the starter.

[dinof]

Warm starting on my jeep & model A are the same. Well almost, the Model A you push the spark advance up until it starts and then move to 9:00 O'clock position.

Cold start I pull choke out, pull throttle out to what would be around 1000 rpms or so, and start it. It will miss until you push in the choke but it all smooths right out.

Model A Cold--Spark all the way up, hand throttle pulled down 1" or so, so it will have a high idle, choke out, turn motor over abount 2 seconds then push in choke while still cranking and she will start. Pull spark down to around 9:00 o'clock asap. You did turn on the gas valve shutoff right

Modern cars are great but nothing beats moving levers & gas valves & pedals & chokes.

[twinflyer17]

Cold start for me:

Choke out
Throttle out about 1/2 in
Press starter
Once fires slowly push choke in and hold the throttle until it's warm enough to idle on its own

Warm start for me:

Two pumps of the gas pedal
Press starter
Once fires rev one or two times until it idles on it's own (sometimes this isn't necessary, as it'll fire and idle without any pumps or revs of the pedal)

This has always been very consistent for me, even when the weather is at freezing or 100 degrees.

[Joe Gopan]

Every Jeep has it's own individual starting habits as do all carbureted engines. And face it, there are some Jeep owners (and owners of other type MV's) who will never master starting a cold engine.

[42swing]

Thanks much guys, I hadn't tried the accelerator pump when warm - otherwise sounds more or less the same as I've been doing. Still might be flooding it, but now also suspecting I may need to do a full tune-up once the weather warms up. Looking back, I think its been getting slowly worse over the past couple years and now also sputters a bit at low revs on load like when pulling out from a stop in 1st which I'd put down to having run the tank dry.

My Model A's will sputter a bit when the point gap opens up and the timing goes too retarded - maybe the same thing is happening with the Jeep also accounting for the starting issues. Certainly doesn't snap right off on the first crank like tsmgguy, but I'd sure like it to...

Really hoping its not a starter issue.

[Chuck Lutz]

My jeep was slowly developing a starting problem. It finally would not catch. We decided that the fact that it ran pretty good once it got going might not be the whole story. A really GOOD inspection of the points indicated they were the problem....put in a new set and...voila!

Starting is all about tuning and carburation....and secondly, a good battery and starter itself. Any of those that are sub-par will cause you a problem eventually.

[Joe Gopan]

Add good ground using proper washers and periodical starter maintenance. Do everything by the book.