Is difficult cold starting a symptom of timing too far advanced? The Roadmaster is very hard to start when cold. It takes a lot of fuel to get it to crank. A lot of pumping on the accelerator.
no, i would actually think that would help it start better cold. next time before you go to start it take the air cleaner off and pump the throttle a couple times and see if fuel is actually coming out. your car doesnt have one of those gas pedal starter switch thingies does it??
Timing can affect starting somewhat.... but what you are describing is the classic ''lean/cold'' intake thing that nailheads do.... Set the accelerator pump to rich setting,,, then pump about 4 pumps to saturate the intake with fuel ,, then try to start the engine.... i do not use a choke at all.... I just start up on the accellerator pump.... If you have a choke,,, set it to where the back of the choke plate will just touch a 3/16 drill bit placed between the carb body and the back edge of the choke plate......and,,,, I might add,,,, like ol pard said,,, take a good , hard look at how much fuel is squirting out of the carbs nozzles.... and how loooong it lasts.... sounds like you have a carb issue..... not timing.... take the carb and the book specs for it, and go thru all the adjustments and check them out , and you will be amazed at how much better the engine will start and run....and,,,, again,,, I might add,,,,:Brow: a good electric fuel pump, mounted at the back of the tank will really make a engine start easier... just turn the switch on, wait a few seconds, when you hear the pump pressure up,,, give it a few pats on the accelerator and hit the starter and the engine fires..... no more grind, grind, grind on the starter to suck fuel from the tank thru the pump and fill up the carb....just put a ''roll over'' kill switch in the circuit to shut the pump off if the car should ever roll..... :Brow:
Engine kick back is the symptom of too much timing, hot or cold. And you know it when it happens, shakes the car pretty good and doesn't sound healthy. Poor starting could be a variety of things. Dwell is off, weak coil, timing with too much or too little advance, spark plugs fouled or gapped to large, then a whole suite of potential adjustments on the carburetor could be the culprit.
It does have the gas pedal starter switch thingy. I actually start it from under the hood using that. First, From the driver's seat; I pump the pedal several times. Turn on the ignition. Then get out and open the hood, and start the car from under the hood. That way I can hear and see what is exactly going on. There is a fine line between getting enough fuel and getting flooded. After warming up it, it will crank very easily from the driver's seat all day long. ---------- Post added at 11:21 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:08 AM ---------- Have you disabled your automatic choke? Once it has warmed it will start on four pumps quite easily. But the pumping has to be done before cranking due to the gas pedal starter switch thingy. My choke is set very close to what you describe. I'll try to make the accelerator pump more rich. From what you're saying I can see that an electric pump would be very advantageous. Especially for cranking after several days of sitting.
I know very well. About 40 years ago Dad and had a catastrophic event with kickback. the kickback broke the starter gear off and broke off the starter nose cone. Bent valves on two cylinders. One of those valves broke a piston. That cylinder was also scored. On rebuild we sleeved that cylinder.:shock: Its all holding up very well. But, I don't want to have to do that again. I was thinking spark plugs, too. I've got a set to put on. ---------- Post added at 11:41 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:37 AM ---------- OK. While I'm at it I can fix my Gas gauge! Thanks Doc! Thanks Lonnie! Thanks Silver Buick!
take the wire to the sending unit loose,,, turn the ign switch on and ground the wire to the frame or other good ground... if the needle on the gage swings all the way to full... the sending unit is the problem.... if it does not it is the gage its self or the wires from the gage to the sending unit....
Thanks Doc. I'm figuring if I put an an electric fuel pump on, I'll drop the tank and have the sending unit out and get it and the gauge right. Doc, What would you suggest; Replacing the mechanical fuel pump with an electric? Or, keeping the mechanical and have the electric only for start up of the engine?
Aw, the more stuff in the system , the more opportunity for something to go wrong....take the mechanical out, and just run the electric from back at the tank.... they push far better than they pull.... but leave the sending unit in the tank, you need it for the gas gage....I dont think you will have to drop the tank.... just mount the pump on the frame and ground it to the frame,,, then come off the nipple of the sending unit with the fuel line to the in side of the pump , out of the pump and up to the carb.... some people put a relay in the electrical circuit, but I dont,,, i just use a heavy duty switch or come off of a already switched circuit,,, those pumps dont pull a lot of amps....
I'm kinda baffled by all of this. I have owned a '54, 3 1955s, a '56, a '58, and a '59; all with pedal starting. I never had a starting issue with any of them. If all of your parts are good, the thing should start just fine. I am suspicious of the carburetor too.
Thanks for your advice Doc. Now I have some more questions my thinking for keeping the mechanical pump; The present fuel pump is dual action, also providing (allegedly) vacuum for the wipers. even with the dual acting pump, There is barely enough vacuum to work the wipers. So, the wipers might be a candidate for electrical conversion , too. Regarding wiring to an electric fuel pump: I can see two scenarios where I keep the accelerator start; A.) Have the fuel pump switch wired to the battery (separate from the ignition) Start sequence; 1.Fuel pump on. 2.listen for fuel bowl to fill. 3.mash accelerator to prime intake. 4. ignition switch on 5.Mash accelerator for start (on shut down; I would have to remember to turn off the fuel. not unlike a motor cycle with gravity feed) Or, B.)Have the fuel pump wired to the ignition switch; Start Sequence; 1. Ignition on 2. listen for fuel bowl to fill 3. Ignition off 4. mash the accelerator to prime intake 5. ignition on 6.mash accelerator for start Another would be to do away with accelerator start and have a push button start on the dash. I would like to keep the accelerator start. It is as much a part of the Buick's identity as the portholes on the fender. ---------- Post added at 11:08 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:05 AM ---------- Thanks for chiming in, John. I spent of lot of time reading last night. I thinking my problem is more carburetor, than timing.
Well,,, round up a large vacuum chamber from a vintage car or build you one ,,, run the vac line from the intake,,, to the chamber and then to the wipers... that should help..... that is what ford did with the lincolns and trucks.... but gm went with the vac booster pumps.....
Re: Update: timing Update; I surmised that this was above my skill level. So, to my trusty and dependable shop down the street (Edgewood Service Center 1017 Oxmoor Road Homewood , Alabama 35209 205 871 0546 Mr. CG Pettus And I was right to take it to them . It starts up and runs like a dream !! It turns out it was the a little bit of everything wrong. The reproduction period correct Delco Battery is actually a much smaller battery than is required. The smaller side post battery is put in an bigger battery case to make it appear as an original type Delco battery. That was one strike against getting it to crank cold. The timing was way off. The plugs I had were too cold and #7 cylinder was completely fouled. Not firing. Carburetor was out of adjustment, Plug wires were old and cracked and were'nt getting enough juice to the plugs that were too cold to begin with. Good news, New plugs (correct length, correct gap) are now installed New plug wires are in Carburetor is adjusted correctly Timing is adjusted correctly On cold start; cranks up on less than one revolution and purrs like a kitten!! Warms up quickly and pulls smooth and strong, as a Nailhead should!! Thanks to y'all and Edgewood Service Center!! The offered to put a battery in for me. But, that is something that my skill level can meet. Another thing the found was was where a pesky small leak was coming from on my Power steering. It's had a very small leak for years. I replaced the hoses to no avail. They found that to gaskets between the reservoir and the pump were leaking. So, I'll have to find those gaskets, as well. Maybe a rebuild kit for it. So, Thanks for Everyone's input. :TU: I'll have some fun driving it around this weekend.............. .
Everyone likes a car that starts up :TU: A month or so ago I adjusted the points in my Centurion for the first time in five or six years, and boy does it start awesomely.
oh, and they checked the compression, too. 1 115 lbs 3 140 lbs 5 125 lbs 7 125 lbs 2 145 lbs 4 130 lbs 6 145 lbs 8 140 lbs ---------- Post added at 10:29 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:23 PM ---------- I went and picked it up and it's only about a 1/2 mile back to the storage garage. If I hadn't been in 5 o'clock traffic I would have driven it some more. I can't wait until this weekend!! I'm gonna blow some soot out of it! :3gears:
Gotta love them nailheads....be double sure you have zddp zinc additive in the oil before you drive it much at all..... or you will flatten the cam..... I put some in the wife's car and it picked up some gas mileage....that means that the oil was not doing its job.....:eek2: but that car has a roller cam ..... It is good to hear that you got it straightened out.....enjoy it.....:TU:
Thanks Doc Oh, ZDDP in it absoulutely!!! I found some on sale at Auto Zone a few weeks back. ........
I'm having a hard time finding a group 60 battery. I 'm going to see if a group 27 will fit. Group 60 = 13" x 6-5/16" x 9" Group 27 = 12-1/2" x 6-13/16" x 8-7/8"
