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Ladies and gentlemen, start your engines...

Started by James Landi, April 02, 2015, 08:36:31 AM

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James Landi

Interested in learning the processes you employ to start your slumbering old gals into action... James

Jon S

Quote from: James Landi on April 02, 2015, 08:36:31 AM
Interested in learning the processes you employ to start your slumbering old gals into action... James

Posted mine two days ago . . .

http://forums.cadillaclasalleclub.org/index.php?topic=135284.0
Jon

1958 Cadillac Sedan De Ville
1973 Lincoln Continental Coupe
1981 Corvette
2004 Mustang GT

Barry M Wheeler #2189

You go out to the garage, pump it twice and twist the key. Vahrooomm. Of course, mine is a '79. Don't worry, others will chime in with more workable suggestions for the older cars. Think spring!
Barry M. Wheeler #2189


1981 Cadillac Seville
1991 Cadillac Seville

35-709

Quote from: James Landi on April 02, 2015, 08:36:31 AM
Interested in learning the processes you employ to start your slumbering old gals into action... James

I just let her sleep. 
1935 Cadillac Sedan resto-mod "Big Red"
1973 Cadillac Caribou - Sold - but still in the family
1950 Jaguar Mark V Saloon resto-mod - Sold
1942 Cadillac 6269 - Sold
1968 Pontiac Bonneville Convertible - Sold
1950 Packard 2dr. Club Sedan
1935 Glenn Pray - Auburn Boattail Speedster, Gen. 2

bcroe

#4
The 79 Eldo always starts.  This year I sent 4 rims to be blasted & painted for a
set of new tires.  I will be working on replacing EVERYTHING in the fuel system
behind the engine.  Rebuilt tank with a single high pressure pump, eliminate 2nd
frame mounted pump, new lines to replace rusted and to make better clearance
to the 67 switch pitch transmission.  New rear brake lines replace rusted out, and
a metering block with built in proportioning valve to replace separate parts.  Get new
outer boots on the half shafts, maybe change to 2 left half shafts to get rid of
clunking right side damper.  And weld up a stainless 3" exhaust.  Then get over
to the GN close by.  Bruce Roe

The Tassie Devil(le)

If the car has been sitting a while, I pop the hood, remove the air cleaner top and give the carby a gut-full of petrol, and crank.   Starts right up.   When the engine runs out of the aforementioned gut-full, I give her another, and that is usually sufficient.

I don't see any reason to keep on cranking the starter to get the fuel pump to fill the carby up.

Better still, on my car, I am tempted to install an electric fuel pump to negate the previous.   My '55 Buick has an electric pump, and even after sitting for months, starts up on first press of the gas pedal.

Bruce. >:D
'72 Eldorado Convertible (LHD)
'70 Ranchero Squire (RHD)
'74 Chris Craft Gull Wing (SH)
'02 VX Series II Holden Commodore SS Sedan
(Past President Modified Chapter)

Past Cars of significance - to me
1935 Ford 3 Window Coupe
1936 Ford 5 Window Coupe
1937 Chevrolet Sports Coupe
1955 Chevrolet Convertible
1959 Ford Fairlane Ranch Wagon
1960 Cadillac CDV
1972 Cadillac Eldorado Coupe

bcroe

Quote from: The Tassie Devil(le)
I don't see any reason to keep on cranking the starter to get the fuel pump to fill the carby up.

Better still, on my car, I am tempted to install an electric fuel pump to negate the previous.   
My '55 Buick has an electric pump, and even after sitting for months, starts up on first press
of the gas pedal.       Bruce. 

Me too.  Now that I'm retired and not driving every day, some cars take a lot of
cranking to get gas in the carb.  Otherwise the engine would start instantly.  I
hate wearing out the starter so often just to get fuel to the carb.  The EFI 79 can
sit for months and still start right up.  Bruce Roe

savemy67

Hello James (and all),

I had occasion to do this today as the weather was nice.  I depressed the accelerator pedal once, cranked the starter for three seconds, pumped the gas twice more, and vroom - off to the races.  I let the car warm up, and gave my neighbor a ride around the block.  My '67 (with 429 and Quadrajet) had not been started for about a month, but everything seems to be OK as far as starting is concerned.  Now, on to other  chores (brakes, exhaust, wipers, turn signals, gauges, etc.) needed for a Maryland State inspection.

Christopher Winter
Christopher Winter
1967 Sedan DeVille hardtop

Jon S

I'm not convinced the Ethanol gasoline evaporates like most think. My car sat from November to yesterday (5 months) and with 6 pumps and 3 five second cranks started right up beautifully and it's a 1958.
Jon

1958 Cadillac Sedan De Ville
1973 Lincoln Continental Coupe
1981 Corvette
2004 Mustang GT

INTMD8

Quote from: The Tassie Devil(le) on April 02, 2015, 08:55:41 PM
If the car has been sitting a while, I pop the hood, remove the air cleaner top and give the carby a gut-full of petrol, and crank.   Starts right up.   When the engine runs out of the aforementioned gut-full, I give her another, and that is usually sufficient.

I don't see any reason to keep on cranking the starter to get the fuel pump to fill the carby up.


I do the same

The Tassie Devil(le)

Quote from: Jon S on April 02, 2015, 10:37:28 PM
I'm not convinced the Ethanol gasoline evaporates like most think. My car sat from November to yesterday (5 months) and with 6 pumps and 3 five second cranks started right up beautifully and it's a 1958.
If you have to crank for that long, you are definitely not doing the engine any good.

Cranking for a total of 15 seconds, even doing it in spurts, really loads up the bearings, whereas instant-starting from a primed carby gets all the lubrication right where it should be.

Bruce. >:D
'72 Eldorado Convertible (LHD)
'70 Ranchero Squire (RHD)
'74 Chris Craft Gull Wing (SH)
'02 VX Series II Holden Commodore SS Sedan
(Past President Modified Chapter)

Past Cars of significance - to me
1935 Ford 3 Window Coupe
1936 Ford 5 Window Coupe
1937 Chevrolet Sports Coupe
1955 Chevrolet Convertible
1959 Ford Fairlane Ranch Wagon
1960 Cadillac CDV
1972 Cadillac Eldorado Coupe

Jon S

#11
Uh, no. Actually the 5 second spurts get the oil circulating and lubricates the cylinder walls etcettera prior to firing up to minimize friction/wear. Instant starting after sitting for 5 months can cause damage!
Jon

1958 Cadillac Sedan De Ville
1973 Lincoln Continental Coupe
1981 Corvette
2004 Mustang GT

Steve Passmore

All my cars are pre war and I have rubber hand pumps fitted of the type they use on boats. I squeeze that until I can hear the carb will not take any more gas and they all fire right up. Mind you, they have only been left since November and started periodically in between.
Steve

Present
1937 60 convertible coupe
1941 62 convertible coupe
1941 62 coupe

Previous
1936 70 Sport coupe
1937 85 series V12 sedan
1938 60 coupe
1938 50 coupe
1939 60S
1940 62 coupe
1941 62 convertible coupe x2
1941 61 coupe
1941 61 sedan x2
1941 62 sedan x2
1947 62 sedan
1959 62 coupe

SixDucks

Quote from: Jon S on April 02, 2015, 11:16:25 PM
Uh, no. Actually the 5 second spurts get the oil circulating and lubricates the cylinder walls etcettera prior to firing up to minimize friction/wear. Instant starting after sitting for 5 months can cause damage!

ABSOLUTELY CORRECT!
Instant starting is horrific to bearing life. When this occurs all of the available oil is in the pan and not between the bearings and crank journals. Cranking an engine at 200 -300 RPM's until the oil pressure climbs is FAR better than dry bearings at 600 - 800? 1000? 1200? RPM's. I never depress the accelerator until the engine is developing oil pressure.
I have a '70 Skylark that would start instantly and for approximately 3-5 seconds I could here the dull thud of the main bearings until sufficient pressure was developed.
Terry
Current:
1941 coupe
1962 Fleetwood
1988 Brougham
Previous:
1956 Series 62 Sedan
1963 Fleetwood
1975 Fleetwood Brougham D'Elegance
1989 Brougham

INTMD8

Unless the car sat for a few decades the bearings will certainly not be dry.

savemy67

All,

I have a mechanical oil pressure gauge installed in place of the electrical sending unit for the idiot light.  The gauge uses a translucent nylon tube so I can see the oil.  When cranking my engine for a few seconds, I can see the oil in the tube move and I can see pressure at the gauge before the engine fires.  This indicates in my case, that sufficient oil remains in the engine oil passages to permit almost instantaneous pressurization.  Many oil passages are in the horizontal plane so oil will most likely pool in these areas and not drain back to the pan.  Even at normal operating temperatures there is some adhesion between the oil and the metal.  Due to the small clearances between some parts, capillary action will work to keep oil in place after the engine stops.

Whenever I change my oil and filter, I always fill my filter so the oil pump doesn't have to waste time filling the filter, but in effect, the pump starts to push oil through the engine immediately.

Respectfully,

Christopher Winter
Christopher Winter
1967 Sedan DeVille hardtop