Model B hot start problem

[tiger.1000]

Here in the UK with a 1932 Model B 24hp fitted with Zenith carburettor
recently and beautifully rebuilt by Dave Renner.

Cold start procedure as thus: Ignition on; GAV valve 1.5 turns open and
full choke. Choke in and GAV valve almost returned to fully closed whilst
warming up. Starts immediately.When warm runs perfectly and idles
faultlessly.

Turn off ignition. Give it two minutes; pull the starter and fires
immediately. Leave it for ten minutes and will not start without choke.

Engine and ignition timing correct. Contact breaker gap correct as are
spark plugs. Coil and condenser appear to be ok.


Any clues and apologies for Limey spelling of CARBURETOR ! ?

[Bruce Lancaster]

My shot at this: You of course cannot prime by giving the thing a stomp on the pedal because you do not have a conventional accelerator pump. The thing can only draw gas for starting by your air flow pulling it in as on a running motor, and you aren't getting enough flow to accomplish that. Higher float level MIGHT allow the thing to feed at extremely low RPM, but it really isn't meant to do that...on a pumpless carb needing a very brief choke application when warm is not abnormal. I suspect that (and also the existence of the GAV for when it has started) is why A and B Fords have a spring loaded choke well suited to very brief use rather than the more common sort that stays where you pull it.

Now, if you want some trouble...I bought my B pickup from a guy who displayed it at a show corral for 2 days before I came along, with hundreds of people crawling through the cab and fiddling with everything. When delivered, the formerly great running truck had to be restarted about 15 times to stagger from its trailer into my garage...investigation eventually showed that some happy show patron had turned the GAV enough out that the needle valve dropped free!

[32phil]

On my B, I never turn the choke cable. Turning it eventually will break the cable. I leave it turned in all the way in .....not tight.... just in. I pull the choke closed to start the engine. After a few turns I release the choke and it usually starts ....then I pull the choke almost closed and hold it there for a few seconds until the engine starts to smooth out. As it warms up I gradually release the choke until it runs smooth without any choke. Usually starts right back up with no choke when warm. Needs the choke again if it has cooled some. This method is more "hands on" but it spares the choke cable undue stress. I know they were designed to twist but nothing lasts forever and they are really tough to find unbroken.

[tiger.1000]

Dear Bruce and Phil; thanks for the advice. Phil; you say you never turn the choke cable? The GAV valve is operated by the choke cable and I need to open the valve a little to start the car? Is my cold starting procedure incorrect?

[G.M.]

Don't forget this is an updraft carb. If it takes a little choke to start as long as it starts right up I don't see a problem. G.M.

[DavidG]

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With all due respect to Phil, whose lock work I hold in high regard, in the over the 55+ years I've owned and driven a wide assorment of Model Bs, I have yet to encounter a broken choke cable (not counting the outer casing which is frequently encountered in more than one piece). The inner cable is meant to be rotated; the procedure that tiger.1000 is using is straight out of the owners manual and one that I used as recently as last week at Lake Tahoe. Many Bs will not start readily without a temporarily rich mixture created by rotating the cable counterclockwise. While it is a bit unusual that some choke is required when re-starting after ten minutes of sitting, it is not unheard of. My experience has been that each different B requires a slightly different routine to achieve a fully-warmed-up low RPM idle state once started, but those differences are minor.

[tiger.1000]

OUCH ! Problem now seems to have got even worse. After turning off ignition after a run engine refuses to start even with choke? Wait for say 20 minutes for things to cool down a bit and then will start using cold start procedure.

Any clues?

[1931 flamingo]

Condenser??
Paul in CT

[columbiA]

On my B dist,I have a spare condenser screwed onto side of dist & it is only a matter of unhooking one & then hooking up the other.As already stated,the choke cable is meant to be turned,just as in a model A.

[tiger.1000]

Thanks. I'll try the condenser. Is the coil likely to be giving up when warming up?

[Walt Dupont--Me.]

My money is on a bad coil. Walt