Spring's first start up...procedure

[David K.]

Hello to all;
Going to start up my cars after the hibernation since last October. I normally pump the gas a few times and then crank until ignition. I'll repeat the same procedure without pumping gas while cranking, until it starts up. Question.... is it better to squirt fuel (or other product) into the top of the carb before the start-up, in order to avoid the long cranking session ?
Thanks in advance; David

[Harry S.]

Re: Spring's first start up...procedure

Just my opinion but I let it crank. Since it's been sitting for a few months the oil has settled. Cranking will move oil around before it fires.

I'm sure there are other opinions.

[Edward J.]

Re: Spring's first start up...procedure

I agree with Harry it will take about 20 to 30 seconds of cranking to get oil pressure and fuel, its important to have oil pressure on start after sitting for a extended period of time.

[Duke W.]

Re: Spring's first start up...procedure

Get a small irrigation syringe... the type that has a flexible plastic "needle". Use it to inject about an ounce of fuel into the bowl vents or until it dribbles out the main nozzles.

Then go through the cold start procedure. Give it two pumps, then wait about 30-60 seconds for that fuel to evaporate in the manifold and it should start right up.

Duke

[Kenneth T.]

Re: Spring's first start up...procedure

I usually crank the engine over a few times just to build up oil pressure
wait till you get at least 30 lbs

then press the gas petal and try to start
may take a few times

[David K.]

Re: Spring's first start up...procedure

Thank you to all.

[Christopher R.]

Re: Spring's first start up...procedure

Get a small irrigation syringe... the type that has a flexible plastic "needle". Use it to inject about an ounce of fuel into the bowl vents or until it dribbles out the main nozzles.Duke

I got my syringe at a cooking store. One day I got stuck shopping with the girlfriend. We were in a cooking store. Of course I was bugging her to hurry up, and of course that had no effect. So, bored out of my mind, I'm looking at the cooking junk. My syringe is used to inject marinade into meat. Also works great to inject gasoline down the vent tube of carburetors into the bowl. Girlfriend couldn't believe that I found something to buy in that store.

[Duke W.]

Re: Spring's first start up...procedure

That's a great story!

Duke

[Gary R.]

Re: Spring's first start up...procedure

I pull the air cleaner and look around for any nests. I check the oil, move the throttle to see if the bowls have gas, pull the coil wire and crank it a couple of times to see if the gauge registers. Fire it up, pull it out of the garage, let it warm up checking for any leaks, change the oil and filter. I know there is huge debate on when to change the oil before or after- I always do it on first start up. I run my car until there is salt on the roads so that could be into Jan so it only sits 3- maybe 4 months.

[Ron G.]

Re: Spring's first start up...procedure

I agree with Harry and Gary in regard to letting it crank to shoot oil in the cylinders. Also, Gary made mention to pull the coil wire which I have done routinely after one of my cars has sat for a period of time.

[Mark E.]

Re: Spring's first start up...procedure

So we have the "let it crank to build oil pressure before starting" group, and the "prime the carb so it starts quickly" group.

I recommend the first practice.

[Duke W.]

Re: Spring's first start up...procedure

I've been storing cars for 6-18 months for at least 25 years. When they come out I fill the fuel bowls if a carburetor, and if modern EFI system just cycle the ignition two or three times, which energizes the fuel pumps for one second with each cycle to build fuel pressure in the system. Then I jut go through the normal cold start procedure and watch for the oil pressure to come up, and they start right up as if they've just sat overnight.

Somehow they have survived all this abuse without any bearing problems. Isn't that amazing!

Duke

[Mark E.]

Re: Spring's first start up...procedure

Duke, you raise a good question: Is there less wear if the engine fires up immediately with a second or two of little/no oil pressure? Or is it better to crank it several seconds to prime the oil before letting the engine fire up?

With flat tappet engines, I worry more about cam/lifter wear than bearing problems. When an engine fires up immediately after sitting for awhile, I sometimes hear valve clatter for a few seconds until the lifters pump up. Cranking first often prevents this.

[William F.]

Re: Spring's first start up...procedure

That is a good question. Which method is best for decreasing chance of excess wear, especially concerning cam?

[Duke W.]

Re: Spring's first start up...procedure

There is very little load on the bearings during cranking, and plenty of oil in the bearings to provide at least good boundary if not full hydrodynamic lubrication. Whenever I disassemble an engine prior to removing the crank which is the only component left on the block I slowly rotate it by hand or even use a beam type torque wrench to check for any drag spots. Then I give the crank a spin, and it's like on roller bearings with just the residual oil left in the journals.

Upon assembly I do the same thing and have always gotten the same result.

There will always be an oil film on the cam lobes and lifters, and, again at cranking speed there is not much load at the lobe-lifter interface. So IMO and experience, when you bring a car out of storage, start it with minimum cranking, which requires filling the fuel bowls if it has a carburetor.

And, of course, the instant the engine starts I watch the oil pressure gage or light to make sure the engine has oil pressure within a second or two.

Duke