Hard to start '46

[pcb50]

Gentlemen, I hope someone can explain this car's starting habit. When I got it last year it would start okay but lately will not without a shot of carb cleaner. It will fire momentarily when cold, foot off the pedal or choke set, makes no difference. Then only cranks with no start, not even a stumble. I give it a shot down the throat and it fires right up. I can go drive it, but will not re-fire, hot or cold, without a squirt. Have I spoiled it? I put new gas in last week, made no difference. BTW, living in Il. means no ethanol-free fuel to be found. I have a new battery with new 00 cables with the ground to the starter end plate. I don't think it is starter or state-of-tune related by the way it starts with a shot and runs. Thoughts please? Thank you. Paul.

[Bill Ingler #7799]

Hi Paul: The first thing I would look at is the choke. With a cold engine and with the air cleaner removed, using your hand, pull back on the accelerator arm at the carb to set your choke as well as the fast idle. Is the choke valve closed? If not loosen the 3 set screws on the side plate of the choke and move the plate so that it just closes the choke valve. Then tighten the 3 screws. Now try to start the car. If it fires right up and holds a fast idle you have correctly set the choke. If it fires but doesn`t keep running then enlist some help. With someone pushing the starter button,you then manually use the choke linkage once it fires to keep it running. It might be that you will need to increase or decrease the rich setting on the choke by resetting the choke side plate.
   The use of a starter fluid to start a car is something that needs to be carefully used, if at all. I have a friend who had just put starter fluid in the top end of the carb while someone was pushing the starter button. The car back fired and my friend who was still too close to the carb, got burned on the face and neck.  We all say that will never happen to me but being frustrated by a car not starting, can cloud our thinking.        Bill

[47bigcadillac]

I had similar starting issues on my 1947 - turned out to be the carb float which was not at the correct position.
Maybe due to a change in fuel type or bent brass.

Float level is very easy to check without removing anything but the flat screw on the side of the carb.
The top level of the gasoline in the float chamber needs to be exactly at the bottom of the hole opening of that screw - while at idle and level.

[Jay Friedman]

I would also check the initial distributor advance with a timing light.  If it is too "advanced" this type of difficulty with starting can result.  A friend's '41 had this problem, which was cured when we retarded the initial advance.

[pcb50]

Thanks to all who responded with suggestions. Sounds like a tune up is in order. I have not baselined the engine since i got the car and this will be the next step. I will report the results. Again thank you. Paul.

[wayne thompson]

It is definitely in your fuel system.  Check for fuel pressure to the carb. If that is good rebuild the carb. If it doesn't crank when it is hot means the choke is not the problem. Inever use starting fluid. It makes an overhead valve engine do some loud pinging. The last time I used it I bent a push rod. I now use a little gas to check for a fuel problem.
Wayne Thompson