67 Caddy hard starting with exhaust leak

[richardbergquist]

I’m guessing most of you won’t believe this theory but my impression is that my car gets hard to start when cold when there is a leak in the exhaust manifold. Every time I fix the leak (which is always temporary since not one of all the putties out there have lasted very long) it becomes easy to start when cold. When the leak comes back it gets really difficult to start.

["Cadillac Kid" Greg Surfas 15364]

Richard,
It sounds like the gremlin I had in mine and lost on I-35 near Buda has worked its way up North to you.
Greg Surfas

[richardbergquist]

Haha, so it’s a gremlin, I knew it!

[fishnjim]

Some believe in UFO's, Yeti's, etc.   Dream on...   
I'll put money it has almost no impact.   About the only way it would matter, if the leak is really bad and not allowing the heat riser and choke furnace to work, but I doubt that's the cause.   Just put a new exhaust on it, tune it, and adjust the choke.   It'll start.   You also have to know how to start these carb cars - read the manual.   Don't crank and pedal the crap out of it.   Depress the pedal once, to set the choke.  Let it fast idle, til warm.   Sometimes, if the conditions are right, too much gas cools and keeps the choke closed and moisture condenses in the cap, they "wet out" and won't start regardless, but unless you've encountered that one, you'll blame it on something else.   Stick a screw driver in the carb to hold the choke open and dry out the cap.   One gets ingenius when their '60 s car didn't run and they needed it to.