"Hansen, Hans C, III (Red), GLSVC" wrote:
>
> - sprayed starting fluif (let it go) into the carbs while I had my
> other car's battery in line. VROOOMMM!
> It started! Then died.
Red :
More important than tightness of the choke linkage is : did it lower
both jets, and by approx. the same amount ? In a pinch, just to get the
engine running, you can simply disconnect the springs, and pull the jets
down by hand. I'd guess 3/16 or 1/4 should be about right for your
weather. When the engine starts, you can push them back up by hand.
Also, pull the float bowl lids (the nut is Whitworth but I forget the
size, 3/16W maybe) and first check how high the float is riding (the top
of the float should be no more than about 1/2" below the top of the
chamber), then remove the float and look for any foreign matter (water,
rust, etc.) in the bottom of the bowl.
And, check that the pistons move freely. There should be resistance from
the dashpot as you lift them, but they should move slowly and smoothly
all the way to the top. Then, if you release them, they should fall
quickly to the bottom, making a distinct metallic 'click' as they hit
bottom. If the movement is erratic, limited or has 'tight spots', you
need to remove the domes and find the problem. If the pistons seem to
move OK, but don't click as they hit bottom, your jet centering is off
and needs to be reset.
If the bowls are full of gas, but it will still run only on starting
fluif, then the jets themselves (or possibly the passage from the float
chamber) must be plugged. The 'book' suggestion for this problem is to
get the engine running (like during the vroom right after dosing it with
ether), then clap your hand over the carb intake, thus applying full
manifold vacuum to the jet. That should suck through almost anything.
If not, there's one 'last ditch' thing to try : disconnect the choke
linkage enough to get room, then pull the jets out entirely. The
contents of the float bowl should run out through the opening (verifying
that the passage to the bowl is clear), and you can visually examine the
jet to be sure it's clear.
BTW, an old trick (that I'm sure you're aware of) is to put an ordinary
lit light bulb (60 or 100 watt) under the hood the night before. The
heat from the bulb isn't enough to hurt anything, but will warm things
noticeably, which not only makes the engine more inclined to start, but
a little less bone-chilling to touch.
Hope this helps
Randall
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