This is a bit off the wall, but in line with gekko13's comment. I had an intermittent problem some years ago, and finally found the points were hanging open and varying the timing, or not firing at all. I had the plugs out, the dist cap off, and was bumping the motor to check that the balancer hadn't slipped. I looked at the dist to see if the rotor was at #1, and realized the points were open, and not contacting the dist cam. A little WD-40 solved that for a bit, but when it got erratic again, the timing light showed it had come back. In your case, that doesn't seem likely as it would fire retarded, not advanced, but you might check. If it's really retarded, it might jump to the next plug and become advanced, if you have a hot coil.

miker
55 bird, 32 cabrio F code
Kent, WA
Tucson, AZ

Ok, I think I have it all nailed down. I checked the fuel and all of that checked out so went on to check electric and that was fine as well so I was pulling my hair out. So I retarded the timing a little just to make the starting better for the time being and while i was in there I double checked that after sitting for a number of hrs it was still squirting gas. I took off the air cleaner and looked down in there and gave it a few manual pumps and i got nice streams. I put it back together and get in the car and it starts right up no problem at all. I think that the problem might have been a impatient operator. When I gave it some time after giving it some gas it starts right up, just goes to show that it can be the easiest things some time. Now I want to get that timing a little more advanced because I loved the way it drove when it was all the way advanced. Is there a way to get it to drive like that but not be that advanced upon initial starting?

Thanks again guys, you all are the best.

Cbass

1958 F100 292

"Nothing is particularly hard if you divide it into small jobs."

"Chop your own wood, and it will warm you twice."

-Henry Ford

One of the reasons I have tuned my outfit to use "live" manifold vacuum is that it starts well at 10° initial - then the vacuum advance kicks it up at idle. To make this work I have the total vacuum advance shut back to 7°-8°. My total mechanical is set at 36° - then the vacuum boosts it to about 44° max at low load cruise.

The other feature I have used is the one in the Duraspark II controller that detects operation of the starter solenoid and retards it another 6°. That allows it to start at 4° BTDC - then immediately kicks it up to 17° when it has manifold vacuum and the starter disengages. 

 
 Steve Metzger       Tucson, Arizona

One thing to keep in mind if you have an Autolite carb.  The accelerator pump is spring actuated, so if you pump the accelerator rapidly, the pump doesn't have a chance to empty itself and return for another stroke, so you end up flexing the spring and not really pumping fuel.

John - "The Hoosier Hurricane"

Steve- how do you adjust the vacuum advance?

1958 F100 292

"Nothing is particularly hard if you divide it into small jobs."

"Chop your own wood, and it will warm you twice."

-Henry Ford

Ok, worked on it a bit more and got the hard start completely gone going back to the 10 degree initial timing but now I am back to having a hesitation when I first step on the gas, no matter what gear or even in neutral. The carb has been recently rebuilt and I checked and the accelurator pump shoots out a nice stream when the gas is hit. Any ideas? I now this is a different topic and maybe I should start a new thread?

Thanks All

Cbass

1958 F100 292

"Nothing is particularly hard if you divide it into small jobs."

"Chop your own wood, and it will warm you twice."

-Henry Ford

You don't mention what carb you have on your car but if a Holley, it could be one of three things. First the float level is too low, second the accelerator pump clearance is wrong - there should be zero when the throttle closed and about .015" when full throttle and third you have the primary butterflies open too far exposing the transfer slot.

Thre is another post with a member having problems getting his 56 to idle correctly that may be relevant to you.

If an Autolite check your float level.

Regards

Rick - West Australia
Do Y Blocks Downunder run upside down? Gravity Sucks!!

It is the holley 2 barrel, the float level is correct but I will have to check the other two things and will read the other post you suggested. I will have to see if I can find a way to check on the butterflies being to far open. In the mean time thanks again.

Cbass

1958 F100 292

"Nothing is particularly hard if you divide it into small jobs."

"Chop your own wood, and it will warm you twice."

-Henry Ford

Ok I might as well jump in here as I am in the same boat but a little different. I am running 3x2 with holley 94s on a 292 with g heads. I have the initial timing set at 10* it has a Mallory elec ignition set to stock 24* total. The truck starts ok when absolutely cold but takes a few minutes to warm up and idle with the choke no big deal. The issue is that after running for a time and then sitting for more than a few minutes is a bear to start. I thought thought the carbs were leaking so took them and got them flow tested they are ok. I put 1/4 phenolic spacers on but think that they are still leaking down.

It still acts like there is a vac leak and it is about making me nuts. The manifold heat riser dumps right below the primary carb. I was thinking of cutting some aluminum and fabricating a restrictor plate for the heat risers. Or do you think retarding the timing a few degrees would help?since it starts well cold I am guessing it is more a heat soak problem then timing.

Mike Rizzo

1963 F100 "Rudy"

Daniel Island, SC

If it starts well cold but is difficult to start when hot that suggests that you are flooding the engine or it is running too rich. When you say that the engine is hard to start, is it cranking fine but won't fire up. If you hold the throttle flat when cranking does it start easier.

An engine that fires up easy when cold without choke certainly suggests that it is on the rich side and this engine may then be difficult to start when hot.

Check all your float levels and needles and seats on the inlets.

Regards

Rick - West Australia
Do Y Blocks Downunder run upside down? Gravity Sucks!!