eazy p

I just acquired a pretty nice Custom Cruiser but I may or may not have an issue or two. I have to preface this by saying that I'm not super automotively inclined, but I'm sure the rest of my post will make that obvious.

Since I bought the car 4 days ago the only thing that I have done are put gas in it, get an oil change, and change the air filter. The three occasions I have tried to start it in the morning haven't gone to well. The first day I went out and try to start it then engine would crank and crank but wouldn't turn over, it being the first morning I had it I thought when I was showing it off maybe someone left the door cracked last night and the battery is too weak. I did some errands came back with some cables and hooked it up to my Subaru. The engine started right up and I drove it to O'reilly's where they checked the battery and starter which both came back good. The rest of the day starting was fine.

The second morning I went to start it pretty much the same thing happened. It cranked but wouldn't catch, but this time I held the key down for 30-45 seconds and it finally turned over and the rest of the day starting was no problem.

This morning was similar the engine cranked didn't catch. I walked away for 5-10 minutes came back and it started up. If it were winter or colder out I would say it's just the cold but it's summer time. It's been awhile since I have put in a lot of time with car with a carb so I'm not sure if there is something I should do different.

On a related note I was trying to look at my front sway bar last night to see the diameter when I noticed a lot of oil and grime all over the front suspension. The whole front end of the car is covered in a 1/4 to 1/2 think oil/road grime combo. It looks pretty bad and when I got the oil changed it was a quart low so I automatically thought "great I bought a car with a leak". But it is after all from 1984, so idk maybe that much grime could accumulate. How should I go about cleaning up the area so A. the area looks better B. I can maybe see if oil is indeed leaking. I live at an apartment so I don't have access to a garage and I don't want to put a lot of chemicals down because people have pets/kids.

jaunty75

First of all, your terminology is wrong. If your engine is "cranking", which means it's going "rar-rar-rar" when you turn the key, then it's "turning over." It's just not catching and starting.

Given the fact that you are able to get it to go after holding the key down for 45 seconds and also if you crank it a bit, walk away, and then come back and it starts right up suggests a fuel issue. In fact, the second case sounds like a flooded engine. Do you remember how to start a carbureted engine (or aren't you that old? )? It's not like a fuel-injected engine, where you keep your foot off the gas regardless of whether the engine is hot or cold and just turn the key. If your engine is cold, you need to push the gas pedal to the floor once to set the choke and then leave your foot off while turning the key. If the engine is warm, depress the gas pedal half way and hold while cranking.

The reason a flooded engine starts after you've walked away for 5 to 10 minutes is because the excess gas gets a chance to evaporate. Any chance that you smell gas during these instances when it won't start when cold and after you've been doing that cranking?

eazy p

Isn't the difference between "cranking" and "turning over" just a choice in vernacular? Like the choice between soda and pop? Cars used to be started by hand crank and you used the term in your reply. I'm just confused by that point.

I'm only 30 so most of my cars have been EFI but I drove a similar car and an 87 Dodge truck in high school when my Dakota was on the fritz plus my parents own several classic cars so I've at least some experience with carb cars. I've used ATVs and tractors with manual chokes but I don't know if I was ever informed on how to set the choke on a car. That being said my MO if it didn't start with a carb was to pump the gas pedal once or twice which may be worse but I've never had this happen with any other vehicle.

I don't remember it smelling of gas but I can't be sure and as I'm on a business trip I can't check atm. I never have a problem after the first startup and I never need to depress the gas pedal on any other start. It's just the first start of the day. Maybe I could have a slight battery drain and sitting overnight hurts it? Of course that kinda rules out the coming back and it firing right up.

jaunty75

Yes, that was my point. They are the same thing. But you were using the terms as they though they were two different things. You said "engine would crank and crank but wouldn't turn over."

If an engine is "cranking," it's "turning over." Doesn't mean it's actually starting, though.

jaunty75

Yes, and if you had a battery drain, I wouldn't expect the engine to even crank when you turned the key. It would do nothing, or maybe you'd hear a click. If you can hold the key in the ON position and have it crank for 45 seconds as you say, even if it doesn't start, you certainly have no problem with your battery.

jaunty75

We all have our crosses to bear.

eazy p

Ah I didn't realize I said "cranks but doesn't turn over". I thought you were saying that I should say turn over instead. Thanks for the help. I bought this off of CL so I w a s just worried there was some sort of quirk I was going to have to figure out straight away. I'll try to set the choke when I start it next time. Is my method of pumping the gas a couple of times worse than not touching the gas at all?

jaunty75

Neither is good if the engine is cold. According to all the books I've ever read, on a carbureted engine, you pump the pedal to floor and let off once. You're squirting some gas into the carburetor plus setting the choke. If you pump more than once, all you're doing is squirting more gas into the carburetor which can lead to a flooded engine that won't start. So it's not "one pump is good, so two pumps must be better."

If you don't touch the gas at all on a cold engine, the choke will not be set, and there will be no gas in the carburetor, so, again, the engine won't start or start easily, and even if it does, it might not stay running as the choke isn't set.

On a warm engine, choke is not needed, so you do not press the pedal to the floor before starting. Doing so could, again, lead to a flooded engine. You press the pedal part way to give the engine a little gas until it starts and idles on its own.