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So I’ve asked this question on another thread but it wasn’t related to that thread. My car seems to start fine when it’s cold, but after it warms and I let it sit for a little bit, it barely wants to start like it’s not pulling fuel down or something because if I look down under the blades of the carb I can see fuel sitting there mind you I pumped the gas a bit. I don’t know if it’s sitting there while cranking though. I just cannot figure out what the deal is! Could my ballast resistor be not letting my car get the 12 volts it needs after the car is warm, if the BR is damaged in a way? I’ve checked everything I can think of. I’ve even tried holding the gas to the floor while cranking and it sometimes pops off like it’s trying to start but that’s it. Usually it won’t start normal and at all again until the next day! I need someone’s wisdom on this topic. I did set the timing and tuned the engine to running smoothly
can you help me understand by describing what the engine is doing when your trying to start? Does it turn over with the same speed and power that it turns over with when cold or does it turn over slowly, almost like it has a dying battery? Im wondering if your flooding the cylinders with fuel, making it harder to turn over. Tell us all you can about the starting procedure when warm and how the engine reacts when you try to fire it up.
can you help me understand by describing what the engine is doing when your trying to start? Does it turn over with the same speed and power that it turns over with when cold or does it turn over slowly, almost like it has a dying battery? Im wondering if your flooding the cylinders with fuel, making it harder to turn over. Tell us all you can about the starting procedure when warm and how the engine reacts when you try to fire it up.
when warm, I go to start and the crank is the same but it just doesn’t want to pop until I hold the pedal down all the way then it tries to pop off but nothing. And the longer I wait the worse it is and I have a brand new battery. I’ve cranked until the battery starts dying. But when it’s cold I give it a few pumps of gas and fires up. On occasion I’ve had it warm shut it off for 10 min and it does kind of a quiet start where it just barely blends with the starter. I’m trying to say it starts without making the pop off sound, it’s very odd to me. Like I said the longer I wait the worse it is and just won’t start. I fought it for an hour yesterday until my battery died and I gave up because I bet it will start today cold. I’m sorry that’s the best I can describe
when warm, I go to start and the crank is the same but it just doesn’t want to pop until I hold the pedal down all the way then it tries to pop off but nothing. And the longer I wait the worse it is and I have a brand new battery. I’ve cranked until the battery starts dying. But when it’s cold I give it a few pumps of gas and fires up. On occasion I’ve had it warm shut it off for 10 min and it does kind of a quiet start where it just barely blends with the starter. I’m trying to say it starts without making the pop off sound, it’s very odd to me. Like I said the longer I wait the worse it is and just won’t start. I fought it for an hour yesterday until my battery died and I gave up because I bet it will start today cold. I’m sorry that’s the best I can describe
when warm it’s like it’s flooded kind of like it’s just cranking no firing, unless I hold the pedal down then it tries a little bit but only every few seconds or longer
Chris, the only thing that I can think of that would change a proper set timing once it is set is if perhaps your crank balancer has slipped. The rubber in these old balancers get old and split, then rotate within and change timing points shown by the pointer. This can become delaminated to the point the car will not run. I'm not saying this is it, so don't start tearing down your engine till you have exhausted every other possibility. You might be able to see the face of the balancer with a mirror and a strong light while the engine is in the car and inspect for cracks or delamination.. Tedd
Chris, the only thing that I can think of that would change a proper set timing once it is set is if perhaps your crank balancer has slipped. The rubber in these old balancers get old and split, then rotate within and change timing points shown by the pointer. This can become delaminated to the point the car will not run. I'm not saying this is it, so don't start tearing down your engine till you have exhausted every other possibility. You might be able to see the face of the balancer with a mirror and a strong light while the engine is in the car and inspect for cracks or delamination.. Tedd
Ive been told that before and I wish that was the case so I would know what’s going on but it’s not because I don’t have the original balancer it’s just a solid pulley with no marks, I’ve seen the original balancers and mines not. Dang it it’s really bugging me. If starts fine cold, maybe it’s just flooding
Ive been told that before and I wish that was the case so I would know what’s going on but it’s not because I don’t have the original balancer it’s just a solid pulley with no marks, I’ve seen the original balancers and mines not. Dang it it’s really bugging me. If starts fine cold, maybe it’s just flooding
does it matter if if the condenser in the distributor is loose? It’s sitting in its housing but I lost the screw a while ago so it’s not tightened down. Could that be the issue?
Last edited by Super88chris; January 4th, 2024 at 09:44 AM.
Reason: Reply
does it matter if if the condenser in the distributor is loose? It’s sitting in its housing but I lost the screw a while ago so it’s not tightened down. Could that be the issue?
The engineers designed the condenser to be held by fasteners. They did not design the condenser to not be held w/o fasteners. Install the fastener.
makes sense I’ll fasten it. Do you know what the little spring assisted button is in the dis plate.
No. 1955 Oldsmobile distributors are not something which exists in my normal wheel-house of knowledge.
Regarding that condenser however you do realize its purpose, correct? Simple to perform an Internet research. Inexpensive to replace. They are important, that's why they exist. If it hasn't been replaced since prior to the last ice age, it's a great opportunity to replace it now.
No. 1955 Oldsmobile distributors are not something which exists in my normal wheel-house of knowledge.
Regarding that condenser however you do realize its purpose, correct? Simple to perform an Internet research. Inexpensive to replace. They are important, that's why they exist. If it hasn't been replaced since prior to the last ice age, it's a great opportunity to replace it now.
it’s bee replaced along with points just not cap and rotor those I just cleaned up a bit and they been doing fine so far
how "warm" is your warm engine? Could we be talking about vapor lock in the carb or do you mean to stay that you start the car and within a couple minutes if you shut it off it won't start again? Is the hard starting even true with a relatively cold engine? I wonder, next time it's hard to start, what happens if you shoot some starting fluid into the carb? If she fires right up, that would seem to indicate you're not getting enough fuel (vapor lock could be the culprit). If the starter fluid makes no change, I bet your right to assume youre flooding it.
how "warm" is your warm engine? Could we be talking about vapor lock in the carb or do you mean to stay that you start the car and within a couple minutes if you shut it off it won't start again? Is the hard starting even true with a relatively cold engine? I wonder, next time it's hard to start, what happens if you shoot some starting fluid into the carb? If she fires right up, that would seem to indicate you're not getting enough fuel (vapor lock could be the culprit). If the starter fluid makes no change, I bet your right to assume youre flooding it.
I’ll try the starting fluid. I’d say when it’s cold it starts better but not as great as it did. And it’s pretty cold out here. The temp gauge is only going to the quarter mark if that. I’m running off the original tank and line except from the tank it’s 3 foot of metal line then rubber up to the fuel pump. Yesterday one side of the engines sparks plugs were pretty black and they are all newish. The other sides spark plugs were kind of wet and looked wet or shiny down in those cylinders.
Black/Sooty & wet generally imply a rich A/F mixture (carbon fouling). White & dry generally imply a lean A/F mixture. If the spark plugs are "wet", it's a good bet you're burning rich. Once you get your vacuum gauge you can dial-in your A/F combustion mixture.
10-4 that makes sense, some were black and wet and white some were black some were black and white. I’ll try to get that gauge today. But I don’t have line coming off the top of my fuel pump especially not going to the carb, yet.
The condenser needs to be attached to complete the circuit. The engine will be hard to start and probably run like crap. I'd also recommend changing the cap and rotor if they have been in there for many years. Same with the plugs and wires.
Last edited by oldcutlass; January 5th, 2024 at 09:18 AM.
The condenser needs to be attached to complete the circuit. The engine will be hard to start and probably run like crap. I'd also recommend changing the cap and rotor if they have been in there for many years. Same with the plugs and wires.
got it I’ll secure it and order a cap and rotor thank you
got it I’ll secure it and order a cap and rotor thank you
Super, Cap and rotor are just part of the ignition system. Plugs you can inspect visually and pretty much tell how they are running. You can't do that with ignition wires. Plugs and wires too. I'd suggest getting platinum plugs. They run much better than the original type plugs. So, you need to change cap, rotor, plugs and wires too. I know, it's all money, but as was already said, old cars are not cheap.
Also, when changing the ignition wires, be careful and do so one wire at a time. Till you get your maintenance manual, you don't want to have to figure out the firing order and what plug wire goes where.
Thanks boss! Yeah as soon as I saw it on EBay for 20 bucks I said F it and ordered. At least this way I can try to stop bugging you guys so much since I’ll have the book lol
But until then… just an update, it’s starting up a little better and the fuel filter is full of gas. But now I have to pump the gas a bunch while cranking and it will start. And since I’ve set the timing, when it’s cold and the rpm’s are high so it can warm up, there’s like these low sounding popping sounds not consistent but it just doesn’t feel right. Like today I had it running and let it warm up and the warmer it gets the worse it runs, the acceleration starts hesitating and it just runs choppy. This may not make sense I’m just trying to explain what it’s doing. Maybe it’s hungry for fuel but it also sounds like it’s starts to miss. I tried to drive it lake that and it missed a lot and was all jerking while trying to take off
No scraping/belching/farting/knocking/kicking/banging?
Have you driven it - e.g. under load (as opposed to sitting in the driveway)?
Question: Just to ensure you tightened your shoelaces - did you polarize the GEN at the VR?
Question: Are you measuring >13.8V on the battery with the engine running?
nope is all good now and quiet and yes I polarized and yes I drove it but like I said it was really skipping and missing and i looked in the carb the fuel was squirting right on spot. Yes 13.8 or around there. Now I’m more concerned with how it’s running. Seems to get worse after I warm it up. If my exhaust is shot to **** could that be those low sounds I’m hearing? They sound like on the inside of the engine though
nope is all good now and quiet and yes I polarized and yes I drove it but like I said it was really skipping and missing and i looked in the carb the fuel was squirting right on spot. Yes 13.8 or around there. Now I’m more concerned with how it’s running. Seems to get worse after I warm it up. If my exhaust is shot to **** could that be those low sounds I’m hearing? They sound like on the inside of the engine though
Good job on the GEN.
Don't get ahead of the game. Wait, please wait until you secure a vacuum gauge and you are able to TEST your vacuum w/ a vacuum gauge. You're blindfolded randomly tossing darts at a wall hoping to hit the dart board. Save it. You need to test intake manifold vacuum & dial-in your A/F mixture. If your intake manifold vacuum is all over the map, leaking, radical vacuum readings - your first order of business is going to be replacing &/or finding out why you have bad vacuum. Albeit, don't put the cart ahead of the house here.
Last edited by Vintage Chief; January 6th, 2024 at 05:34 PM.
I got the vacuum gauge tried it today but I don’t think I was hooked up to manifold vac. I was hooked on the line coming from Back of carb going to windshield motor. It read at 42 was the most I could get.
Thats my carb there’s only the vacuum advance line and the one going to the wiper motor. And I don’t have a line coming off my fuel pump right now.
Chris - You need to get back on track. There is NO intake manifold vacuum reading on the gauge which encompasses "42". As I have previously indicated - repeatedly, the range should be somewhere between 15"Hg - 22"Hg (Hg = Mercury). Did you read the instructions on the gauge? Do you know which reading you are looking at?
Yes. OK. This is exactly why it is important to read, understand and use precise terms when communicating. The number 42 is meaningless when we're referring to intake manifold vacuum readings measured in inches of Hg (Mercury). Look at your gauge - again. I'm almost positive you're reading cmHg.
I was curious about the types of vacuum so I looked an online and it said you can use manifold or ported for tuning purposes but today when all wrong I think.
Yes. OK. This is exactly why it is important to read, understand and use precise terms when communicating. The number 42 is meaningless when we're referring to intake manifold vacuum readings measured in inches of Hg (Mercury). Look at your gauge - again. I'm almost positive you're reading cmHg.
yeah I must have read it wrong. Did you look at the gauge I showed to make sure it’s the correct one?
yeah I must have read it wrong. Did you look at the gauge I showed to make sure it’s the correct one?
Yes, I looked at your gauge. You have the right gauge. Why would you report a reading of cmHg when we have repeatedly been discussing intake manifold vacuum in inches of Mercury (e.g. 15"Hg - 22"Hg)? Stay on track.
It's very late here - I'm going to bed.
Last edited by Vintage Chief; January 6th, 2024 at 06:44 PM.
Just slipped my mind I didn’t look at anything but the biggest numbers. Glad to know I got the right gauge. Ok so that’s done in the past, moving forward, the other guy on here said to tie into my vacuum line coming off my fuel but I don’t have that so where else can I tie into?
Just slipped my mind I didn’t look at anything but the biggest numbers. Glad to know I got the right gauge. Ok so that’s done in the past, moving forward, the other guy on here said to tie into my vacuum line coming off my fuel but I don’t have that so where else can I tie into?
Connect your vacuum gauge to the port on the back of the carb where the wipers would have connected.
ok I’ll hook it up to the back line and I have no rubber lines. I will do this first thing tomorrow as long as I can keep it from dying like earlier today. I really don’t think the AF screws are causing this but I still need exhaust all means and check this off the list
January 3rd, 2024, 07:16 PM
