Guest j.w. Posted October 14, 2012 Share Posted October 14, 2012 hello guys and galsi recently purchased 1955 ruick roadmaster w/ 322 nailhead v8.when starting the car-you put the key into the on position and then press down on the accelerator and car then starts.the problem is it is hard starting.Sometimes i pump accelerator twice then put key in on position andit may start easy or after a few attemps.sometimes i pump accelerator once then put key in on postion and it may start easily or not.the owners manuel states on a cold engine,just turn key on and press down on accelerator at it starts-but this method didnt work for me either !!can anyone suggest the best way to start this ??thanks for your help Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnD1956 Posted October 14, 2012 Share Posted October 14, 2012 Welcome to the Forum and to collector Buicks j.w. What you are experiencing is normal for this car. There are a few variables involved that can cause seemingly different starting scenarios. For example, has the car been used sparingly? When was the last time used? is it cold enough for the automatic choke to set? Does it have sufficient fast idle to open the choke after starting? What is the state of condition of the plugs, points, rotor cap and spark plug wires, and then you start to get into more variables with engine condition. For my 56 I usually put the pedal to the floor once to set the choke. Then I turn on the key and hit the pedal 1/2 to 3/4 of the way to try and start it. If you put the pedal all the way to the floor while it's cold, the carb should also open the choke butterfly. This is the way the engineers fought a flooded engine. But unless I use the car every three days or so, it rarely starts the first time I do this. More often I will follow this scenario several times and I try not to run my starter for more than six to ten seconds each time. When the car starts I also open the throttle to bring the engine up to 17-1800 RPM.. It's at this level that the velocity of air pushes the automatic choke butterfly open and prevents the engine from stalling due to flooding from a closed choke. One major word of caution. Assuming your 55 still has the Dynaflow automatic, do not put the vehicle in reverse till it warms up and you are under 800 RPM. There are several threads on Dynaflows here, and most find them very rewarding but dropping a dynaflow in reverse while reving the engine will probably result in kicking the reverse band "strut" out of position, and render the gear inoperable. I usually warm my car up till it idles on slow idle and then lightly hold the brake so that when I put it in reverse it can begin to move and preventing the clunk, or lurch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fr. Buick Posted October 17, 2012 Share Posted October 17, 2012 Even with a rebuilt pump and carb, if the car has been sitting a while, the carb will go dry of gasoline in the bowl, especially when put away hot. Engine heat and warm weather will do it no matter what.Some compensate by running an electrip pump in-line that can be fired up briefly to filll the carb bowl before starting. Or a little starter fluid or gas down the carb manually. Or, run the starter a bit, turn off the key and pump the throttle. Do this a few times, and my Buicks always start.Carb-powered cars take some getting used to. Each is different, and NOTHING like a modern care with EFI. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avgwarhawk Posted October 17, 2012 Share Posted October 17, 2012 Sounds like two things. Cold start choke issue. The coil in the chock housing is not up to snuff. Second, the length of time the car has sat. If mine sits a week the gas drains back to the tank. It takes some cranking to get the gas up to the carb. Once warm the car starts without issue every time. I plan on putting a one way/check valve in the fuel line at the tank. This should prevent the gas from draining back to the tank over a weeks time. The electric pump works well from what I have read. I will go with the valve first and see how it works out. As far as the choke, you might need to replace the choke assembly and set the butterfly valve to correct angle when cold starting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D Yaros Posted October 18, 2012 Share Posted October 18, 2012 A trick I stumbled upon to fill the carb bowl is to use a ketchup squeeze bottle applied to the carb fuel bowl vent nozzle(s); the chamfered tube at the top of the car throat. Works every time! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old-tank Posted October 18, 2012 Share Posted October 18, 2012 If mine sits a week the gas drains back to the tank. .I have heard this over and over and still do not understand how gas in the carb bowl can reverse flow up and out of the float valve. It is possible that residual gas in the line can drain back and cause the fuel pump to lose it's prime and cause prolonged cranking to fill a dry (from evaporation?) carb...I have heard of using a check valve at the tank in and effort to prevent vapor lock, but never heard of the results. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Bruce aka First Born Posted October 18, 2012 Share Posted October 18, 2012 I have heard this over and over and still do not understand how gas in the carb bowl can reverse flow up and out of the float valve. It is possible that residual gas in the line can drain back and cause the fuel pump to lose it's prime and cause prolonged cranking to fill a dry (from evaporation?) carb...I have heard of using a check valve at the tank in and effort to prevent vapor lock, but never heard of the results. Agree! And I have never known Willie to be wrong. Ben Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnD1956 Posted October 20, 2012 Share Posted October 20, 2012 While disassembling my Roch carb for rebuild in late spring, there was still gas in the bowls from before Christmas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bhambulldog Posted October 22, 2012 Share Posted October 22, 2012 I had hard starting as you describe. Adjusting the timing and a GOOD new battery fixed my woes. If mine sits for more than a few days, a squirt of ether (NAPA ether with top cylinder lube) gets it to start on the first try. Good advice, all the earlier posts. Especially not running the starter motor for too long. Also be sure the carb is getting plenty of fuel. A starving carb can cause a backfire. A backfire with the starter engaged can cause catastrophic engine damage (a backfire is why I have a sleeved cylinder). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buick5563 Posted October 24, 2012 Share Posted October 24, 2012 Good advice, all the earlier posts Yes it is.Now where is JW? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Bruce aka First Born Posted October 24, 2012 Share Posted October 24, 2012 Yes it is.Now where is JW? MIA?? Ben Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old-tank Posted October 24, 2012 Share Posted October 24, 2012 Maybe the first reply should have been: "This is your first post. Before we offer help for your problem, we need to know if you will be back to thank the respondents, give an update on the problem, share stories or pictures of your car, and come back to help others after you learn something."This just about as bad as receiving a PM or email from a member with zero (0) posts. My reply is to post on the forum first so that all can contribute and share in the solution...most are never heard from again.Willie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avgwarhawk Posted October 24, 2012 Share Posted October 24, 2012 I have heard this over and over and still do not understand how gas in the carb bowl can reverse flow up and out of the float valve. It is possible that residual gas in the line can drain back and cause the fuel pump to lose it's prime and cause prolonged cranking to fill a dry (from evaporation?) carb...I have heard of using a check valve at the tank in and effort to prevent vapor lock, but never heard of the results.Not necessary the carb bowl flowing back Tank. More than likely the gas in the bowl evaporates. We know the vapor will find its way to the newer charcoal canisters installed on cars when the exhaust emissions became a issue that needing to be addressed. Gas will evaporate. When mine sits for a week the engine will catch briefly as some gas is present in the bowl. It quickly burns and shuts down(usually a few seconds). Then it is long crank time until the pump has primed and pushed gas to the carb. If my car is driven everyday(which I have done) there is no issue with long crank times. Starts right up. Only when it sits for a week does the long crank time present itself. Gas is draining back to the tank. There is nothing stopping it. The check valve at the tank will not prevent vapor lock that I'm aware of. The valve will keep gas from draining back away from the pump. Today's modern fuel systems with electric pumps for injecters do have one way fuel valves to keep gas up by the injectors and prevent long crank times. Often these valves are at the pump which is located in the tank. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bhambulldog Posted October 25, 2012 Share Posted October 25, 2012 Yes it is.Now where is JW?Maybe he is out driving his car? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest j.w. Posted October 29, 2012 Share Posted October 29, 2012 thanks john and everyone who responded w/ a remedy. upon experimenting-what i have done is pump accelerator to floor 1 time for 5 seconds then pump 1/2 way to floor 5 times at 3 sec intervals. this worked for me perfectly-it started 4 mornings in a row w/o any problem. it seems every car w/ a carburator has its own unique way of starting. this forum is great and i will return w/ more questions in the future. the car in question is a 1955 buick roadmaster/69k miles/322 v8 nailhead.best wishes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bhambulldog Posted October 30, 2012 Share Posted October 30, 2012 Hooray!!I think you're right. It's like a dialing combination lock to get each one started =-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnD1956 Posted October 30, 2012 Share Posted October 30, 2012 Glad you were able to find a winning combination. You may want to try minor adjustments keeping in mind that while the engine is cold, each pump of the pedal is shooting raw gas down to the cylinders. Spark plugs can get fouled if they become too wet with gas. Then you'll have another set of problems. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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