Won't start cold

[steammech50]

Have a 31 tudor that won't start when cold,seems like no fuel to plugs no matter how much choke is used.Pulled out #1plug poured in a little gas an away she went,have checked manifold for leaks,found none. Any ideas?

[31Tudor]

I would maybe do a compression check on all cylinders and be sure that you have good compression. If not you may not be getting a good draw of gas into the intake. Also check the gasket between the carburetor and the intake. On a cold start try turning the choke GAV valve open a little more and see if that helps.

[RonC]

any time you have a cold running or starting issue it's normally related to insufficient fuel vaporization.

[steammech50]

Have good compression,new carb an gasket,have opened gav valve but no luck,have a 29 that will start no matter how cold,don't understand!

[31Tudor]

Put the carburetor from the 29 on and see if the 31 starts up cold. You could then rule out carburetor.

[steammech50]

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Will try carb switch,have down for timeing gear change,thanks for the help!

[Dennis L Oberer]

I can tell you folks that the A will start when other modern iron wont.

Back in 1967 the day of the Ice Bowl in Green Bay VS Dallas I was able to start the tudor and it sat outside and it was 30 below zero.

Now the electric starter wouldnt work...engine was just too stiff....but the hand crank did. I had 10W30 in the engine that day and the crank went down like a hydraulic jack. I stood on the crank and it lowered down 4 or 5 times.

But after a few looooooon slooooooow turns she fired up and ran.

I took the VW Beetle to the game that day...pic of me frozen in place in the south end zone in the Packer Hall of Fame.

I was "that" close to getting the world;s fastest human's warm up jacket....after the game when we were wandering around on the field.....

Oh those were the days.

Dennis L Oberer
Green Bay WI

[Model T Monte]

Put a blow drier on the carb for ten-fifteen minutes.

[Gary/IA]

Originally Posted by Model T Monte

Put a blow drier on the carb for ten-fifteen minutes.

Substitute for blow drier: Back in the 40's my dad would soak a corn cob in kerosene, put it on the end of a piece of #9 wire, light it and hold it under the pan to warm the oil.

Dad lived until 96 and the A never burnt up. Not recommended!

[Dennis L Oberer]

My grandfather during the depression used to drain the oil out of the engine when he got home from work, left the A tudor sit outside all night in the below zero January weather.

Then heat the oil on the stove until it was hot.

Pour it back into the engine and the car always started.

Dennis L Oberer
Green Bay WI

[Special Coupe Frank]

So far this year, temps have gotten down to about 10-15 F overnight; my Ford is outside, and has started fairly quickly... usually starts after three-four grunts of the starter. I open the GAV two full turns, hold the choke closed for two grunts, then let it go. When the engine fires, I give a enough throttle and spark to settle on a fast idle for a minute or two.

Steammech 50, when you have the choke pulled all the way, can you hear the carb gargling after a couple of starter grunts / pulls on the hand crank ? If not, then I suspect your choke plate is not closing fully...

[pooch]

Junk fuel these days, when stale, can lead to vaporization problems.

[afordman]

You might try giving the carb a shot of WD40 in the intake .. works for me! dont use either, its hard on cylinder bores and rings!

[steammech50]

Finished up the timeing gear change,re-built oil pump,found distributor complely wore out,all new parts,ran some yesterday,started right up ,ran like a new car. Thanks to everyone for your help!