quicker cold starts

[zimmy]

when my car is cold, it wont hit a lick till the oil pressure gets to around 60 lbs....right now i have a weak battery which could possibly b dead in the 15-20ish seconds it takes to get going.....
the car starts immediately with a shot of starter fluid, and starts fine once its been started. im just wandering if there is something i can do to get that initial morning start goin a lil quicker....is everybodys motor like that? zimmmy

 

[Dug]

Zimmy,
That batteries condition could be why you’re having the starting issues. I’d look to see how your chokes are set per a shop manual but your battery might be the simple fix. How far out do you pull the choke knob out from the dash now?
Dug

 

[ncbugeye]

Do you pull the choke all the way and mash your accelerator foot fully to the floor and hold it there until it starts?

I owned a classic Mini with a fully polished head, single 1 1/2" SU and no vacuum advance back in the early 70s and exactly this technique worked. These days, doing it this way, my 1974 Midget engine (in a Bugeye) starts second pull in the Winter months, first pull all other months.

If I do it the normal way it takes an age.

 

[twas_brillig]

Depending on what's in your crank case, lower weight engine oil (eg. 5-30 or 5-40 rather than 10-30/10-40)makes quite a difference. Some folks think holding the clutch in allows the engine to spin more freely; this may hold true for yours but I always found it better to leave the clutch alone.

doug

 

[zimmy]

i dont think its the battery.........
i only pull the choke out a tad....maybe ill try pulling it out farther...
i have 20-50 oil i believe, or whatever its supposed to have in it. z

 

[zimmy]

pulled the choke out all the way and put the pedal to the floor and it started a little quicker, although i think pumping the pedal slowly might b better....z