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cold starts?

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go_inbroke

go_inbroke

Senior Member
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I have a stock '61 TR3A. I am having a cool (not yet even cold)starting issue. I have good crank but I have to go about 20-30 seconds before the first catch then crank again before it will start. Checked the points (cleaned and re-gapped)checked spark plugs (cleaned and re-gapped). Checked timing.

I did not have this problem all spring and summer. Once started idles good and accelerates well.

I don't know how old the coil is. I looked in the catalogs and the replacements are either with or without resister wire. Need to know if stock is with.

Need info please...
 
How are the seals on the jets in the carbs? Could the fuel be draining out of the float bowls? Mine were with the same symptoms. I polished the outside diameter of the jets with sand paper up to 20,000 grit and installed the o-rings instead of the cork seals. Starts great now even after the car sits for a week. Also had to install a new choke cable and go through the linkage.
 
I have been chasing my tail on ignition for a few days now also. In my case some good contact cleaner in the distributor and some corrosion X cured my issues. It could have been some condensation in the distributor due to the recent humid cool weather, I don't know, but that worked well for me.

If I were in your shoes I would make look into the fuel lines and seal at the bowl leaking or allowing air into the system. Maybe snug up the fittings, not too tight as to crack them and check the seals. Cold will shrink the metal, glass, etc and could allow a slightly loose fitting to seep. If you have lots more issues with air in your system or leaks get a tank of aviation fuel, its blue and will show you where the leaks are. It leaves the blue die behind when it evaporates and you can see where the leaks are.
 
Sounds like good advice. I'll start with the carbs and look for leaks. I'll put some foil under the bowls and see what drops overnight.
 
Seals under both float bowls are losing fuel. It looks like I will be pulling the bowls. What is the difference between the Viton grommets and the fiber washers? It looks like I will have to replace the stud and the bolt to accommodate for the Viton grommets. Any pitfalls here?
 
I had similar symptoms last year. The problem turned out to be the cork glands that the jets pull through were dried out. Following advice on this forum, I dismantled the carbs and greased the cork glands. I immediately noticed that my choke cable pulled out about 3/4 inch further than before. In effect I had only been increasing the revs, but not enriching the mixture.
 
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