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starting ether and cold weather starting

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As long as we are on this subject when I start my car in the cold weather it will spit back through the carbs till it warms up. No problem starting it but it will pop back through the carbs. Is it to lean or what. Skip
 
Hi Dave, The diaphram attatached to the Jet when it is raised up by pulling the choke on HD8 carbs.---Keoke
 
HI Skip, Generally a bit of choke is required until the engine warms up to prevent the spitting back problem---Keoke
 
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Hi Dave, The diaphram attached to the jet when it is raised up by pulling the choke on HD8 carbs.---Keoke

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Since there is free passage of fuel between the float bowl & the jet, why doesn't the fuel just flow back into the bowl instead of being pumped out of the jet? To my knowledge, there is no one way valve between the two. The level in the bowl is just a little below the top of the jet.
D
 
Dave:
These carbs do not contain any glands the fuel is trapped inside. The best way to check an HD type Carb's condition is to run your finger under the bottom of the carb if you come up with a gooey finger the diaphram is leaking otherwise there is no other outlet for the fuel.OH the fuel pump pressure makes the needle valve act like a one way valve.---Keoke
 
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Dave:
OH the fuel pump pressure makes the needle valve act like a one way valve.---Keoke

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I thought that the float bowls were vented, how can the needle valve do this? Just trying to learn the mysteries of SU carbs.
D
 
Dave

I think it is a simple matter of displacement. When you pull the choke the needle seat (jet) is lowered, fuel fills the void. When you push the choke, the needle seat is raised displacing the fuel, some overflows into the surrounding carb area, some returns from whence it came. The important part is the overflow.

Not particurlarly elegant, but effective.
 
Thanks Thom,
I guess it mostly pumps by the inertia of the fuel, which keeps all of it from returning whence it came. So the more rapidly the choke is moved the more fuel that slops out.
D
 
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Andrew as for starting the generator what you might want to try is a dipstick oil heater. I use it on my airplanes in cold weather and it works great. I won`t start them up with cold thick oil. I put it in the dipstick hole and in about 2 hours the oil is around 160 degrees F. I would suspect that if you put one in a diesel engine for a few hours it would warm the engine to the point you could start it without ether. Skip

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Wow - that sounds interesting - never come accross them, I'll "go a googling"

AWEM
 
I have been told that ether pre-detonates and takes a tiny bit off the top of the piston each time it is used. This over time reduces the compression enough that the engine will become dependant on it to start. Marine Diesel.
 
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For the electric dip stick (sounds like a rock band), try Whitney.

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Thanks Tahoe Healey. Yes found their site and they do do a 120v version. I'll see if they'll post one to the uk but will need to run through a 240/120 isolation transformer. Quite suprised to see they are only 60 watts - suspect that'll take a while to warm this great hunk of engine when cold.

AWEM
 
Hi Nevets, Sometimes the hard starting can be related to your carbs mixture adjustment also. A properly adjusted carb with alittle bias towards richness should start well on the full choke. Assuming your battery and starter system is turning the engine over at a sufficient speed. If your carbs are adjusted alittle lean, then hard starting when cold can occur because the full-on choke can't provide enough richness to compensate when the temp is cold.
If you have ever started any engine with starting fluid and heard how the engine rattles and knocks till it burns up the fluid, you would have to believe it is not to healthy for the engine. Why abuse your engine that way? I personally only use starting fluid when it is an engine that is having some serious malfunction and I must absolutely get it started, like right now. Engines are designed to start, that's why they get mass produced, make the systems right and it will start. If you souped it up and it won't start that's another story, but I won't be putting starting fluid in a 10,000 dollar race engine either. The only place I willing use starting fluid is in my old Sears snow blower. If I blow that up I have't lost much. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cheers.gif
Dave C.
 
I tried starting with just one hard pull yeaterday and it did start but rough. Hey, what ever works.
I see some trucks with extension cords hanging from the grill. I always assumed the were to heat the coolant but are they infact for the dipstick? My stuff sits in garages so I never worried about that. (Healeys garage is not heated)
 
Hey have any of you ever tried spraying some under the crack of the door in your workshop when you brother is on the toilet and then threw a match down by it. WHOOOOOOOO WHEEEEEEEE sounds like a bull in a china shop.
 
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