Winter hard start

[jon]

1976 BMW 2002

New 32/36 choke, new solenoid and new distributor installed summertime.  Started and ran smoothly.

Now once a week in winter, start takes a minute or so.  Sounds like it had been flooded for a few seconds, but then runs fine.  Winter starts used to be a little longer in that float had to refill.  What should I look at to fix this hard start?

[7502]

Make sure your automatic choke is set up correctly. Might take a few iterations to get it where you want it, make small adjustments and note the difference.

[zinz]

40 minutes ago, jon said:

Now once a week in winter, start takes a minute or so

Is that on a cold start, or after it’s been warmed up and a restart?

 

If cold, your choke probably needs adjusting as stated above. Pretty simple procedure. 
 

Ed

[zinz]

See here

 

 

 

[jon]

Cold start issue in winter has been after car sitting a week; restart after warm works fine.

 

I adjusted the choke counterclockwise 1/8 inch and the engine fired, died and started after another 3-4 seconds.  I don't mind if it takes seconds in winter to get gas into the carb, because the float never has worked well.  The choke adjustment, I think, did what I need for wintertime.  Thanks, Guys

[Mike Self]

53 minutes ago, jon said:

Cold start issue in winter has been after car sitting a week

It's been my long experience with 2 bbl Webers (regardless of choke type) that they tend to drain after 4-5 days of sitting, and you have to pull gas all the way from the tank to refill the float chamber.  Not sure why they do this, as the single barrel Solex on my '69 can sit for up to two weeks and start immediately.  

 

If my manual choke 2 bbl Weber has been sitting for less than two or so days, for a cold start I've learned to pull the choke out all the way, then turn the key to start without touching the gas.  Then it starts every time.  On an automatic choke carb, the equivalent would be to "set" the choke by pressing the accelerator pedal once; that will (should) cause the choke plates to close.  You may want to make sure that's happening by pulling the top of the air cleaner on a cold engine, then working the accelerator linkage once, and observe the choke plates snapping shut.  If they don't, something is sticking, or the choke just isn't functioning.

 

mike