Long crank time before start
 

Have an 87 F250. Carbed 460. Once the truck sits overnight it takes like 2 minutesbof cranking over before it will start. Also even just shutting it off and coming back a little later, takes about 10 seconds to start. So where in the world should I start on fixing this problem.

I know that theres what appears to be a vacuum line or something coming up from the fuel tanks on the right hand side of the frame. Looks like it went to charcoal canisters? Could this be the issue? Also I have vacuum lines I think aren't correct. I can take pics and go one at a time. But I really want this long crank time fixed. Any advice or help is greatly appreciated!

Check your timing first. More initial timing will help it start when cold.

Ok. Well I will say this. I don't use it much atm. After I get all the wood hauled off at 1 spot, I'm taking the top end of the motor apart. I'm losing coolant. Its gotta be intake or head gasket. So while I'm in there I'm putting a double roller timing chain and Ill time it then. Anything else I should look at?

In the morning take the air filter off, push the choke open with your hand and pump the throttle with your other hand while you look down in the carb. Your looking to see if it squirts fuel, to see if the fuel bowl is empty.


This 2 minutes of cranking what is the engine doing and what are you doing?


Why would you assume head or intake? Is there water in the oil? How much coolant are you loosing? Have you checked the radiator cap?

I will check that. See what it does. I can do it either tonight or tomorrow before I leave. I have to use it to haul wood tomorrow.

When its cranking the motor turns over just like normal starting. I have always been taught to pump it 2-3 times then half throttle. I do this multiple times as I don't let it crank a solid 2 minutes straight.

I don't see evidence of water in the oil, but I haven't drained it either. It has an oil leak so I fill it every once in a while. Seems to help a lot after I used thicker oil. Doesnt seem to be oil in antifreeze either. I loose about 1 inch out of my radiator every 40 miles or so. I nornally only go about 20-50 at a time. So I just top it off before every use. Yep. Has new cap. Thinking of replacing all the hoses but idt I'd be loosing that much without visibly seeing it.

Whomever told you that gave you very bad advice. If all is working right, should take a light tap on the throttle to set the choke before cranking. Then no throttle during cranking and should fire right up. With what you are doing there is a good chance that you are flooding it.

Radiator not overflow tank? Do you not have an overflow tank?

If you don't have an overflow tank and top it off when cold then your going to loose coolant every time it warms up, this is normal.

Thicker oil is a very poor way to solve an oil leak. No idea where your leak is but FWIW it's not uncommon for the oil filter bracket to work it's way loose over the last 28 years. I had a leak there, tightened up the four bolts holding it on, no more leak.

Ill try that but I'm positive it won't work. Ill still have the long crank time.

Yes radiator. Yes I have an overflow tank. If I fill them both up and do 4-5 drive cycles on it. Meaning 20-50 miles a cycle Ill have lass than half a radiator full of coolant left. I'm loosing coolant.

Ok, I know some of it was valve cover gaskets. I moved to slightly thicker oil and its helping. But this is only a temp solution. If I have to pull the top end of the motor Ill replace all those gaskets plus the pan gasket and such. So I should fix most any oil leak. After that ill have cleaned everything so I can address any additional leaks at that time.

So I checked it this morning. I got like 3 squarts of fuel out of the carb then it was done. Still had a long crank time. But Ill see how it does now that I'm not pumping the fuel. It cranked up but then died. Then I had to crank long again.

I still say you need to check ignition timing.