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Hi all. Have a newly rebuilt FE390 on my 65 F100 and this morning was really cold in Melbourne Australia. Started it with manual choke but engine cut out. Wouldn't start again. Tried several times during the day, no good. Took our the spark plugs and found them black with carbon deposits., slightly wet.. replaced them with new ones and hope this, together with an overnight rest might work but reluctant to try to start her again before understanding the proper starting procedure from here. I have several options...a) try again in the morning by depressing gas pedal and cracking until she starts - which may make it worse if still flooded, b) pull choke out half way and try to start as I always have on a cold start c) remove new plugs and let the gas evaporate over 24 hours, squirt a little oil in each cylinder then try again, or /and d) change the oil at the same time as doing option c) just to be sure no gas has mixed in with the oil.... advice?
Since you stated newly rebuilt, have you readjusted and set the choke properly? Typically, cold start should be 1 squirt, full choke then crank. Other factors affect the "typical" tho. Temperature and length of time since last run having biggest affect. Cold weather may require 2 squirts. Is your fast idle set correctly? For me, usually on half choke in warm weather which also puts fast idle at lower rpm. Full choke in cold weather and by design idle speed will be quite a bit higher. To be clear, full choke is about 1/4" open in my case. Yours may be different since mine spends its time at 5300' elevation. I am a huge proponent of the manual choke but there is a learning curve. If you suspect flooding, something else wrong. Not possible to flood with 1 squirt. When you tried to restart did you pump the gas at all?
Started it as normal on half choke (which is fully open on mine) and she started but, as then I usual need to' feather' it a little with gas to keep her going until warmed up. This time I didn't and she cut out. I admit I pumped her a few times after that and that's when the trouble started, hence why I think she flooded..
Sounds like you're choke isn't set up correctly. To start, full choke should be set up so that the flap on the carb is almost closed. About 1/8'-3/16" opening is usually good. Off choke or no choke means flap is fully open. Cold fuel doesn't atomize well therefore you need to compensate by fattening the air/fuel mixture. Easiest way to do that is by restricting air. Therefore, cold starts in cold weather usually need full choke, meaning flap is near closed. The fast idle adjustment is set high at full choke and gradually lowers rpms as you come off choke. Essentially the fast idle settings are "feathering" the gas to a point so you don't have to. If everything's set up correctly you should be able to set full choke, 1 squirt, crank/start and within about 30 seconds to 1 minute back off choke accordingly and hit the road. Should then be off choke completely within a couple minutes or so depending. A cold start in warm weather is same except will usually need less choke to begin. A cold start in hot weather may not even need any choke.
Thanks. I'll check that out. I am apprehensive about how to try and start her again this morning (cold again). Should I do the normal, choke out (air closed) with fast dle (worked up until this time) or should I keep choke closed (Max air in) and hold pedal to floor and try cranking??
If all is set as I outlined, follow the steps I gave above. 1 squirt, full choke, crank/start. If it stumbles and stalls, can do same again, but should adjust so don't have to next time. Not uncommon in real cold weather. Sometimes 2 squirts needed. That's why I said there's a learning curve.
Went with your advice, choke halfway, one pump of throttle and she started beautifully. Despite cold morning only took 10 min to get to operating temperature and then she purred all the way along the highway for a great run. 👍 think the fouled spark plugs were causing starting problems...
thanks heaps for the advice and support, hope I too can help out others some day as well.
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