My car doesn't want to start when cold. It is flooding out. If I spray starter fluid, it will start and idle, but I can't touch the gas until it warms up. It starts fine when warm. I think it is a timing problem. My carb is also missing the "choke cam" (?), where the idle screw hits. I guess that could be it too. Any thoughts ?

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"Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account."

On cold mornings the choke is your buddy keeping things rich in the intake until the pullof and thermostat figure things are warmed up enough to allow 'normal' carb metering to take over.

Check your timing too what's your initial timing at? when was your timing chain last replaced? (If you retard the distributor and it starts better retime it. If you have to advance the distributor to get it to start better you may have some chain stretch involved).


-D.Idiot

My timing is unsure. I went thru the "test" to find TDC.
First, I used the notch on my crank pulley. It didn't seem right.
Then I put a screw driver in the #1 plug hole, turned the motor, put a mark, turned the other way, put a mark, and finally found the center - new timing mark.
Anyway, my timing is about 15-20 depending on what mark I use.

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"Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account."

Hope your balancer hasn't slipped....

Initial timing shouldn't be any more than 15 degrees, and actually 10-12 might be better for most engines. when you get past 15 your start entering the territory where the engine will kick back against the starter....

-D.Idiot

This is most likely a combination of problems / issues.
What carb. is on there? (I will guess it is a 64 Dart GT with a Carter BBS 1 bbl)

I would start with the choke. Without a working choke the engine will have a hard time starting and will not take any throttle until it warms-up.
Have you reviewed the choke adjustment article over in the articles section of the site??

Get the choke to work then go to the timing / tuning.
Have the valves been checked / adjusted recently?
DD

I adjusted the valves, but it was my first time so I don't know how good it came out. As far as the carb, it is a bbs. I won't mess with it too much as I have a new edelbrock 500 and I'm waiting on the Offy intake. I will try to adjust them again when I get the new carb on.
Is there a way to tell 0 TDC by the valves ? When I get the cover off, I can try and get a true mark on the crank pulley.
Thanks for your info.

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"Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account."

There is some good information in this thread about finding true TDC and checking the cam for correct installation.
DD
http://www.slantsix.org/forum/viewtopic ... iston+stop

Okay, this is a little off topic, but it also describes why I wanted to get a slant.... My mom had a 69 4 door valiant, with a /6. That sucker HATED cold weather, and we lived in North Dakota. We often had to resort to the "Choke Trick", to keep it from flooding when it was dead cold. This trick involved using something to hold the choke open, such as a pencil, screwdriver, or in my case, a finger, while somebody cranked the car. This usually worked, and we didn't have to resort to Starting Fluid.

As an adult, I am very interested in a Megasquirted /6, so that I can avoid this problem altogether.