Difficulty starting

[Tigerfan]

Hi Guys,
I fitted a Edelbrock 500 CFM manual choke code 1404 to my 65 Mk1A 260 standard Tiger last year.

I have always had trouble starting the car when left standing for say a month during winter.

Turning the car over with choke pulled does not get results. Giving the accelerator several pumps prior to turning over also does not work.

Today it started after turning over the engine and pumping the accelerator several times at the same time. Once the engine fires, it starts easily when stopped and restarts on the button.

I assume the Ford 260 engine should be an easy start, especially with an Edelbrock carb.

Any advice please.

Thanks Rich

[garyf]

I had a 2 Barrel Holley fitted to my old Tiger and experienced similar issues but was told by the PO that he never used the Choke and he advised against me against using it, which I thought strange.

However, after having the car checked over and tuned by Chris Draycott Motorsport, I was told by him to adapt the following procedure:-

1. Ignition on and leave it on for 10 seconds or so for the electric fuel pump to re-fill the carb float chamber.

2. 3 or 4 Pumps of the accelerator to get some fuel into the manifold/Engine

3. Pull the choke out fully (Winter) or half Out (Spring/Autumn) no choke in summer

4. Try and start the car and when it fires rev a couple of times, then push the choke halfway in (Winter) and fully in Spring/Autumn) and the car should tick-over ok.

This worked ok on my car with the standard Electric SU Pump.

Regards

Gary

[Tigerfan]

Hi Gary,

Thanks for responding. I've always been wary of pumping the accelerator before starting in case it floods, However I have been doing so in a slightly different way you suggest. I used to have more of a problem with hot starting with the Holley carb previously fitted, but this was more to do with the coil mounted on the engine as original. Removing it away from the engine sorted that.

I will try your procedure. I've also just rebuilt the SU pump to ensure no problems in that area.

It just seems strange to me why the Tiger starting is so moody! My TR4A with good old SU's starts instantly winter or summer.

Regards
Rich

[pruyter]

I have a Tiger with an 289 ci engine with the standard carburettor and the standard fuel pump and I had always problems with starting the engine when the car was not used for several weeks. It took me some time to find out how to resolve this problem which is now more than 25 years ago. Since I followed the following procedure I never have had this problem anymore the engine starts right away on the button. The procedure is as follows:

1. Switch on the contact and wait until the fuel pump stops making any noise;
2. Then pump the accelerator pedal a few times and switch off the contact;
3. Wait a full minute and switch on the contact again and wait until the fuel pump stops making noise;
4. Finally pump the accelerator pedal a few times;
5. Start the engine.

And hey presto I never had problems again!
I guess that the above procedure accomplishes that the carburettor is full of petrol which benefits the cold start procedure.

Regards,

Peter

[garyf]

Hi Gary,

Thanks for responding. I've always been wary of pumping the accelerator before starting in case it floods, However I have been doing so in a slightly different way you suggest. I used to have more of a problem with hot starting with the Holley carb previously fitted, but this was more to do with the coil mounted on the engine as original. Removing it away from the engine sorted that.

I will try your procedure. I've also just rebuilt the SU pump to ensure no problems in that area.

It just seems strange to me why the Tiger starting is so moody! My TR4A with good old SU's starts instantly winter or summer.

Regards
Rich

Rich

I suppose the secret is not to pump the accelerator too much?

I had similar issues when trying to start my Triumph Vitesse fitted with the standard Stromberg CD150s Carbs.

If left for a week or more, I had to prime the lever on the fuel pump several times to re-fill the float chambers, then full choke and it would normally splutter into life after turning over 2 or 3 times.

When re-starting it hot or warm it fired up straight away?

I'm sure a lot of starting and running issues are due to modern fuels and the ethanol content, but who knows for sure?

Good Luck with it

Gary

[Tigerfan]

Thanks, Guys,

That's interesting. seems it's a common problem

I've always managed to start it in the past after a lay up, but it's taken time.

Well, I guess it's down to getting petrol into the manifold before attempting to start by using the accelerator pump in the way described. This is what I will do in a couple of weeks and see how it goes.

Thanks
Regards
Rich