Moss Motors, Ltd

I just bought a 1961 TR3a and it is hard start.  It turns over well and eventually sputters a few time, and eventually starts (I really have to pump the gas),  Then, it takes a long time to warm up.  I've pulled the choke out as hard as possible, and that seems to help, but it seems to me that it should fire up more quickly.   Perhps the choke is not closing all the way?   I live in Philadelphia, so the climate may have something to do with it.  ANY THOUGHTS?  Thanks!

Tom, I have a 1959 TR3 and have the same "trouble" starting it, specially after a few days of no use. First, do not crank the starter for a long time, as it will over heat the starter. Let it rest for 30 secs between 15 sec cranking trys. Pumping the gas does nothing, as there is no pumper in the SU carb; just floor it until it starts. Do pull the choke all the way.

The warm-up takes a while since the intake manifold is not heated with warm water from cooling system.

My TR is the only one of mine with SUs, the others have Webers and they start inmediatelly even after a few days or even weeks. I keep the SUs because we have regularity rallys up the mountains (up to 16,000 ft in Peru) and the carbs only need a very slight simple adjustment. Starting the TR3 at 12,000 ft after a cooold night is exactly the same as at sea level. I replaced the carbs about 6 years ago.

Always check every other tune-up component before you go tinkering with the carbs. They should be adjusted AFTER everything else. 

Just have patience and enjoy the ride ! 

Thanks so much for responding and the information.

Does your fuel pump have a priming lever? If so, you can pump that until you feel resistance. That gets the bowls in your carbs full and ready to deliver to the motor.

 If not, you could try to spray the air filters with Starting Fluid to give it a kick.

Tom-

If your car does not have a thermostat in it, install one. This will aid in the warming up. If it does have one but still takes forever you could try blocking off the radiator partially with a piece of cardboard. If the car starts running too hot just reduce the size of the piece until  you get it right. Another thing I thought of is that you might have quicker starting if you change the oil in the dashpots on the carbs for thinner winter oil. My brother and I used to use automatic transmission fluid in them in the winter. Of course we were young and ignorant but I remember it working well.

Your idea that the choke is not being fully engaged has merit. To check it, pull it out and then go under the hood to the linkage and try to move it further manually. Your answer will be self evident.

You could also try adding some "Drygas Additive" to the gas. 

 

LCJUTILA 

Guys,

It is my experience that any of these cars start quite promptly if all "tune up" camponents are in prime condition, and if all specifications are exactingly met. This is an annoyance, of course. After all, when was the last time you set the fast idle cam RPM on your SU equipped machine? How old are those ignition wires really?

When I overhaul and engine, I set every little detail to it's exact correct position, overhaul the carburetters and set them to known parameters, overhaul the distributor and set it exactly, and generally optimize everything. After having cranked the engine sans plugs to ascertain oil pressure, I install plugs. MY expectation at that point is that all I need do is hit the switch and listen to the hum, and you know what? 85% of the time that's exactly what I get. No, I'm not trying to hammer anyone over the head with my competence here. I'm illustrating that ANY time an engine does not start readily, something is less than optimal. AS much as we like to imbue our machinery with human qualities like stubbornness, recalcitrance, or even enmity, it is chemistry and physics that rules here. Optimize it all, and it will all work.

---

Motorbill
From Lola to Land Rover, If it's British and has wheels, it's likely I've bloodied me knuckles thereupon

Aside from what's already been said the statement about pumping the accelerator has me puzzled and if fact may be contributing to the stubborness to start. If you have SU carbs, the is no accelerator pump on the carbs. When you press the accelerator you are just opening the throttle disc which allows more air into the combustion chamber, when, if the engine is cold, is the opposite of what is needed. You'll need a rich mixture as provided by the choke and the choke, when engaged, opens the throttle disc to the correct opening without you pressing the accelerator pedal.

 Do that with a properly tuned engine and she should fire right up at around 11-1200 rpms.

My TR3A (1959) has new SUs and is very well tuned (points, condenser, valves, timing chain, etc) and still takes some time to start from cold. Warm is another picture, it fires inmediately. And it does that at sea level and at 12,000 ft with only 1/6 to 1/3 of a turn to the jet adjusting nut. Maybe that is just its character!?

Alfonso et al,

True enough, you can have everything right on the nose and not get instantaneous fire. But, like everything else in life, there is always an explanation. Sometimes the sheer length of the intake runners, combined with things like the engine's need to turn over enough to establish a vacuumn, or the time it takes the fuel pump to replenish the float bowls to a level whereby the fuel height in the jets is enough for that developing vacuum to act upon, or even the wait while a random droplet or two of fuel atomizes suffficiently (at such a low air velocity) to form the right mixture ratio to fire in a cylinder under pressure at some given cool temperature. Of course, modern fuel injection systems will have none of this inefficiency! They force" the optimal conditions at all times. When a modern fuel injected car doesn't start within ten seconds or so, it's tow time. Don't you love our "old " cars?

---

Motorbill
From Lola to Land Rover, If it's British and has wheels, it's likely I've bloodied me knuckles thereupon

I know, my BMW just lost its fuel pump without warning. "old"cars give you signs before they go out. And they are serviceable on the road.

I've started my TR every day and timed every start. It takes 12-14 seconds to start it from cold, overnite. Hope it helps.