"Cold" Morning Starts

[prossett]

OK, before you laugh at me posting about "cold" in the mornings, the weather is noticeably cooler than in the daytime. So when I say 77F is cold - it sure does feel cold!

So, what are your little tricks for getting the truck started? Kick the pedal three times before turning the key? Don't touch the pedal, then turn the key and pump the pedal? Bang the top of the dash?

How do you know if the choke is working?

What I get now is a long churning of the starter, maybe 20 seconds, and then if I pump the pedal it comes alive. And it's going to get cooler soon enough.

 

[PhoenixZorn]

Seriously... if it's above 60 degrees, you should have no trouble starting your truck... under 50, I might start to see issues, but not until then.

 

[shaun89]

is it a carb? or TBI?...carbs need to be pumped, TBI...not so much, i never do...my bro does...but hes weird like that

 

[jeeptuff]

2 pumps of the throttle and light her up, and I have NO CHOKE, yes carburated. Even in the teens and twenties she idles smoothly.

 

[Russell]

My GMC would start on the second crank, after two pumps, in -40 F weather. Mind you, it'd be better if she cranked for 20 - 30 seconds first to get the peanut butter like oil oozing through all the oil passages rather than starting up, and knockin' like crazy for 10 - 20 seconds

 

[prossett]

Yes, carburetted.

So, two pumps of the pedal, then release and turn the ignition. I'll try it. I wasn't pumping before turning the key.

After the first morning start, all through the day, I don't touch the accelerator and it fires up beautifully.

It's no biggie, as it has always started - I was just curious as why it would turn over so long. Must be because of the carb not having any darn gas in it! Another good thing to know... thanks.

 

[wildbilzrydn]

On an quadrajet filter there is a little rubber check valve in the end that I understand is supposed to be there to keep the fuel in the line when the truck isn't running. Make sure yours is there if you run that type of filter. This will shorten your start times considerably.

 

[MattK]

if its "chilly" as in 45 or below, i usually give one pump and my carbed 350 starts right up.

 

[Smitty]

The gas should be there. You just allow the choke to set on the carb and add the extra gas to the intake for start-up when you pump the throttle .

 

[Robert79K5]

Back when I was a diesel mechanic, sometimes you would get a truck driver that wanted to stand there and watch you work on his semi. I would always leave the door open so he could watch me pump the accelerator pedal a few times before starting it. Not only are all modern big rigs diesel, but the throttle is electronically controlled by the variable resister on the accelerator pedal.

I always got some strange looks for that.

 

[Smitty]

I wonder how many of the drivers started pumping the throttle when they started their trucks in the morning ....

 

[4xcrazy]

is it a carb? or TBI?...carbs need to be pumped, TBI...not so much, i never do...my bro does...but hes weird like that

TBI, no pumping, there's no acc,pump, all electronically controled,,,,interesting