Cold starting a '57 - '65 fuel injected engine

[G B.]

I've found that a series of short cranks, separated by 20 second waits, works best.

First, crank for no longer than 5 seconds. Then wait 20 seconds for some of the gas to evaporate. The engine will probably start on your next 5 second crank.

I believe the wait between cranks is necessary because the FI nozzles squirt liquid gas directly on the back sides of the intake valves. A gasoline vapor is much easier to ignite than a liquid.

If your engine has been sitting unused for more than a month, your fuel bowl will probably be empty. That will cause a delay in starting if your unit has a Cranking Signal Valve. All '58 - early '64 units with a CSV require about an inch of gas in the bowl to start. A stock '59 7300 series unit doesn't have a CSV.

[Clem Z.]

i found the same thing starting race car engines

after pumping the pedal several times if you did not not wait 20/30 seconds the engine would not fire. you need the fuel to vaporize to fire.

[Mike E.]

Re: Cold starting a '57 - '65 fuel injected engine

Jerry--
You're right on!!!!Every fuelie I've had has exhibited the same characteristic and needed the same starting technique. For a while, I thought it had to do with my rebuilding of the units--finally determined that was just the nature of the beast!

[John D.]

Re: Cold starting a '57 - '65 fuel injected engine

Jerry, A cheater way to start our old FI's is to remove a plenum plug and squirt some gas in the plenum. Then put the fitting in finger tight, turn the key and they typically start right up. I have been doing this with my FI cars for many years. My '63 doesn't have power brakes so I remove the fitting at the back of the plenum. This trick is also good for getting you home if your cranking signal valve fails. Pinch off the hose leading to the CSV with vise grips, squirt some gas in the plenum and away you go. John D.

[Clem Z.]

john do you give a free squirt can with

every FI rebuild?? sounds like the guy who gives a free can of starter fluid with every engine tune up.

[G B.]

You would be surprised

I don't know about John, but I've certainly considered including a start-up / maintenance instruction sheet with all FI units. I think you'd be stunned with the questions I get.

The biggest problem for most owners seems to be distributor installation and setting initial timing. Some Corvette owners have never used a timing light. I've even had one well-known shop tell me they always time their engines "by ear".

I've learned that no matter what problem the car may have, it will be tied to the injection unit somehow in the owner's mind. Flat tire? Bad water pump? Leaking brakes? Dead battery? Anything and everything will be blamed on the FI system.

You would think sending the owners a video showing their unit and distributor running perfectly on my car would be enough to convince them the unit is okay. Naaaaaah! This is a real phone call from a shop mechanic:
Shop: "This injection won't start."
Me: "Are you sure it's the injection's fault? I started and ran that unit 20 times while it was being tested. Did you watch the video I made for you?
Shop: "Nope... we don't have a VCR here."
Me: "Uh...okaaaaaay. Where do you have the initial timing set?"
Shop: "I dunno, I haven't put a light on it."
Me: "Well, here's what we can try....."
The problem turned out to be a bad engine fuel pump.

[Clem Z.]

i had problems when i did carbs

i would get a call saying "tried to start the engine after installing the carb and it is flooding" they bring it back and i find a piece of debris in the needle/seat. i started to then pressurize the carbs with air when they picked them up to show that the needle/seat would hold 8/9 PSI without leak down and if they leaked thru after they were installed they got dirt into the needle and seat. that way i got paid to fix the problem they cause. doing business with the public is "FUN". i once had a customer put "series 3 diesel engine oil" in a race engine and after 2 nights of racing the engine was completely worn out.he thought if it was good enought for "cat" engines it should be good enought for race engines. back then diesel oil did not have any "high pressure additives" in the package.this was after i gave him a case of D-A speed sport oil to use because it was the best oil you could buy according to the guys at gulf reasearch and GM