Hard to start 62 Fi

[Jerry M.]

Hello all,
My 62 FI is hard to start if it sets over a week? I have to give it a shot of starting fluid to get it started. I have replaced the CSV with no luck. Any suggestions?

Thank In advance
Jerry

[Tom D.]

Re: Hard to start 62 Fi

What's your accel. pedal doing when you are first cranking? Should be... nothing. Wait until it starts to run.

[Dan H.]

Re: Hard to start 62 Fi

Another possibility is your fuel is slowly leaking away back into the engine. This dries out the system until new fuel can fill up the float bowl. If you don't already have an electric fuel shut off valve installed, it's a must have to protect your engine and keep fuel where it belongs while sitting. All FI vendors recommend them.
Dan

[Jerry M.]

Re: Hard to start 62 Fi

Normally I have the foot to the floor, I'll try no pedal next try

Thanks
Jerry

[Jerry M.]

Re: Hard to start 62 Fi

I'll look into a shut off valve, the system was rebuilt 2 years ago, and I only have about 500 miles sense the rebuild. You would think the rebuilder would have suggested the shut off valve during the rebuild

Thanks
Jerry

[Jim L.]

Re: Hard to start 62 Fi

Normally I have the foot to the floor, I'll try no pedal next try

Thanks
Jerry

This is exactly why you have cold start problems. Foot to the floor is appropriate only when the engine is hot. For a cold engine, the throttle must stay closed to allow the Cranking Signal Valve to do its thing.

[Rick A.]

Re: Hard to start 62 Fi

listen to what Mr. Lockwood sez................

[Jerry M.]

Re: Hard to start 62 Fi

Thank You Jim, Great advise as always

[John D.]

Re: Hard to start 62 Fi

Jerry, I could go for ever writing about your post. But Jim told it to you best.
Meanwhile not to scare you but here's one of my many stories. One of my friends bought a gorgeous '62FI car. All restored etc. He called me up shortly after he bought it and said the engine had a slight knock. I said you don't suppose you hydraulic locked the engine and bent a connecting rod. He said to me that I did not know what I was talking about. Not his exact words.
So now to the point. He called me three weeks later and said he did not have a bent rod. He had FOUR bent rods. Now that my friend is not typical as usually one will have #7 or #8 bent.
Don't mention the name of the restorer of your FI please. But yes he should have at least mentioned that you needed a shut off solenoid kit.
I have been installing them since early 80's. No points deduction for these.
Smell your dipstick. If you smell gas don't start the engine again. Check your oil level. If its high quit right now. Drain the oil. Install the SB kit.
Also install a one piece gasket between the FI and the base plate (unless you are getting the car judged).
A big problem with the '58 to '62 FI cars is the reproduction fuel lines. The ones that go from the engine fuel pump to the fuel filter. They are ALL bent incorrectly no matter who sells them. If I am incorrect please tell me where to buy them. I have a stash of them from everyone. No good.
They are hugging the valve cover. The lines may be touching the valve cover toward the firewall end. May be touching the front of the cylinder head. Reshape you line (disconnected from the fuel filter) to correct this. If you are driving the car insulate this line.
When it's really hot out and your stop for whatever reason open the hood and let the heat out.
When the car is warm or hot smash the pedal to the floor and hold it there while holding the key in the start position. If you pump the pedal 100 miles an hour forget it.
When the engine is cold. Listen to Lockwood.
Here's a little jingle.
Get in the car. Sit down. Touch the gas pedal (air pedal) That sets the fast idle cam on the high step.
Get out of the car. Close the door. Reach in the window and turn the key until the engine starts.
If you are using ethanol........you are never going to be happy with the car unless it's freezing out.
Use 100 LL AV fuel or racing fuel. Use it straight up so to speak.
Use a hot spark plug. AC 46 or the the equiv. Don't use a repro coil. Don't use NOS Delco Remy condensers. John D.

[Jerry M.]

Re: Hard to start 62 Fi

John Thank you for all the great advise. I am starting to understand why FI owners back in the sixty's took these injection systems off. They are temperamental (to say it nicely) A little back ground on our 62. My father n law purchased the car back in 68, he was the second owner, he drove the car for many years showing it and in Corvette club car rally's. My wife Kara fell in love with this car when she was only 4 years old, she learned how to drive in the 62 once she was old enough to drive. In the early 90's the 62 was parked in Kara's dads barn, he rolled up the windows and there it sat for about 22 years, he did take the wheels and tires off and sat it on blocks. Every time Kara and I was around her dad, we would ask him to sell us the 62, he kept saying when he retired he was going to restore it ( that never happened) one day her dad came over and said, if you want that 62 go get it. I told Kara to buy the car from her dad,I did'nt care how much, just pay him what he wants. So that weekend I took the wheels and tires off my 71 LT1, and went over and loaded the 62 on a flat bed. 3 mile trip to our garage. By the time I got to our garage there was a line of cars following me, everyone wanting to know where the car came from and if it was for sale. The 62 had about 4" of dirt on it, some blew off on its ride home. It took me about 4 months to get her road ready, sure it still needs a paint job, chrome redone and the interior redone. But every time I drive the car around town someone always pulls up next to me and says I remember that car when I was little being in the parades down town. Kara wouldn't sell this 62 for any amount.

[Jerry M.]

Re: Hard to start 62 Fi

I pulled the dip stick this morning, no fuel smell. I will be placing a shut off solenoid on the FI system, where do I purchase one? I watched a You Tube video on a install, looks pretty straight forward easy to install. Fuel line is hitting the valve cover, will fix that today. The car is not correct in a lot of ways, will never show the car at a NCRS event, its just a driver that I drive a couple times a month around town on nice days. Been searching race fuel, no place in town sells it, I'll have to buy a couple 5 gallon cans and try it.
Thanks again for all the great advice John D.

[Mark S.]

Re: Hard to start 62 Fi

John D above could probably help you get a solenoid!

[Loren L.]

Re: Hard to start 62 Fi

You would NOT be the FIRST person to buy a NEW Cranking Signal Valve that did NOT work.

[John D.]

Re: Hard to start 62 Fi

Jerry, Really like the story and happy you got your father in laws car.
The '62 FI can be a real sleeper. They scream when properly rebuilt/restored.
Rochester Products may have copied Bill Thomas as far as the plenum goes. (center section) You see the plenum looks like a '60-'61 flat top but it really is not even though the casting number is the same. RP kept altering molds and really didn't worry about casting numbers I was told.
The inside of you plenum has been hogged out.The runners are short similar to What Bill Thomas etal did back in the day.
The ports are larger also.
'62 is the first RP fuel injection to have a real deal carb. choke. The '57 to '61 did NOT have a choke.. The had a wild cold enrichment set up.

Hard part for me in restoring a '62 is to get the choke working like a clock. Why? Because the choke rod is super long and it doesn't take much for it to bind in the bore. Good luck with the car and have fun. John

[Jerry M.]

Re: Hard to start 62 Fi

Thank You everyone for all the great advise on this 62 FI. So far I have placed a gas shut off solenoid on the unit and purchased race fuel for the car and using Jim's cold startup instructions everything is working just fine.
Thank You
Jerry Musso