70 GTX takes too long to start

[polyjohn]

With the choke open, it will only suck air and not fuel...

 

[oldbee]

Maybe I'm wrong, but it just seems to me that a fully closed choke would literally choke off the intake and prevent the engine from starting.

It's still a little balancing act between tension (too much, too little).

 

[oldbee]

I wonder why a choke and its function is such a mystery to so many?
So much misinformation..?.......

When I was working at semi truck garage I would adjust the choke on some of the driver's cars. I would do it while they were out on the road (they had their keys with them), never took more than 2 attempts to get it just right. A little luck and a lot of practice over the years; seems after many are done,your finger just knows the tension you want. You have to do it on a totally cold engine.

 

[oldbee]

AND, if you get it correct; you can certainly drive out the driveway as soon as the oil pressure is up with no stumbles/hesitation.

 

[polyjohn]

Great thread and deffo for the 'diehards of Mopar'!

My daily driver V8 days were over nearly thirty years ago doh.
The difficulty in getting service parts in the 90's stopped me in my tracks...
Then came the internet with 'Airmail' parts and 'instant info' and it seemed, all too easy (all of a sudden).

Its tempting to go back to a 'daily driver' V8, but at 7 pounds a gallon for 99 octane.

Its cheaper to take a CAB...

 

[Mopewbie]

Hi again El Toro,

The 70 GTX is a high compression engine!
It will not run on unleaded (low octane) without damaging the pistons.
E10 is poo fuel and may hurt the pistons.
I would only ever use Super-unleaded with octane booster if needed.
Apparently Esso is still 100% petrol '99-octane' with no additives?

A compression test is needed to find out your cylinder pressures to see where you are at?
High compression can be 'bled -off' with a big camshaft.
The mistake they made with Pauls 70 sixpack was high compression pistons, and a small camshaft.
After many attempts to get her to run properly, all that happened was 'engine failure'.

The pistons are totally destroyed only after a few hundred miles.

Hi John, good to hear that, hope we can have the cars together in one place someday. GTX's are quite rare here. Yes, the petrol thing was mentioned and I'll stick to it from now on. Thought that, since I use the cars almost daily, it won't make difference, it will only be an issue if the car sits for a long time...

Anyway, thank you all, been doing the 2/3 pumps and crank trick and so far so good, longer it took to start was 10 seconds now.

 

[joemish]

Sorry about the very silly question, but that's my fist big block and I still have loads to learn about it. Unfortunately with the winter coming and lack of daylight It will take a long time until I can spend some time knowing the engine, etc.

Anyway... the car takes way too long to start.
When I bought it the previous owner said "it usually takes one minute on the dot to start the car. Don't press the gas"

That means turning the ignition on and forcing the starter for one minute straight. That doesn't sound right to me, the 318 and the 360 fire straight away during winter or summer.

The 440+6 takes ages and then it's ok but now with colder morning it's being a pain, gave up trying to start the car the other day. It has fuel, it's all good, nothing has been changed.

The only thing I've noticed as soon as I got the car is that the idle solenoid is disconnected/not in use.

And again, since I don't know this engine very well yet I would benefit of a bit of advise before start looking around. Thank you very much.

A cold engine needs 1 pump of the gas pedal
if the car was not run in days may take 2 pumps as fuel evaporates.
A warm engine never touch the pedal.
if warm and you pressed the pedal, its flooded and needs gas pedal pushed to the floor crank till started