Looking for advice for cold starting 318 engine

[dvw]

I'm assuming a manual choke. YOU have to hold the accerator pedal down then pull the choke. Otherwise it stays open. Watch your 1st video. The choke is open until the car starts.
Doug

 

[FallingApart4dr]

It looks like a manual choke and it seems to have the fast idle cam disabled.
See if you can adjust the fast idle to come on when the choke is less than 1/4" open.
Your idle speed with the choke set is too low.

Close the choke fully when stone cold and when cranking with your hand on the lever pull open slightly as soon as it fires. A manual choke is a tricky thing and yes you may have some issues with fuel draining back out when sitting like you described. Try cranking for about 5-10 seconds, then 2 or 3 pump shots, set choke fully closed wait maybe 5-10 seconds then crank it to start. (Along with the other suggestions)

Hello everyone, once again thanks for all the advice, just another quick update.

So thanks to you all I think most of the problem may have been fixed.

I did quite a bit of research on the fast idle, and when looking at my carburetor it seems the previous owner either installed it wrong or disabled it on purpose. The Fast idle cam and other parts were installed backward, which explained why it didn't start at a fast idle. So I disassembled that side of the carb and rebuilt it the right way & low and behold it idled fast! I also re-did the choke so that when it closed it went back to curb idle .

Seems the fuel was another issue too, as shortly after I fixed the idle my mechanical fuel pump decided to stop working (or so I thought). So in order to test I ran the fuel line to a jerry can instead, and then the fuel pump was working fine. My fuel pressure gauge read a steady consistent 6, and fuel visually seemed to be flowing much better, so next weekend ill probably drop the gas tank and replace it. (I got stranded 3 driveways down from my house because something clogged the fuel line. Was a fun time trying to get it back home).

Fix one issue and another one appears

 

[SlinktRR]

Nice troubleshooting! We've all been there, just have to take one step at a time.

If you have an original fuel tank I would try to drain it and clean it first and also check the sending unit for the pickup screen. I had a similar issue with stalling and clogged fuel filters, I got a new tank thinking it was rust, but when I emptied and rinsed the original tank it was in fantastic shape. Turned out the filter sock had completely disintegrated and the bottom of the tank was contaminated with it. the 100um napa tank filter and 25um carb filter combo I put on there would catch the pieces so no issue there but when the sock completely gave out it started to stall the car after stopping at the gas station (stirred up and blocked the pickup) or just randomly after WOT runs (high volume through the pickup). so I returned the aftermarket tank and kept the original chrysler tank.

Looks like you are on your way, good luck with getting it on down the road.

 

[Moms68]

Is the choke and high idle working?

 

[Sam69sat]

I don't know about everyone else but i'd like to see some pics of the coronet.

 

[Triplegreen500]

You could be losing fuel draw from the tank due to air leaks, either in a fuel line somewhere between tank and pump, or possibly in the tank itself (you did say it's leaking...). Check every inch of your chassis lines and hoses, and look for any wet spots. Also check all the fittings from the fuel pump to the carburetor.

I just went through a lot of this myself on my '72 Satellite wagon - new tank, new carb, OEM hard lines, new rubber lines, mechanical pump, inline filter...ran the car off a can next to the radiator to get the carb filled and verify it idled and stuff (I pulled a Holley off and installed an Edelbrock; I just have better luck with the Edelbrocks). Then took the hose out of the can and ran till my glass filter (inline, located near the thermostat in clear view) started to bubble and suck air - but didn't go dry - and switched the pump inlet to the tank and chassis lines. Fired it up with fuel still in the filter-and-hose from the pump to the carb, and that was enough to get 'er running and drawing fuel from the tank.

I still need to hook up my electric choke and adjust it, and get it up to temp and set the idle and stuff...but that, and a brake bleed, are on the list for this weekend after I get it on dollies and out of the corner of the shop where its been for 8 or 9 years lol.

If you are having a fuel-drain problem, you can always install an anti-drainback valve somewhere in the fuel lines, either between pump and carb, or between pump and chassis lines. Depends how long you have to crank it to get it running again - further from the carb equals more "trapped" fuel for you to run off of, while drawing fresh from the tank to refill the lines.

 

[toolmanmike]

Good morning everyone, I'm gonna use this to try to answer most of the posts. Thank you so far for all your advice!

First off, I have a physical hard copy of the FSM and Body/Electrical assembly manual. The issue is that it only talks about tuning the OEM carburetors. The carb that came with the car is a Holley 500 CFM Performance 2BBL Carburetor. I tuned the float & fuel-air mixture using a general guide. The engine sounded leagues better after that tune-up. I then kept messing around with the air/fuel mixture to get the best vacuum pressure. Maybe that's where I went wrong. One thing I also forgot to mention before was that I replaced the sparkplugs and distributor wires so I'm pretty sure they can't be the cause at all. Used FSM to make sure I got the right sparkplugs.


I'm planning on pulling the tank soon, I know it needs a replacement because it leaks. I think it might be that the seal around the sending unit is rotted.


Before I cold start the coronet I always give it 3 pumps of gas before ignition. When the engine is hot it fires and runs like a dream.


I'm not sure why it was there either. The guy who owned the car in the past has done some weird things in the engine bay. I removed it and swapped it out for a fuel pressure reader valve. I just noticed that in the mornings the fuel pressure went to 0. I think it could also be the diaphragm in the pump is worn out. Fuel could be leaking back into the gas tank. It could potentially explain why I have to crank it a bunch to get fuel back up to the carb.

Here are a few videos I took (hopefully video links are allowed). I couldn't get many because shortly after this my power steering return line decided to rupture on me

Cold start: (In most of these you can hear how the engine tries its best to stay alive)

Another cold start:

I'm not sure why it's so quiet in this one but this is another example of the engine trying to stay alive.
If it's able to run for about a minute it has no problem firing up again and it begins to sound way better than these initial starts.

Here's what the exhausts sound like right after a cold start:

I just listened to your first video again. Man, you have a death knock going on in there. Until the oil pressure comes up. Not good. Not good at all.
Manual choke starting procedure (if the fast idle is set proper and working). Pull the choke closed then floor the gs pedal to set the fast idle. Spin the engine over without touching the gas pedal and when the engine fires, push the choke in close to half way. Once it warms up a min, you can push the choke lever in to shut it off. Tap the gas pedal to kick it off of fast idle after it runs a min or so.