Proper starting procedure
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Joined: Oct 2019
Posts: 294
From: Maine
Proper starting procedure
Anyone aware of the “proper” or documented starting procedure for a 1949 Olds 88 with 303v8?
kind of a foolish question, and it’s not a big deal, but I’d like to know if Olds ever listed a starting procedure in the owners manual.
On a cold engine, I set the choke by depressing the throttle to the floor, then put the car in N and press the starter button. More often than not, it won’t start on the first attempt but will fire off the second time I press the starter. Ive got the original type manual fuel pump but a precious owner also wired up an accessory 6v fuel pump that can be powered on and off with a switch to help with hot starts. It doesn’t seem to make any difference with starting a cold engine (and isn’t needed for hot starts now that I’ve got the carb properly adjusted).
I wonder if ONE pump to set the choke is all that it’s supose to take to fire up the engine.
I’ve put 3000 happy miles on the engine this year. It’s running great but starts a little hesitant.
kind of a foolish question, and it’s not a big deal, but I’d like to know if Olds ever listed a starting procedure in the owners manual.
On a cold engine, I set the choke by depressing the throttle to the floor, then put the car in N and press the starter button. More often than not, it won’t start on the first attempt but will fire off the second time I press the starter. Ive got the original type manual fuel pump but a precious owner also wired up an accessory 6v fuel pump that can be powered on and off with a switch to help with hot starts. It doesn’t seem to make any difference with starting a cold engine (and isn’t needed for hot starts now that I’ve got the carb properly adjusted).
I wonder if ONE pump to set the choke is all that it’s supose to take to fire up the engine.
I’ve put 3000 happy miles on the engine this year. It’s running great but starts a little hesitant.
Last edited by maineolds; Feb 15, 2024 at 05:17 PM.
Registered User
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 7,743
From: Forest Ranch Ca.
I pump the throttle about three times, push throttle to the floor and turn the key. The car will start on the first few revolutions of the engine. Should the car have sat for a week or more, she will crank till the fuel pump fills the bowl and then there is no issue the rest of the trip. There is Probably a procedure written in the manual, but I've done it this way so long that it is second nature, catch myself doing it with my injected cars which is completely wrong out of habit, they still start also...Tedd
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Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 42,515
From: Poteau, Ok
If it sat overnight, the bowl should still have fuel in it. So basically start as Tedd stated. If it sat for a while and the bowl is empty, then flip on your electric fuel pump to prime the carb. Then pump a couple of times to set the choke and feed some fuel into the manifold and start.
Tool Freek
Joined: Jan 2021
Posts: 94
From: Frankfort, Illinois
Another contributing factor would be the ethanol fuels of today, may have an impact on being evaporated in the fuel bowl and lines for a starting condition.
Would be interesting to see if someone had an owners manual and posted a photo showing the starting operation listed in the manual.
Bob
Would be interesting to see if someone had an owners manual and posted a photo showing the starting operation listed in the manual.
Bob
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