Long storage, hard starting - problem solved!

[tedtaylor]

The typical common problem of letting the car sit for a couple weeks or even months creates a hard starting process for those original equipment examples (no electric fuel pumps).
I found a solution, simple easy and works great!!!
Although i usually drive my car throughout the winter as climate permits, i did let it sit the past two months untouched. I tried something different rather than attempting to crank the engine over and over and over, long attempts to get it started as usual in the past. This time i simply pulled the two vacuum lines on top of the strombergs, squirted Gumout 2+2 carb cleaner (do NOT use starting ether) in the holes, then cranked it over. It started up immediately for a couple seconds. I did this just once more, repeated the start up and this 2nd time it started up immediately and allowed the gas to pump up with my mechanical fuel pump, filled the carbs and let the car run as normal. SUCCESS!!!
no more long cranking required to start a Lotus that has been sitting for a period of time.
good luck and happy motoring!

[Quart Meg Miles]

Before I fitted an electric pump I used to blow into the petrol tank to prime the carbs after holidays. I had a disc with a thin sheet of rubber on one side to seal to the filler top and a small tube in the middle to blow into and it worked fine, but it wouldn't suit people of low fitness.

[billwill]

Why not ether???

[tedtaylor]

Why not ether???

My personal experience was a disastrous use trying to start my Mercedes Benz 180D years ago. It blew the prechamber apart and pieces went down into the cylinder, puncturing a piston top.

My renown exotic car mechanic with years of experience said to use Gummout 2+2 carb cleaner as it ignites like a starting ether, but without the extreme combustion properties that can damage an engine. Sorry if i'm not sounding to technical, but that's the gist of it and so i've been using it ever since with great success and no further mechanical failures or destruction!

[StressCraxx]

If any of my cars have sat for the winter, I simply charge the battery, pull the sparkplugs and crank the engine on the starter until I see oil pressure (usually about 30 seconds). Put the plugs back in, give the webers about 6 pumps and start it up.

[oldelanman]

It's been mentioned before but worth noting again here .... when cold starting with Stromberg carbs keep your foot off the throttle until the engine fires, opening the throttle negates the choke.

[661]

I've put a small electric priming pump in series with the fuel line which primes the carbs. It just takes a few seconds to prime and then a few seconds to fire. The advantage of it still not firing immediately is that the oil pressure has time to rise!

[Sadbrewer]

Why not ether???

My personal experience was a disastrous use trying to start my Mercedes Benz 180D years ago. It blew the prechamber apart and pieces went down into the cylinder, puncturing a piston top.

My renown exotic car mechanic with years of experience said to use Gummout 2+2 carb cleaner as it ignites like a starting ether, but without the extreme combustion properties that can damage an engine. Sorry if i'm not sounding to technical, but that's the gist of it and so i've been using it ever since with great success and no further mechanical failures or destruction!

You might have used too much Ted...we were in the garage trade for 40 years and don't remember any ill effects from it. The beauty of a whiff of ether is that you know if it doesn't fire with that it ain't gonna fire.

[billwill]

I've used ether starter gas a few times this year (because I had some battery charging problem) and the engine did not start like it usually does.

I take off the airbox & give a quick (half-second?) squirt from a spray can of ether into each trumpet & then start the engine. There is a bang, but no real problem.

Note that I have spun the engine first in the usual way to try to start it. That may be of significance.

[alaric]

Hi. I think I'm with Stresscraxx on this. Pulling the spark plugs and cranking the engine until there's oil pressure before letting it fire is not a bad idea . Rags over the spark plug holes too... Then do the squirt into the carbs if there's no life once you've put the sparkers back in.

Regards.

Sean.

[Foxie]

Just had an epic struggle with my Plus 2 after a 6 month lay-up. After 36 years of ownership.

The old fuel was pumped out. I eventually ended up with two heavy duty Nissan Patrol batteries in parallel to the regular battery, a seperate 12V supply to the coil, the existing spark plugs roasted with a butane torch, airbox removed and Holts Bradex Easy Start sprayed into the intakes with fully open throttle, all just produced the odd shot. No start.

I went out and bought a new set of standard Denso spark plugs. It started on the little Lotus battery and ran on the first attempt !

The Lord works in mysterious ways !

[RichardHawkins]

Foxie,

I find that very interesting. I used to read magazine called practical performance car, which has sadly ceased publication. One of the contributors was a man who sold after market ignition and and injection systems, he wrote a couple of pages every month about the cars that had been on his rolling road and the problems that had occurred. One of his observations was that spark plugs never recover no matter how much you clean them. His opinion was that in the age of electronic ignition and injection plugs don’t foul, and as a consequence the manufacturers have changed the ceramic used to something that cannot be cleaned. In the bad old days of contact breakers and carburettors plugs fouled and could be cleaned, not any more! His solution to fouled plugs is to fit new. Perhaps you have just confirmed his thinking. I have just been through a similar episode with my lawn mower. Two new plugs and away it goes!

Hope this is of interest,

Richard Hawkins

[Foxie]

Thanks Richard,

That is very interesting, and all makes perfect sense.

And I have a few more laid-ups to revive !