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Hard starting

vforge

New member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
27
15
3
Location
SE Pennsylvania
My M38A1 has always been a little hard to start but recently got a lot worse. Over the weekend, the float got stuck open somehow and flooded the carb. I took it apart and checked the adjustment, everything else was fine. It's running and driving fine now besides a bit of rough idle at times. I tried adjusting the air mixture screw but it didn't seem to do anything. When I went to start it yesterday it took a lot of turning over. It seems it would try to start in the initial 2 seconds of turning over then nothing. It took 4 or 5 tries before it started sounding like it was really trying to start. And after another turn over or two it started. Carb is getting fuel. I need to check if it's making it into the combustion chamber and need to verify spark strength. But once it's running it seems to be fine. Any ideas?
 

biscuitwhistler37

Well-known member
301
890
93
Location
Michigan

We're fighting a similar battle here, lots of good info as to what your issue may be. Hope it helps
 

vforge

New member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
27
15
3
Location
SE Pennsylvania

Vacuum gauge hooked up to the intake manifold.
it won’t start without a little bit of throttle. Barely idles with no throttle.
 

vforge

New member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
27
15
3
Location
SE Pennsylvania
Going from throttle to no throttle
 

biscuitwhistler37

Well-known member
301
890
93
Location
Michigan
Have you verified spark and timing? When you went through the carb did you re-use the same gaskets or replace with new? That one sounds a bit rougher than the one I referred you to, almost like it's only firing on 3 cylinders, could just be the video. I would also do a compression test and make sure raw fuel didn't wash out any of the cylinders
 

vforge

New member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
27
15
3
Location
SE Pennsylvania
Have you verified spark and timing? When you went through the carb did you re-use the same gaskets or replace with new? That one sounds a bit rougher than the one I referred you to, almost like it's only firing on 3 cylinders, could just be the video. I would also do a compression test and make sure raw fuel didn't wash out any of the cylinders
Carb was professionally rebuilt. I did not replace the main carb gasket when I opened it up to check the float. It was in good condition.

I checked the timing a bit ago and it was within spec. It did sound a bit better if I advanced the timing a little bit. I did a compression taste a month or 2 ago and it checked out ok.

I’m going to check the spark out. Maybe just a weak spark. I was already planning on converting to pointless ignition so I’ll try that next.
 
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