Starting Question - electric choke

[birddog]

I need a little help. I have had fuel injected cars for so long I don't know how to start a carb engine. My ERA has a '69 BOSS 302 with a Holley 650 CFM, vacuum secondary and electric choke. What is the best method of starting? The engine turns easly and does fire on the first or 2nd try but doesn't start easily. There must be a trick that I haven't figured out. When RCT delivered the car, Rich started it easily and that was 20 deg. weather. I will have to see if he remembers but I assume I am making a basic mistake. The engine does idle pretty rough upon startup but once warm,runs wicked.

[Goopie 18]

Treat your electric choke like a manual choke. Push gas all the way to floor and release. Engine should start right up. Don't pump it.

[strictlypersonl]

When it's really cold, it might prefer a couple of pumps before cranking, but Goopie has it right. It's not necessary to go all the way to the floor. Anything past 1/8 throttle should set the choke plate into its cold-start position.

If the engine idles roughly after it fires up, you might have to adjust the idle cam and/or the choke position to tweak it to the ideal mixture.

If it's warm out, you might want to crack the throttle open a bit while you crank to avoid flooding the engine.

[trularin]

Try the 'step once on the gas and then turn it over method'.

By stepping on the gas, you set the choke and allow the engine to draft more gas than air while it is cold.

[birddog]

Thank you for the quick replies! I will test a few nights this week and see how things go. I think I was a little heavy with the throttle.

[Michael P. Wole]

My 351w with 600 holly was hard to start in cold weather...Check the clearance on the air cleaner...mine was holding the choke in the open position..would not let it close after depressing the accelertor pedal as described in the pump once and start method...installed a 1/2 spacer on the carb...also gained 17hp at the rear wheels...better air flow.

[wtm442]

Turn the key to ON position
Floor the gas pedal and release
Start the car

[birddog]

Thanks for the help. The recommendations did the trick. Car starts on the first try. Jeff