M starting problem

[Bob S.]

Howdy,
My '50 M has been sitting for about a year, tried to start it and it fired up and died , won't restart. I have read posts on here that M's don't like to be choked. My question is----why is it when I choke it the gas drips on the ground, but the plugs don't get wet? I could leave the choke on all day and the thing will not start, plugs don't get wet but gas drips from carb. Any Ideas? Thanks,
Bob S.

 

[3500sport]

(quoted from post at 18:45:16 07/26/10) Howdy,
My '50 M has been sitting for about a year, tried to start it and it fired up and died , won't restart. I have read posts on here that M's don't like to be choked. My question is----why is it when I choke it the gas drips on the ground, but the plugs don't get wet? I could leave the choke on all day and the thing will not start, plugs don't get wet but gas drips from carb. Any Ideas? Thanks,
Bob S.

Sounds like a vacuum problem. Your motor needs to draw the fuel out of the carb and if you have a leaky manifold or something or a stuck valve this wont happen. Valves especially like to get stuck after sitting, but I'm no expert, hope you get her going

 

[El Toro]

Hold your hand over the throat of the carburetor while your helper tries to start the engine and see if you have good suction on your hand. Hal
PS: If there's very little suction you have low intake manifold vacuum.

 

[rustyfarmall]

(quoted from post at 05:39:51 07/27/10) Hold your hand over the throat of the carburetor while your helper tries to start the engine and see if you have good suction on your hand. Hal
PS: If there's very little suction you have low intake manifold vacuum.

Be careful doing that. If the vacuum is as good as it should be, it CAN do permanent damage to your hand, or at least cause some bruising.

 

[El Toro]

That's how we checked cars and trucks to see if the mechanical fuel pump was shot. Hal

 

[Red Mist]

(quoted from post at 16:45:16 07/26/10) Howdy,
My '50 M has been sitting for about a year, tried to start it and it fired up and died , won't restart. I have read posts on here that M's don't like to be choked. My question is----why is it when I choke it the gas drips on the ground, but the plugs don't get wet? I could leave the choke on all day and the thing will not start, plugs don't get wet but gas drips from carb. Any Ideas? Thanks,
Bob S.

BS:
Because the cylinder walls are dry from sitting for a year and they won't seal with the rings enough to draw the fuel/air mix up to the cylinders. Get a syringe. Remove all four plugs. Shoot some gas into each cylinder. Screw the plugs back into the head and quickly try to crank it up. DO NOT use the choke. By the time it fires off and burns the gas in the cylinders, it will have oiled down the cylinder walls enough to make good suction and should run fine. If not, then look for a vacuum leak somewhere in the fuel/air system.
As far as the carb dripping gas on the ground, well, that is the nature of these old workhorses. However, it means they are flooded - so don't expect a fast start if they are dripping while you are cranking. If that is the case, then pull the throttle wide open and leave the choke alone (off). Keep cranking until it sputters, coughs, skips, misses and then clears itself with a great deal of black smoke in the clearing process.
Then, don't let it sit for a year without running again.
Luck. mike