poor cold starting

[macktel01]

hi Advice please.
From cold my moggy will only start after about 30 secs turning over. once started the starting is normal.
Although a standard su pump is fitted it is as though a mechanical one has to pump the juice through.

[mogbob]

Could be any number of things ! Any other symptons present.Leaking carb, dim headlights.Well maintained / serviced car ?

With cold weather upon us... thoughts turn to the battery performance.An old battery ? All connections clean and secure ..suggest you disconnect both terminals, then check out the thick wire connections to / from solenoid from battery/ to starter motor.
Starter motor terminal ..clean and secure ? Clean and bolt down the battery terminals ( a bit of Vaseline or coppa ease for protection ).If you don't have access to a multi meter get the battery checked out by a garage.

Might be the brushes in the starter motor getting past their sell by date ?
Check out the obvious first for free ,before jumping to conclusions and spending unnecessary money on new batteries and starter motors.

Bob

[katy]

Are you using the choke?

[macktel01]

Thanks for replies.
New and correctly gapped points and plugs fitted. Battery turns engine over very well.
Re the choke makes no difference whether in or out,strange thing is when engine running pulling choke out hardly changes engine revs( I do suspect carb problems)

[lambrettalad]

if you pull the choke out and there is no difference the the choke is not working properly either the mixture is always too rich or the choke is not enriching the mixture when needed .

[JOWETTJAVELIN]

You should NOT operate the starter for longer than 5 second bursts!!

These engines are excellent cold-starters, so something is badly wrong. If the starter motor is turning the engine rapidly and will still do so after a few attempts, then you need to look at your ignition and mixture control.

Start with the spark plugs and then the cb points.

[bmcecosse]

Quick check for you - next time squirt some petrol down the carb throat and then crank it - if it starts right away then you have confirmed the problem is with fuel supply - very probably the 'choke' - which is actually a 'mixture enrichment' device, and not a 'choke' at all........

[macktel01]

hi
It was the choke ,various adjusting screws incorrectly adjusted . Thanks to you all for your advice and help.
cheers