Pedal Pumpage

[californla]

Hey all - I got an 86 almost entirely stock including the carb. For a cold start I normally pump it twice and give it a few more pumps as I start it until it fires. A buddy of mine was making fun of me saying I should have to give it any gas while I am cranking but I always have had to. I think my truck runs well though it is cold natured but is there something horribly wrong that I pump the gas as I crank it over? Thanks!

[jimoshel]

With fuel injection, pumping doesn't do anything. With a carb it shoots a little extra gas into the engine. Helps start with a cold engine. With a warm, hot engine it'll flood it.

[64 Cheyenne]

With a carb...same thing as applying the choke...richens up the fuel air mixture.

Did you ever try to "set the choke" before you start it?

Push pedal to floor release it before starting, if the choke is adjusted properly, should start and run without too much fuss.

Sometimes if you touched the pedal it releases the "set", so just put it to the floor again...release...try to start it.

So is it bad?, not really, just does the same thing the choke is supposed to do if it was working properly.

And as said before, on an injected engine doesn't really do any good (or harm) as there isn't an accelerator pump to squirt extra fuel into the motor.

[californla]

Thanks all - I guess I was mistaken but I thought that I was setting the choke with my two pumps before I crank?

[64 Cheyenne]

Pump twice...two squirts, put to floor and release (set choke) crank...

or whatever you need to do in your start ritual. Old carb, old tech, old starting techniques.

My old falcon with a straight six, even think/try the choke above say 30 degrees and it won't start,

below 30, pull choke, when engine spits, give it half choke, purrs like a kitten.

Just takes a little gettin used to.