Slow start

QMy query relates to my 1988 Nova SR that I’ve had from new. The car has covered some 217,000 miles, is in good fettle and has a few subtle mods, one being a 32/34DMTL Weber – plus a Stage 1 Blydenstein head.

Problem is, when left standing for a few weeks (on trickle charge and in the dry) it turns over probably what sounds like around 20-30 revolutions before it will start. This happens every time it’s been stored and not run for maybe a month or more. Once it has run, if I start it a few days later it starts fine, without delay.

As an aside I did rebuild the carb with a Webcon kit (as I think it needed it anyway) but although it is sprightly nothing has changed with the starting issue.

It’s although the fuel is syphoning back towards the tank and needs to be pumped. I have considered a new fuel pump, but of course the float bowl will still be full as that won’t drain, so I don’t think the pump is the issue as the car should start on the fuel in the bowl? When it does start it doesn’t splutter at all, just revs up on the manual choke. The fact that it seems to take longer to start being proportional to the time it’s been standing points me towards a fuel issue.

Any advice would be kindly received. Phil Davies

AI would certainly agree that the long cranking time needed to start the Nova is related to fuel and although it would normally be expected that the fuel would stay in the float chambers this can sometimes not be the case and depending on the time period the fuel can seep or evaporate leaving the float chamber low.

I would as you have mentioned start by checking the fuel pump to ensure that this is pumping from the first revolution of the engine and that the valves in the pump are not allowing the fuel to run back.

This can be checked by disconnecting

the supply hose to the carburettor and directing it into a small container and then ensuring that the engines ignition system is disabled by disconnecting the primary wire from the coil.

I would then crank the engine to ensure you do have a supply of fuel as soon as the engine is cranked. If this is not the case then the pump may be the next move. You may also consider fitting an electric pump which may possibly solve the problem, but if you do you should ensure that the pump pressure is kept to around 2.5-4.5psi as some electric pumps will deliver too high a pressure for the carburettor.