Strange hesitation when cold

[dudload]

Hi all,

Bearing the end of the restoration of my saloon

One thing that's developed recently when taking it on short runs before I get an MOT to check for longer, is that when cold there's hesitation when pulling away or changing gear.

It runs fine when pulling away in first, but when changing to second it loses all power at lower revs and really hesitates to the point of almost stalling. It keeps doing this until warm when it runs lovely.

I've checked the mixture and all ok, with a nice clunky when lifting pin on carb and dashpot oil topped up.

Timing I think is fine as went up a hill and heard a bit of pinking, so it's not too retarded...

Bit of a mystery, but not too urgent given it's taken me 4 years to be almost done

[myoldjalopy]

Enough choke? You say it 'runs lovely' when warmed up.

[Bill_qaz]

As above, are you taking the choke fully off before engine is warm enough.
Is the mixture a little weak? Pinking uphill and needing choke longer? Take a plug out and check colour after normal warm running.

[philthehill]

I would also suggest weak mixture. The plugs should be a nice biscuit colour when removed after a run and the engine is fully warmed up.

[myoldjalopy]

Its an obvious possibility, but at variance with the OP's comment "I've checked the mixture and all ok". Maybe time to re-check?

[dudload]

thanks all - next time i'll give it choke for longer and see how it goes. I normally try and push it in to fast tick over only as fast as possible to avoid using choke for too long, but perhaps i'm being over-zealous!

[svenedin]

If I push the choke in too soon the car becomes hesitant and lacks power. You'll soon get used to it. Rather than either on or off, take off the choke in stages. It becomes second nature.

Stephen

[philthehill]

This is what you want:-
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/267058040300 ... BM0Jn54p5l
Much better than the proverbial cloths peg