Starting hesitancy 1930 Chummy

[PeterN]

Starting from cold is a real chore for my Seven. the process is as follows with full choke, full advance,  and throttle open. 
Churn churn churn, nothing. Repeated  4 or 5 times until I get churn churn cough, then churn churn cough couch, then churn brmm die. Followed by churn brmm brmm die,  followed by churn and away we go but needing careful throttle management as the revs climb and fall of their own free will. 
Once started the car is really responsive and sprightly and settles down to a reasonable idling tickover.   The timing is, I believe correct as the car climbs hills nicely . The mixture seems ok but I need  to verify that. The plugs look to be an acceptable colour. 
The carburettor is a 26VA, with which I've little experience or real knowledge. 
Any thoughts will be gratefully read and acted on where appropriate

[Howard Wright]

Hi Peter

Do you mean ‘full retard’?

I need to flood the carb to ensure good starting on my 1930 RK.

Cheers

Howard

[Colin Wilks]

My regime is full choke, full retard, don't touch the throttle.

[Mike Costigan]

I have owned many Sevens with the updraft carb; every one has needed manual flooding before first starting.

[Howard Wright]

Apparently this is how it should be done.

The Handbook is in the A7CA archive.

Cheers

Howard


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[PeterN]

Thank you each, I'll check over each of the points raised. I hadn't realised that having to flood the carb is a semi normal requirement. My whole starting process does indicate a ready lack of fuel to start and run on

[Colin Bromley]

If I have left mine for a while, especially if it is cold, behaves as you describe, even if I flood the carb. I have found that gently warming the manifold with a heat gun, makes it start instantly. I assume the fuel condenses in the clod manifold.

[David Cochrane]

Interesting comments, but many of them irrelevant, as Peter has a 26VA side-draught carb.

[Ruairidh Dunford]

Do you/are you able to, prime the carb, before your normal cold start up?

["Slack Alice" Simon]

Check that the choke is really closed.

I cannot get mine to be either fully closed or fully open - there is not quite enough movement on the pull handle.

But if not fully closed the engine is reluctant to fire up quickly.

So it is adjusted so it isn't quite clear of the carb intake when open.

I must get round to sorting this out ......