'73 FJ40 runs cold for first 5 minutes (2 Viewers)

[cvan1971man]

We have a '73 FJ that runs really cold for the first 5 minutes. It has a 2F engine in it with a rebuilt Holley 2 Barrel carb. I have to start it and let it idle for about 5 minutes to get it to run right. It is almost like it is being starved of fuel. Once it is warmed up, everything is dandy!

If I try to drive it prior to the warm up period it stalls trying to get out of first and is very sluggish.

Any thoughts?

 

[pb4ugo]

Does the choke work properly?

 

[cvan1971man]

Does the choke work properly?

Yes but our temps are in the 60's, i would have thought that with temps like that, the choke would not have been needed.

 

[Mark Jennings]

And warming it up on a cold day is a bad thing??? Heck, it’ll take 5 minutes just to get the oil warmed up enough to get the oil relief to reseat….
I let mine warm up ‘till I see at least the coolant temperature indicator move off the ‘C’….gives me time to go back into the house and get my coffee ready

 

[pb4ugo]

Back in the day during the summer you had to set the choke on cold starts. Today fi engines richen the mixture on cold starts regardless of temp.

 

[brian]

We have a '73 FJ that runs really cold for the first 5 minutes. Any thoughts?

let it warm up 6 minutes

 

[mattressking]

let it warm up 6 minutes

HAHA

Jokes aside....get your choke working. Cold engines can't atomize fuel efficiently which is why cold start on fuel injected vehicles pick the idle up and dump extra fuel. Or on Harleys, they don't use chokes, just enricheners.

Aside from that, you need to make sure you have minimum 18inHg of vacuum to have a properly running vehicle (at sea level).

Ditch the Holley though and go back to stock, but if that isn't an option anytime soon. do the above and make sure the holley is setup properly and do a plug check and determine if the plugs are burning effectively....they should be tan.

 

[cvan1971man]

Do you think that going to a City Racer Japanese carb would be the best course of action? Aftermarket 2F / 1.5F Carburetor for Land Cruiser FJ40 FJ60 - Made in Japan - https://www.cityracerllc.com/products/aftermarket-2f-carburetor-for-land-cruiser-fj40-fj60-made-in-japan.

Do you think it would help fuel efficiency?

 

[bhsdriller]

probably not they aren't good on gas any way you try to work it

 

[knuckle47]

I have used the city racer carb and had good success on a 2F. On my 1974 F engine FJ40, I had both Rochester and. Holley carbs. The Holley ran great but did take a good 3 minutes at idle to not cough and spit on a cold winter day. It alway started easily, just don’t try to drive it before it’s slightly warm. Oil was thickened anyway due to the -10 to 20 degree temps….but that was in 1975

 

[cvan1971man]

The problem turned out to be the points. There was no gap between the points. We set it to 20 thousandths and she is running great.

 

[Mark Jennings]

The problem turned out to be the points. There was no gap between the points. We set it to 20 thousandths and she is running great.

Sounds like it’s time for a Pertronix…..never worry about points again.

 

[jayp2]

We have a '73 FJ that runs really cold for the first 5 minutes. It has a 2F engine in it with a rebuilt Holley 2 Barrel carb. I have to start it and let it idle for about 5 minutes to get it to run right. It is almost like it is being starved of fuel. Once it is warmed up, everything is dandy!

If I try to drive it prior to the warm up period it stalls trying to get out of first and is very sluggish.

Any thoughts?

Does it have the stock 2F exhaust manifold or headers?

 

[hobbes]

Sounds like it’s time for a Pertronix…..never worry about points again.

This...or better yet, a 1980s dizzy... (says the guy who hates points)

 

[cvan1971man]

Does it have the stock 2F exhaust manifold or headers?

I believe so. it came with 2 sets of headers. the one on the 2f engine was cracked. We put the 2nd set on since it was in better shape.

 

[jayp2]

I believe so. it came with 2 sets of headers. the one on the 2f engine was cracked. We put the 2nd set on since it was in better shape.

The stock 2F manifold essentially attached to the bottom of the intake manifold which helped warm the fuel/air in the intake manifold

With headers the motor will behave like its slow to warm up in colder weather.

 

[65swb45]

If you ran a vacuum gauge, you would probably notice a difference as the engine warmed up. Since carburetors are vacuum dependent, you would know exactly when you reached the threshold of your engine’s happy place.

I run a vacuum gauge in all my rigs. On the rare occasions where I don’t have time to wait for the engine to warm up, I feather the choke while watching the gauge to cheat some extra vacuum until it gets hot enough.

 

[Mark Jennings]

If you ran a vacuum gauge, you would probably notice a difference as the engine warmed up. Since carburetors are vacuum dependent, you would know exactly when you reached the threshold of your engine’s happy place.

I run a vacuum gauge in all my rigs. On the rare occasions where I don’t have time to wait for the engine to warm up, I feather the choke while watching the gauge to cheat some extra vacuum until it gets hot enough.

That’s cool beans, great tech tactic!