I worked at a golf course in Missouri, and during the winter on really cold days the only thing that would fire right up was a 1959 Ford tractor. It was impressive since I was operating it from 1989-1992.
my sister and her husband are DVM..from Colorado State University.. Neither of them have your accute ability of down to earth , factual transmittion, of basic ideas. and..your wife is a keeper..she helps you in every way a wife can be helpful..You are a lucky man.
Finally someone who's knows how to run the auto choke on a carb. Manual chokes run about the same, press pedal to floor, this gives one squirt from accelerator pump, hold on floor, pull choke knob out, release the pedal. This sets the high idle on the carb linkage. Crank engine till it starts. If it don't start right up, a few pumps while cranking should start it. Oh Merry Christmas by the way!
I honestly dropped the ball on some of that explanation - it was too cold to be outside in the wind and give a lengthy walk through. I think chokes are actually something I never made a direct video on - probably should
If my old truck is standing for several weeks, the intake manifold is like a sponge and needs to fill up with a good mixture. If I turn it off and start it up just a few days later, it fires up immediately and it doesn't matter how cold it is outside. The key to this is a well-adjusted carburetor including choke and the correct ignition timing. Great Video!
I was fortunate to be raised around all of this and even more fortunate to have friends and family provide the places to go to keep out of trouble. Dirt Track racing is in my blood through my Dad(Mechanicus Extraordinarius) and MY chosen dirt was MUD. lol Ya ain't havin' fun iffin ya stayin' clean!! lol From 1 horse power to 3,000 horse power, controlling the horse is the key. 👍👍
I have a small block Chevy with a Q jet, aluminum intake, headers, a 224/230* @ .050 cam and 10:1 compression- it always has to have a little flutter (not jack it to the floor and back) on the pedal to start even in warm weather, and you have to keep that up until a little heat gets in the manifold to keep it idling. Yes it has an electric choke and yes it works. Makes a max of 13" vacuum at 750 rpm idle. I had to teach my wife how to start the thing, she grew up with EFI vehicles that start without setting a choke or needing some accelerator pump action.
Knowing how to start a carbed car meant the difference between making it to work and not back in the day. So we learned real quick. Great refresher amd sure brings back memories. Cheers!
That's how my old fe starts. Gotta crank a little longer to get fuel in the bowls after a week of sitting, probably 10 15 seconds. Now them Chevrolet owners, well they can keep pumpin the pedal! Merry Christmas uncle Luke!
When I was young, 40 years ago, I had LTD -67 with 428. Here in Finland, the winter is sometimes like what you just had. I usually did not use it in the winter, but once I was asked to move it a little so that they could remove the snow from the parking lot. I had 20W50 oil in it, it was below 0 F , and the Holley I had had no choke. I thought that there was no chance to get it started, but I tried anyway.Hood open, I watched the fan rotate like second's arm of the watch, and pumping gas pedal (no choke) it started. I heard a strange "pop" but drove it to already cleared parking spot. Then I saw a trail of oil. The oil filter had blown. As it is in easy (=stupid messy place)in Fords, I replaced it when it was warmer again. So, only if the choke is not working, pumpin gas is ok, and in some cases, if the carb has dried, there is very little to pump until the mechanical pump has filled the carb even partially. That i why I replace them with electric ones if the mechanical fails.
Years back I had a banana yellow 70 F100 with a 360/auto and it was the best cold Iowa weather starting vehicle I ever owned. 1 tap on the pedal and set the manual choke and she would pop right off and stay running. It had a set of long tube headers with glass packs and sounded like pure NASCAR (or maybe figure 8) when I had it floored. Rust had taken the front cab mounts so there were pieces of treated 2X4 holding things up. If I took a corner too fast the steering would bind up a bit till things leveled out. Merry Christmas Luke! Looking forward to more content on your channel in '23!
I had a 78 bronco with 351m in it. it was the same way to this day i havent seen a modern fuel injected car that would start quicker i swear it seem like it didnt make a full rotation and it was running.
Hi Luke. I sure remember cranking the wonderful old carburetor cars in the Iowa winter in the early 1970s. I enjoy your videos and seeing the home state . Best wishes for the new year.
Back in the 80s, I went to college at the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks, ND. We had a ton of sub zero winters and it was always difficult trying to keep your car running in the sub zero cold. I always had a set of jumper cables and kept the car maintained. I was driving a 1979 Olds Cutlass with the 260 and a Rochester 2bbl carb. And it would start no matter how cold. Sometimes it would fight and complain....the heat riser would make a screeching sound at start up but it would start. Some of the newer, early fuel injected cars needed a jump start or a tow. The irony in all of this? I did a college internship in North Carolina...and I probably jump started more cars there vs at UND...people would leave their lights on if they drove in the fog or rain. Headlamp on reminders weren't a thing quite yet.
Came here to see the old Ford Truck and got rewarded with one of my favorite cars! The Rotsang! Reminds me so much of my 79 Cobra 5.0L. Even the same color combo. Now I have to go home and start it up...
i owned many old Carbureted cars & trucks, & you showed how to start it the way i was show how. glad you did this video. merry Christmas to you & your wife.
My Granddad has a 47 Ford V8 and he would pump the gas like a mad man then pull the choke and hammer the foot mounted starter. It was so fun to watch him with all his old stuff, He taught me to cuss but i never took up RedMan tabacco. You guys stay warm and be safe, Dennis
I love that you made this video and that I'm not alone still driving an old stick Ford as theft deterrent too 🤣 really had me laughing in the "yup!" Sense! Yeah, I cringe watching people pump the gas too and can't help screaming "learn wtf it is and how it works, or give it to someone who does!" 🎄
Luke.. really like your videos. I had a 1967 mustang with the 289 in highschool in the 1980s. I put electronic ignition, hookers, replaced the autolight with a holly. I loved that car. I put a shift kit in the c 4 . She was quick, and I won alot of around town light offs. I love your vids because they remind me of tinkering with the old small block. I could always get her running, and she never let me down. Like your style, and lost art of tuning ... I was blown away with your lawnmower carb on the Maverick. Not alot of people pushing the envelope like that. Really amazing. You looked like a mad scientist working on the software to run the air fuel ratio. Building the mounting hardware yourself... I caught you on junkyard digs, but have now joined your channel... Thanks Luke... Great content..
When I was a kid we had an old Impala that had a badly adjusted choke and bad accelerator pump so you had to pump the crap out of it. Once I continued to drive old carbureted vehicles and got them tuned up well...2 pumps and then crank without touching the gas and they would fire up in a few seconds and idle by themselves. If needed "feather" the gas a little like you demonstrated.
And merry Christmas to you and your wife would live to see her more often in your videos I seen a couple of the two of you and its heart touching to see a young married couple working on ol vehicles together smiling an cutting up together judt a idea possibly even gain a few more subscribers I'm in tazewell county Virginia a little place called bandy its negative 7 here in Christmas day and driving me crazy winting to be out working on a off grid 92 Chevy astro van its totally independent but I know I'd be hurting if I did
Friend of mine had a 78 Chevy blazer. No matter how cold or how long it had set. One pump and she hit right off. My dad had an old 77 Chevy van 305 two barrel same thing one pump and she lit off every time. Some carbs just won't die.
in the 70s we had some dam cold weather and the 1966, 289 would start right up but would jump around a bit because the engine was so cold. It didn't care how cold it was it just didn't like wet weather. The distributor was right behind the fan and the fan blew water onto the distributor and wires.
You are so correct on these starting procedures! So many folks here on YT do look like complete nut jobs trying to start their engines with the insane amount of pumping! However, I did (way back when) have a 65 Thunderbird with the 390 4V. No matter what, it was the most cold-blooded thing ever. Choke set right, choke pull-off working properly, points and dwell set properly, carb. adjusted properly, timing set right. It would start up quickly and fine. But you had to pump the gas starting out every time until fully warmed up or it would stall. Carb. was rebuilt several times and then I replaced with a rebuilt unit. No changes. Then on the other hand, I had a 72 Country Squire with the 429 4V. Started right up every time, didn't require extended warm up and never tried to stall like the T-Bird. They certainly do have their own personalities.
They do. They can be built identical, but behave differently. You learn how each of them acts and treat them accordingly. Get in sync and they will do anything you ask, otherwise it won't be a fun time.
My 66 Valiant has the original manual. Anyway I am the type that reads anything and it instructs 1 pump, to close the choke and hold the pedal 1/2 down while cranking. It always starts! I'm just north of you in Minnesnowta... Merry Christmas!
I was a mechanic in that era. If everything it set up correctly to "factory" specs, and the "original" air cleaner with the heater stove hooked up correctly and working, the engine will start with one push of the gas pedal, and drive away immediately without hesitating or stalling. That choke stove keeps the intake air temp at 100ºF to prevent throttle body frost!
I gotta say, Watching the mustang at the autocross was hilarious. The body roll, well its there. Those fox body cars have the chassis stiffness of a week old salad, but hey at least you have that V8 to pull you thru the corner.
Good video. Good to see you back. I was wondering where you had gone too. I use to run Fords. Lived in Nebraska, and my Fords always started on the coldest days. Point ignition, carburetor and always was reliable. Thanks for sharing. The Mustang side show was great also👍. Take care, Ed.
I still remember the trick to starting my dad's old 84 bronco in the cold... 1 and only 1 pump to the floor. Hit the key it'll start and die right away. Don't touch the pedal and just hit the key again and it'll start and run on high idle just fine. Any variance to that procedure and good luck Chuck she's flooded and a pain in the ass to get back. Stupid stock motorcraft carb.
I'm Brazilian. The coldest we get donw here is 40, maybe 35ºF BUT we have more cars running on ethanol than gasoline - and they much harder to start on cold days. Plus most cars here are manual. If you own an 20+ car and don't known how to do this, you don't go work in the morning. Good video! It's nice to see it done on a big old v8. And Merry Christmas !
Had to start my 81 Chevy K20 to plow the driveway last Thursday when it was 10 below. 350 with a q-jet. Cranked over slow but started. I've had it for 17 years and its been my most reliable vehicle.
Now if any millennials see this video they're at least know how to start it. Haha But they still won't know how to drive a stick. Thank you so much for showing what you got in trouble for. Some people just suck. Merry Christmas man
Great info. Now I have a better idea on how to start my carbureted vehicle in the cold weather. Was -29 where I live and the battery on my daily driver froze solid! Took 4 hrs to de-thaw it.
V8s have a exhaust gas heat crossover under the carburettor that heats up the intake manifold plenum chamber as soon as the engine starts to run which helps the fuel entering the manifold from the carburettor to evaporate. Probably the best petrol engine configuration for cold climates. It helps on cold starts to wait,10 seconds or more, the longer the better, after 2 slow full pumps on the accelerator pedal for petrol fumes to build up in the intake manifold before cranking the starter motor.
Merry Christmas. Thanks for helping me keep my 1977 F150 XLT 4x4 4-speed completely bone stock on the road. 8-track tapes are really hard to find though nowadays.
This year during the cold snap. 🥶 my daily diesel a 2014. Didn't want to start. But my 78 in the profile picture. Well it did. Alot of people forget if they don't drive with a carburetor every day. Crank the engine a few revelutions then hit the pedal to set the choke. Then it should fire right up. As long as the actuator pump works properly.
I never had a problem starting up my 79 firebird 301 2 barrel in the deep freeze of New England. Just couldn't let it idle on its own until it was fully warmed up. The electric choke was bad and wouldn't work in the cold.
Luke .. you been around a long time. I don't understand why you don't have more hits on your channel. Your a tuning beast. I think your one of the original guys on RUclips.. your an old world guy who can fix anything.. your ancestors probably worked on old steam ships, railroads. When things hit the fan... Luke your the guy. Take care. Tim
i had a 78 courier with the mazda pinto 2.2 4 cyl. manual choke. i just pulled the lever and cranked it and she never failed me. didnt even have to touch the gas.
ah good stuff. Knowing your engine and how to start it. Some like 1 pump, some like 2 and so on. You get to know it, and it will start every time no matter what the conditions are. You just have to work together with that lump of iron instead of expecting to just do what you tell it to do. If you do, you'll have a lot of happy years together and it won't ever let you down.
I miss doing cold starts with my '75 F250 XLT Ranger reg cab long bed High Boy, 360 FE, C6, 4.10 Trac Lok, NP205, 44 front, 60 rear. 600cfm Holley vac sec, it was from a police auction, paid $550, never should have sold it. It came covered in 70s-80s era speed parts. Aluminum 4bbl intake, DUI HEI, long tube headers, Cobra LeMans valve covers, 3 fuel tanks, dual batteries with a control switch, Grant steering wheel, Hella lights, American Racing 16.5" wheels, Hurst T handle on the T case, Autometer gauges, had tabs on the front bumper for a tow bar, newer 4 core rad, bed liner, tow bar, TBC, came with mismatched tires, so I swapped on 36x12.5 16.5 Goodyear RT/II surplus HMMWV tires. All I did was the tires, a fresh carb because I didn't want to rebuild the one it had, plugs, wires and fluids. I made videos with it beginning in 2010, I wish I would have stuck with RUclips. I probably would have found my following by now starting that early. I had some cool vehicles, I just wasn't making the effort.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year Luke! Once again, nice video. However, now you're starting to show some of the secrets of us older mechanics. How am I supposed to maintain my reputation as a great mechanic if you're going to show off the secrets? 😉 While country life is great, now you're also showing city slickers how great it is...very disappointing. 😆 Thanks for giving me a new drive to get my old clunker up and running. Take care and hug the wife for us.
Cool video! (Literally 😆). I love them old Ford trucks. I have a 78 myself. Thank you for sharing your knowledge with us. Hope you and your family have a wonderful Christmas and a Happy New Year!
I live in Iowa, I've plowed snow on my property and neighboring properties for the last 22 winters with a 1982 F150 with a carbureted 300 six, I also own a 1986 F150 with a carbureted 351w. They both fire right up with a single pump, I've got a manual choke on both trucks. On stupidly cold days (like that negative 40 wind-chill nonsense we just had last week) I'll typically let them "high idle" with the choke fully engaged for 30 seconds or a minute or so, then they'll usually idle down just fine and stay running after I disengage the choke. They're like goth chicks with daddy issues, just gotta choke em to get em going... 🤣
having started driving in the early/mid 80s ive driven 100s of carbed vehicles in Canada so yeah,lots of snow.........snowpocalypse is like an average day in the winter in the 70s and 80s.no big deal,no panic,lots of rwd cars/trucks/no nanny/no abs/no bullshit......people have no idea what the weather used to be like......once to the floor,start and modulate till it will idle
pretty much just me saying Hi and Merry Christmas to everyone! onto 2023 we go!
Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas Luke, hoping all is well with you and yours and I hope you stay warm somehow! Keep those wonderful old machines running sir!
Merry Christmas
Merry Christmas to you and yours Luke!
what happed to the rottsang
Old girl is just a gem she always starts up
Gotta love the "key" and starter button on the Rot Stang. 😀
One of my favorite features of that car
Was thinking the same thing! Love it!
It's a tamper-resistant receptacle so you know nobody is going to be able to mess with it.
I worked at a golf course in Missouri, and during the winter on really cold days the only thing that would fire right up was a 1959 Ford tractor. It was impressive since I was operating it from 1989-1992.
my sister and her husband are DVM..from Colorado State University.. Neither of them have your accute ability of down to earth , factual transmittion, of basic ideas. and..your wife is a keeper..she helps you in every way a wife can be helpful..You are a lucky man.
Great demonstration Luke
Finally someone who's knows how to run the auto choke on a carb. Manual chokes run about the same, press pedal to floor, this gives one squirt from accelerator pump, hold on floor, pull choke knob out, release the pedal. This sets the high idle on the carb linkage. Crank engine till it starts. If it don't start right up, a few pumps while cranking should start it.
Oh Merry Christmas by the way!
Loved my '77 F250 390, auto. And if everything works, throttle should cam onto the fast idle mode. When it's warmed up, tap the gas to release it.
I honestly dropped the ball on some of that explanation - it was too cold to be outside in the wind and give a lengthy walk through.
I think chokes are actually something I never made a direct video on - probably should
If my old truck is standing for several weeks, the intake manifold is like a sponge and needs to fill up with a good mixture. If I turn it off and start it up just a few days later, it fires up immediately and it doesn't matter how cold it is outside. The key to this is a well-adjusted carburetor including choke and the correct ignition timing. Great Video!
I was fortunate to be raised around all of this and even more fortunate to have friends and family provide the places to go to keep out of trouble. Dirt Track racing is in my blood through my Dad(Mechanicus Extraordinarius) and MY chosen dirt was MUD. lol Ya ain't havin' fun iffin ya stayin' clean!! lol From 1 horse power to 3,000 horse power, controlling the horse is the key. 👍👍
Rip rotstang you will be Missed awesome tribute Luke @Thunderhead289
I have a small block Chevy with a Q jet, aluminum intake, headers, a 224/230* @ .050 cam and 10:1 compression- it always has to have a little flutter (not jack it to the floor and back) on the pedal to start even in warm weather, and you have to keep that up until a little heat gets in the manifold to keep it idling. Yes it has an electric choke and yes it works. Makes a max of 13" vacuum at 750 rpm idle. I had to teach my wife how to start the thing, she grew up with EFI vehicles that start without setting a choke or needing some accelerator pump action.
Thanks for showing us on how to properly cold start a carbureted vehicle! Amazing how it started right up in like two seconds! What a unit!
Knowing how to start a carbed car meant the difference between making it to work and not back in the day. So we learned real quick. Great refresher amd sure brings back memories. Cheers!
That's how my old fe starts. Gotta crank a little longer to get fuel in the bowls after a week of sitting, probably 10 15 seconds. Now them Chevrolet owners, well they can keep pumpin the pedal! Merry Christmas uncle Luke!
Hopefully 2023 is the year I get my 84 F150 up and running strong. You’re channel is great motivation bud. 👍🏻👍🏻
When I was young, 40 years ago, I had LTD -67 with 428. Here in Finland, the winter is sometimes like what you just had. I usually did not use it in the winter, but once I was asked to move it a little so that they could remove the snow from the parking lot. I had 20W50 oil in it, it was below 0 F , and the Holley I had had no choke. I thought that there was no chance to get it started, but I tried anyway.Hood open, I watched the fan rotate like second's arm of the watch, and pumping gas pedal (no choke) it started. I heard a strange "pop" but drove it to already cleared parking spot. Then I saw a trail of oil. The oil filter had blown.
As it is in easy (=stupid messy place)in Fords, I replaced it when it was warmer again.
So, only if the choke is not working, pumpin gas is ok, and in some cases, if the carb has dried, there is very little to pump until the mechanical pump has filled the carb even partially.
That i why I replace them with electric ones if the mechanical fails.
Awesome video Luke 👍👍👍
Years back I had a banana yellow 70 F100 with a 360/auto and it was the best cold Iowa weather starting vehicle I ever owned. 1 tap on the pedal and set the manual choke and she would pop right off and stay running. It had a set of long tube headers with glass packs and sounded like pure NASCAR (or maybe figure 8) when I had it floored. Rust had taken the front cab mounts so there were pieces of treated 2X4 holding things up. If I took a corner too fast the steering would bind up a bit till things leveled out. Merry Christmas Luke! Looking forward to more content on your channel in '23!
I had a 78 bronco with 351m in it.
it was the same way to this day i havent seen a modern fuel injected car that would start quicker i swear it seem like it didnt make a full rotation and it was running.
I’ve been waiting for RUclips responses to your lawnmower carb experiment.
I recognize Justin Johnson playing that 3 string shovel after the seven minute mark - good choice! ;-)
Merry Christmas Luke, from me and my 57 and 65 Fords, here's to a great 2023
Taking me back to my high school days in the early 70's near Scranton PA. Love your videos buddy just wish you would do more.
The 2 throttle pops at 11:02 sounds sooooo good!! I love that!!
I love this truck... up until recently I had a couple mid 70's FE power trucks... these vids make me miss them
Hi Luke. I sure remember cranking the wonderful old carburetor cars in the Iowa winter in the early 1970s. I enjoy your videos and seeing the home state . Best wishes for the new year.
Back in the 80s, I went to college at the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks, ND. We had a ton of sub zero winters and it was always difficult trying to keep your car running in the sub zero cold. I always had a set of jumper cables and kept the car maintained. I was driving a 1979 Olds Cutlass with the 260 and a Rochester 2bbl carb. And it would start no matter how cold. Sometimes it would fight and complain....the heat riser would make a screeching sound at start up but it would start. Some of the newer, early fuel injected cars needed a jump start or a tow.
The irony in all of this? I did a college internship in North Carolina...and I probably jump started more cars there vs at UND...people would leave their lights on if they drove in the fog or rain. Headlamp on reminders weren't a thing quite yet.
Merry Christmas Luke thank you for all your great videos and hard work hope you have a Happy New Year as well
Came here to see the old Ford Truck and got rewarded with one of my favorite cars! The Rotsang! Reminds me so much of my 79 Cobra 5.0L. Even the same color combo. Now I have to go home and start it up...
i owned many old Carbureted cars & trucks, & you showed how to start it the way i was show how. glad you did this video. merry Christmas to you & your wife.
Very well done! I am 73yo, and it is nice to se a younger guy that knows how to use a choke! Merry Christmas!
My Granddad has a 47 Ford V8 and he would pump the gas like a mad man then pull the choke and hammer the foot mounted starter. It was so fun to watch him with all his old stuff, He taught me to cuss but i never took up RedMan tabacco. You guys stay warm and be safe, Dennis
I love that you made this video and that I'm not alone still driving an old stick Ford as theft deterrent too 🤣 really had me laughing in the "yup!" Sense! Yeah, I cringe watching people pump the gas too and can't help screaming "learn wtf it is and how it works, or give it to someone who does!" 🎄
The FE’s will outlive us all. 💪🏻
The Rotstang for real! The rooster 🐓 tails in the corn field made my Christmas morning here in North Idaho. Thanks Luke! Merry Christmas to all! 2022
Merry Christmas to you too!! Don't stop showing folks how to really live!!!
old Mustang are the best, i had 3 -1965 289 Mustangs back in the day in 1968, (dam i am old LOL)
Luke.. really like your videos. I had a 1967 mustang with the 289 in highschool in the 1980s. I put electronic ignition, hookers, replaced the autolight with a holly. I loved that car. I put a shift kit in the c 4 . She was quick, and I won alot of around town light offs. I love your vids because they remind me of tinkering with the old small block. I could always get her running, and she never let me down. Like your style, and lost art of tuning ... I was blown away with your lawnmower carb on the Maverick. Not alot of people pushing the envelope like that. Really amazing. You looked like a mad scientist working on the software to run the air fuel ratio. Building the mounting hardware yourself... I caught you on junkyard digs, but have now joined your channel... Thanks Luke... Great content..
the second gear shift during the race was impressive, it was right on time.
Merry Christmas to you and the wife. Thx for the Xmas vid. Nice Xmas gift. Cheers big ears from Canada 🇨🇦
Awesome so much fun and not having to give a F about what happens to the car.
When I was a kid we had an old Impala that had a badly adjusted choke and bad accelerator pump so you had to pump the crap out of it. Once I continued to drive old carbureted vehicles and got them tuned up well...2 pumps and then crank without touching the gas and they would fire up in a few seconds and idle by themselves. If needed "feather" the gas a little like you demonstrated.
And merry Christmas to you and your wife would live to see her more often in your videos I seen a couple of the two of you and its heart touching to see a young married couple working on ol vehicles together smiling an cutting up together judt a idea possibly even gain a few more subscribers I'm in tazewell county Virginia a little place called bandy its negative 7 here in Christmas day and driving me crazy winting to be out working on a off grid 92 Chevy astro van its totally independent but I know I'd be hurting if I did
Great video Luke. I have a dual Zenieth carb set up in my Hahn with a manual choke. I’m turning over a really big 817 CUI motor.
Friend of mine had a 78 Chevy blazer. No matter how cold or how long it had set. One pump and she hit right off. My dad had an old 77 Chevy van 305 two barrel same thing one pump and she lit off every time. Some carbs just won't die.
in the 70s we had some dam cold weather and the 1966, 289 would start right up but would jump around a bit because the engine was so cold. It didn't care how cold it was it just didn't like wet weather. The distributor was right behind the fan and the fan blew water onto the distributor and wires.
She's a good old ride
100% right Luke!
You can't kill those old Fords!
You are so correct on these starting procedures! So many folks here on YT do look like complete nut jobs trying to start their engines with the insane amount of pumping! However, I did (way back when) have a 65 Thunderbird with the 390 4V. No matter what, it was the most cold-blooded thing ever. Choke set right, choke pull-off working properly, points and dwell set properly, carb. adjusted properly, timing set right. It would start up quickly and fine. But you had to pump the gas starting out every time until fully warmed up or it would stall. Carb. was rebuilt several times and then I replaced with a rebuilt unit. No changes. Then on the other hand, I had a 72 Country Squire with the 429 4V. Started right up every time, didn't require extended warm up and never tried to stall like the T-Bird. They certainly do have their own personalities.
They do. They can be built identical, but behave differently. You learn how each of them acts and treat them accordingly. Get in sync and they will do anything you ask, otherwise it won't be a fun time.
Merry Christmas Luke, family, and all your viewers!
Wow!!!! You are a legend!!! Now stories have been told and I don't even/haven't ever met you, party on Garth!
Merry Christmas Luke!!!!
My 66 Valiant has the original manual. Anyway I am the type that reads anything and it instructs 1 pump, to close the choke and hold the pedal 1/2 down while cranking. It always starts! I'm just north of you in Minnesnowta... Merry Christmas!
I was a mechanic in that era. If everything it set up correctly to "factory" specs, and the "original" air cleaner with the heater stove hooked up correctly and working, the engine will start with one push of the gas pedal, and drive away immediately without hesitating or stalling. That choke stove keeps the intake air temp at 100ºF to prevent throttle body frost!
I gotta say, Watching the mustang at the autocross was hilarious. The body roll, well its there. Those fox body cars have the chassis stiffness of a week old salad, but hey at least you have that V8 to pull you thru the corner.
Luke is SO dang smart, I will always do what he says, ALWAYS!!!
Thumbs up. Thank you. Merry Christmas
seeing the skids you've chucked there I'd recon you'd enjoy Australian burnout competitions.
Good video.
Good to see you back.
I was wondering where you had gone too.
I use to run Fords.
Lived in Nebraska, and my Fords always started on the coldest days.
Point ignition, carburetor and always was reliable.
Thanks for sharing.
The Mustang side show was great also👍.
Take care, Ed.
Man i love the old faded Ford blue.
Merry Christmas Luke from Christchurch New Zealand.
Merry Christmas Uncle Luke
First thing I learned back in 1983 about a Ford and it was a pickup but it had 302 in it
I just like how I get up at Christmas and end up sitting beside uncle Luke in his truck casually explain life lessons on carburetor engines. Love it
It's great seeing the old videos. Thanks.
My VERY dependable buddy said "drive it how you're gonna drive it"!!!
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and your family youngin... Papad.t....
Great video, love my fords and yours, Merry Christmas
Merry Christmas to you and yours Luke ! thank you for all you have done for us !
I still remember the trick to starting my dad's old 84 bronco in the cold... 1 and only 1 pump to the floor. Hit the key it'll start and die right away. Don't touch the pedal and just hit the key again and it'll start and run on high idle just fine. Any variance to that procedure and good luck Chuck she's flooded and a pain in the ass to get back. Stupid stock motorcraft carb.
I'm Brazilian. The coldest we get donw here is 40, maybe 35ºF BUT we have more cars running on ethanol than gasoline - and they much harder to start on cold days. Plus most cars here are manual. If you own an 20+ car and don't known how to do this, you don't go work in the morning. Good video! It's nice to see it done on a big old v8. And Merry Christmas !
a "burnout" on dirt! great idea! much better than that terrible rubber smoke.
Had to give my 289 swapped Jeep YJ a couple squirts if ether bunny piss and a few pumps of gas and it fired right up Great video😁
I'm in Indiana and drive my 74 daily. It was -8, -27 windchill. 2 pumps and it fired right up. Lol
COOL VIDEO LUKE!!!!
Great video awesome info, but I beg to differ the best theft deterrent is a carb car with three on a tree lol
Bill in Fort Wayne Indiana
Had to start my 81 Chevy K20 to plow the driveway last Thursday when it was 10 below. 350 with a q-jet. Cranked over slow but started. I've had it for 17 years and its been my most reliable vehicle.
Is rhis for real.
Now if any millennials see this video they're at least know how to start it. Haha But they still won't know how to drive a stick. Thank you so much for showing what you got in trouble for. Some people just suck. Merry Christmas man
Great info. Now I have a better idea on how to start my carbureted vehicle in the cold weather. Was -29 where I live and the battery on my daily driver froze solid! Took 4 hrs to de-thaw it.
V8s have a exhaust gas heat crossover under the carburettor that heats up the intake manifold plenum chamber as soon as the engine starts to run which helps the fuel entering the manifold from the carburettor to evaporate. Probably the best petrol engine configuration for cold climates. It helps on cold starts to wait,10 seconds or more, the longer the better, after 2 slow full pumps on the accelerator pedal for petrol fumes to build up in the intake manifold before cranking the starter motor.
Merry Christmas. Thanks for helping me keep my 1977 F150 XLT 4x4 4-speed completely bone stock on the road. 8-track tapes are really hard to find though nowadays.
This year during the cold snap. 🥶 my daily diesel a 2014. Didn't want to start. But my 78 in the profile picture. Well it did. Alot of people forget if they don't drive with a carburetor every day. Crank the engine a few revelutions then hit the pedal to set the choke. Then it should fire right up. As long as the actuator pump works properly.
Wish I still had my 85 GT 5.0. Fun car. Daily drove it in Pagosa Springs for 8 years. And no choke style carb.
I never had a problem starting up my 79 firebird 301 2 barrel in the deep freeze of New England. Just couldn't let it idle on its own until it was fully warmed up. The electric choke was bad and wouldn't work in the cold.
Luke .. you been around a long time. I don't understand why you don't have more hits on your channel. Your a tuning beast. I think your one of the original guys on RUclips.. your an old world guy who can fix anything.. your ancestors probably worked on old steam ships, railroads. When things hit the fan... Luke your the guy. Take care. Tim
Thank you 🙂
Love old school carb cars and truck
Merry Christmas to Luke and family
From northern California
i had a 78 courier with the mazda pinto 2.2 4 cyl. manual choke. i just pulled the lever and cranked it and she never failed me. didnt even have to touch the gas.
ah good stuff. Knowing your engine and how to start it. Some like 1 pump, some like 2 and so on. You get to know it, and it will start every time no matter what the conditions are. You just have to work together with that lump of iron instead of expecting to just do what you tell it to do. If you do, you'll have a lot of happy years together and it won't ever let you down.
I miss doing cold starts with my '75 F250 XLT Ranger reg cab long bed High Boy, 360 FE, C6, 4.10 Trac Lok, NP205, 44 front, 60 rear. 600cfm Holley vac sec, it was from a police auction, paid $550, never should have sold it. It came covered in 70s-80s era speed parts. Aluminum 4bbl intake, DUI HEI, long tube headers, Cobra LeMans valve covers, 3 fuel tanks, dual batteries with a control switch, Grant steering wheel, Hella lights, American Racing 16.5" wheels, Hurst T handle on the T case, Autometer gauges, had tabs on the front bumper for a tow bar, newer 4 core rad, bed liner, tow bar, TBC, came with mismatched tires, so I swapped on 36x12.5 16.5 Goodyear RT/II surplus HMMWV tires. All I did was the tires, a fresh carb because I didn't want to rebuild the one it had, plugs, wires and fluids. I made videos with it beginning in 2010, I wish I would have stuck with RUclips. I probably would have found my following by now starting that early. I had some cool vehicles, I just wasn't making the effort.
I loved cold starts in my 78 Ford truck!
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year Luke! Once again, nice video. However, now you're starting to show some of the secrets of us older mechanics. How am I supposed to maintain my reputation as a great mechanic if you're going to show off the secrets? 😉
While country life is great, now you're also showing city slickers how great it is...very disappointing. 😆
Thanks for giving me a new drive to get my old clunker up and running.
Take care and hug the wife for us.
Merry Christmas Luke & All!
God Bless
😎
Cool video! (Literally 😆). I love them old Ford trucks. I have a 78 myself. Thank you for sharing your knowledge with us. Hope you and your family have a wonderful Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Merry Christmas buddy
I live in Iowa, I've plowed snow on my property and neighboring properties for the last 22 winters with a 1982 F150 with a carbureted 300 six, I also own a 1986 F150 with a carbureted 351w. They both fire right up with a single pump, I've got a manual choke on both trucks. On stupidly cold days (like that negative 40 wind-chill nonsense we just had last week) I'll typically let them "high idle" with the choke fully engaged for 30 seconds or a minute or so, then they'll usually idle down just fine and stay running after I disengage the choke.
They're like goth chicks with daddy issues, just gotta choke em to get em going... 🤣
Love the video , I think you might be just like a old FE. Keep them coming
Merry Christmas to all Still watching from Philippines Bataraza Palawan.
Merry Christmas to you and your family.
Happy New Year!.....you need to get more videos out this new year!!! I love how detailed you are in you Videos, keep it up.
having started driving in the early/mid 80s ive driven 100s of carbed vehicles in Canada so yeah,lots of snow.........snowpocalypse is like an average day in the winter in the 70s and 80s.no big deal,no panic,lots of rwd cars/trucks/no nanny/no abs/no bullshit......people have no idea what the weather used to be like......once to the floor,start and modulate till it will idle