My 86 T/A has been hard to start for as long as I can remember. This is how I start-up when cold.....pump gas about 7 or 8 times (not sure if that is normal) car will start for about 5 seconds then die. Start again while pumping gas and will start up and stay running. It always dies on first try, but stays running on second try??? Car idles perfect (550 rpm), choke works fine, carb is in very good condition. Can't figure out why my cold starts are always this way?? Is this a normal start-up for a 26 year old vehicle?? I have 103,000 miles on it and has been in my family since new and has been taken care of very well. Maybe you guys can post your procedure for cold starts with your carbed cars....so I can kinda get an idea of where I'm at with this problem??

 

Doesn't sound like it.

Normal start of a 26-year-old factory carb'd vehicle would be to give it about half throttle, let off the throttle, turn it over, starts after a second or two and idles high. Tap the throttle, idle comes down some. As it warms up over the next 5 minutes, idle speed drops (after the throttle has been brought off idle) until it idles smoothly at about 500 RPMs in gear at a stop.

 

So sounds like I need to get the choke looked at? I read an article about older carbed vehicles, and it said to try.......gas to the floor and hold 3 times then turn on ignition, wait 5 seconds then while cranking push gas pedal half way. I tried this twice so far and it started right up and never died (second time almost died but didn't). Choke goes to about 1200 rpm, after a few min. I tap on gas and the idle goes down to about 800 rpm for about 2 more min. tap again and then finally goes down to 550 rpm.

 

(first post) Maybe I'm giving it too much gas??? I will try the way you said and see if that works. Thanks. I guess I should add also that this is normal cold starting when car has been sitting for several days to weeks.....don't drive very much...lol.