Hi Everyone,
My truck (1942 3/4-ton special with original 216) is getting increasingly reluctant to start when cold. At this point it usually takes 10-15 times hitting the starter for 5-8 seconds before it starts. The starter just revs withs no hint of the engine even thinking about starting. Then as soon as the engine first starts to catch it starts almost immediately. Once it's running, it runs great. In fact, after all I've done trying to track down this problem, the truck is running better than ever once it starts.
What I've tried so far: I rebuilt and adjusted the carburetor (Carter YF). When I take off the air filter and look in, I can confirm a good squirt of gas from the accelerator pump. I cleaned the air filter. I cleaned & gapped the spark plugs. I replaced and adjusted (to .018") the points. I replaced the distributor rotor. I cleaned the contacts on the distributor cap. I charged the battery (6-volt). I even adjusted the valves and topped off the tires because hey, why not?
What's frustrating is that the problem is just developing out of nowhere and that the truck runs so well when it's going. The most recent change I've made is putting in the Carter carb in place of the Rochester B the truck came with, but the truck started fine with the Carter for a couple of months before this problem began.
Any thoughts?
-Jon
