For all you Mechanics

Zook, it's a little bit hard to diagnose with the info you have supplied. As a guess it could be your old starter motor is in need of an overhaul. When the engine is cold, the starter motor may be having trouble producing enough power but when it's been running for a while and is warm, it's easier to crank over and the fuel is likely to burn better resulting in quicker starting. Rus.

And maybe the fuel is being lost from the float bowl?
Takes bit for the pump to refill it?

I had a Gemini once that was a bit similar, however my car would turn over, it just wouldn't start unless I poured a bit of fuel down the carby. In my case it was the pump. The spring on the one way valve that stopped fuel going back down the fuel line was broken, so that valve didn't shut properly allowing fuel to drain back when the engine wasn't operating. (the pump was mechanical as I'm assuming yours is). When the engine was running the pump was operating fast enough to get fuel through even though the valve was faulty. Eventually the spring gave way completely and the car wouldn't start no matter how much fuel I poured down the carby. (This was on the entrance to the freeway at Tallamerine airport, great place and a long way from home!). I tried all sorts trying to figure out what was going on. Eventually pulled the pump apart and found out what was happening. I stuffed a bit of foam from a window washer sponge (from the petrol station) behind the plate in the valve so it would close, put it back together, and it was still running like that years later when I got rid of the car.

Good luck,
PJ.

It could be the accelerator pump plunger in your carbie playing up and not delivering the spurt of fuel at start up :)

I think Mintabiepete has got it. To test the accelerator pump in the carby, get someone to pump the accelerator while you look into the carby to see whether any fuel squirts in. These old 40series don't tolerate the unleaded fuel, and the carbies stuff up.

If the engine is not turning over, its a separate problem - either battery or corroded terminals or bad earth lead, starter motor solenoid etc etc.

All sounds lie a bit of maintenance is required.

Hi Zook,
I have a similar response to pervious replys
The 2F has a mechanical fuel pump at the bottom of the motor (drivers side) the carby at the top of the motor(passenger side)
If the pump is getting tired it will not stop the fuel from bleeding back from the carby (it is down hill)but still have enough to supply fuel to run happily.
Like wise for the carby,it needs to have the ability to "store" fuel so that when you press the accelartor fuel gets draw in,buy you tipping fuel directly down carby,you are giving the motor something to run on until it pumps up the fuel by its self, the carby should not drain either,its telling you it's time for a bit of attention.
work out whats cheaper to fix/replace,carby or fuel pump,maybe both.I duobt that the probs you have described are at all, electrically related,only fuel.

Shane

Thanks for the replies everyone,

I am going to have a look at the 2 solutions that seem to make the most sense. The float bowl answer seems to be the easiest and i will just continue adding fuel to the carby to get it started (will carry a jerry in the car).

I also think that the plunger is not working properly because not much fuel comes in when it hasn't been driven for a while but it works fine once everything is going (probably because there is already fuel in the carby?). I think i might put a $30 electrical pump in so that way all should be solved.

I agree that it is very unlikely to be an electrical problem. just fuel.

once again, thanks for the replies.

zook