Initial carburetor setting for starting car for the first time

[jiminbartow]

I will be installing my Holley NH on my ‘26 coupe tomorrow and will be attempting to start it for the first time in 7 years. I have forgotten what the initial carburetor adjustment rod setting is for starting the T for the first time. When I close the carburetor adjustment rod all the way, how many turns should I open it for the initial setting? I seem to recall that it was 1 1/2 turns but I’m not sure. Jim Patrick

[Russ T Fender]

That sounds right for the basic setting but I usually open mine another 1/2 turn to start cold and back it off once it starts and runs for 15 or so seconds. I also choke it first with a few pulls on the crank, the throttle open 1/4 way and the switch off. If I jack up a rear wheel I can often get a free start that way.

[Allan]

1.5 turns will do. May be on the rich side, but you have to tune it anyway.
Hope this helps,
Allan from down under.

[Darin Hull]

Consider reading this document from the MTFCA on the care and adjustment of the the Holley NH carb. I used this as a guide when I purchased a Holley NH for my T.

https://www.mtfca.com/encyclo/holley.pdf

Darin

[Steve Jelf]

Reading about the "strangling shutter", I get choked up.

[Norman Kling]

That works very well on an engine which has been started and run before and with a carburetor which is clean and the float level if correct and also the fuel line from the tank is clear with the sediment bowl clean.
For the first start, you might want to pull the car and start in high gear. If the engine has been run before, but just the carburetor has been replaced or repaired. Set as posted in the written instructions. If you are crank starting, it is good to have someone inside who can immediately advance the spark and set the throttle to keep it from killing. If you are using an electric starter, you can be the person inside. Then switch as soon as possible to magneto and do some adjustments on the richness to get it to run as smoothly as possible. Then after it warms up to operating temperature, do some fine tuning of the richness. After this first start, it should be easier to start with just about a quarter turn richer for start.
Norm

[jiminbartow]

Norman. The engine has been run, but not much. The engine is still tight from the 2010 engine overhaul whereby I sent the block to George King III in Connecticut in which he re-babbited all the babbits, honed the cylinders, surfaced the head, seated the valves, surfaced the 8 manifold ports, etc. and in the past 12 years, since then, have only ever driven it around the quiet streets of my neighborhood. I doubt if I have even put 50 mile on the engine, so it has not even been fully broken in. Jim Patrick

[Norman Kling]

If it has been setting for a very long time since it was driven, you might pull out the spark plugs and put about 1 teaspoon of oil in each cylinder and turn over the engine a few times to draw the oil into the cylinders around the rings. That should make it turn easier and raise the compression a bit. Then install the plugs and try starting it as you normally would. It is a bit easier to start with one or both rear wheels jacked with the parking brake in neutral. Be sure to chock the front wheels when you do this so it won't slip off the jack and start moving.
Norm

[Scott_Conger]

Jim

considering the history of the engine, I myself would treat it as brand new, with no assembly lube. This means draining the oil, refilling with 2 quarts of oil through the fill hole, and then 2 quarts over the bands. Hand crank 10-12 full revolutions with plugs out, replace plugs and then let it sit overnight to lubricate the rods and mains. Start the next day and after it warms up, drain the extra oil out of the top petcock (and there will be about 1/2 quart that comes out). If bands are kevlar, then after starting and idling for a minute or two, I'd be inclined to shut things down and let it sit overnight to allow the bands to take in all the oil that they will take in, before putting them to work. This is why you want to put 2 quarts over the bands before starting anyway, regardless of make of bands.

you do NOT want to spin out or otherwise smear the babbit, and that is a common issue when starting an engine which has set for a long time (especially a new engine). I would normally advise pulling the inspection pan and hand oiling things, but you really don't want to compromise George's seal job for this since it is new, and the hand cranking and waiting should be OK.

I also endorse all of Norman's advice above.

[Mike Lebsack-Iowa]

My personal experience that’s been that 3/4 to 1 turn open is seems to work well on a brand new start up as long as everything has been set up right.
I have found that 1-1/2 to 1-3/4 seems to be too rich for a start up for my rebuilds. I used to set them that way but found that just a 1/4 to 1/2 turn leaner worked well. Always use 2-3 good priming cranks ahead of time if engine is cold.

[DanTreace]

My personal experience that’s been that 3/4 to 1 turn open is seems to work well on a brand new start up as long as everything has been set up right.
I have found that 1-1/2 to 1-3/4 seems to be too rich for a start up for my rebuilds. I used to set them that way but found that just a 1/4 to 1/2 turn leaner worked well. Always use 2-3 good priming cranks ahead of time if engine is cold.

Agree, while most try the wide open 1-1/2 turns, if the carb is fresh rebuild with new needle and seat, the best 'first starts' normally use the Ford recommended carb settings:

[jiminbartow]

Dan. I have a 1926 Holley NH. What type of carburetor is the text in your post referring to? I can’t see the carburetor well enough to see what type it is, but I don’t think a Holley NH has a “spray needle clamp nut”. Jim Patrick

[dykker5502]

Oh yes, I think it is this:

[DanTreace]

Oh yes, I think it is this:
Holley-NH-Late-Spray-needle-clamp-nut.jpg

Your carb is pictured in that 1925 service bulletin, yours has the later 1926 combo needle and choke adj so the needle valve has the brass collar that the twist sleeve mounts on. To keep the needle adjustment from screwing in or out,(engine vibrations), crimp a tiny bit to have the sleeve drag a bit on the collar. The lower hex nut in your arrow should always be snug.

Standard needle with T-top for the forked adj. rod, the Improved uses the same carb, but with a different needle to gain the combo feature.

IMG_3504 (573x580).jpg (112.88 KiB) Viewed 2925 times

[DanTreace]

Dan. I have a 1926 Holley NH. What type of carburetor is the text in your post referring to? I can’t see the carburetor well enough to see what type it is, but I don’t think a Holley NH has a “spray needle clamp nut”. Jim Patrick


8F5859E8-0B2B-45CC-A5D2-2CA2B3AEF651.jpeg

Jim


Just wanted to follow up on your carb. It has a nifty throttle control in brass, with an odd shape. So looked up that item and is an accessory for giving more performance and milage......or so the maker's claims