Triumph Repair: gt6 cold starting porblem, fuel compression, wd 40

Question
Hi Howard,  I have a 69 gt6 lately I have been having a cold starting problem.  I have replaced the points,condencer,and rotor.  I have to turn the motor over many times (starter on and off many times) it will stumble,and will not start, eventually it will start,and will run fine. If I shut off the car, after warming up the car will start up no problem even if  the car has been sitting for several hours and the motor is cold again.  thanks for your help.  Stan

Answer
Hi Stan,
For an engine to start it needs Compression, fire and fuel with conditions on each. It does not sound like an ignition problem, so you can look at compression and fuel. Compression problems can give you a hard starting problem but again, what you describe sounds like a fuel problem. All engines require extra fuel to cold start so this is where you need to check first. The Stromberg choke system is not a choke like on most carbs. It is an extra supply of fuel from a "bar" device on each of the carbs.
First you need to run a test to confirm that it is a lack of extra fuel that is the problem.
To do this all you need to do is to spray either starter fluid or something like WD-40 into the intake while someone tries to start the engine. If this starts the engine right away then you know for sure it is a lack of fuel. You need to do two things then, One is make sure you don't have a float chamber leak at the center in the bottom of either carb. This would empty a float chamber when the car sat for a long while. The fuel pump would take a while to refill either float chamber. If the bottom of both carbs are dry, check that the choke does move the bar and the link between the carbs.
If all of this checks out OK then you should do a "Wet" and a "Dry" compression test. Do the "Dry" test first (At least 5 or so revolutions and throttle wide open and Ignition system disabled.) ("Wet" test = about a table spoon of engine oil in the plug hole and repeat the test) You should not get a lot of difference between the two tests, about 10 to 15% difference.
Let me know how you do.
Howard