Re: beware v8 hydro-lock

[Eliot Lim <eliot@u.washington.edu>]

here's a footnote:  on the rare occassions that i have to do two
successive cold starts the second will invariably be extremely difficult.
what i have been told is to start with a nearly wide open throttle to get
air flow into the cylinders.  when it does catch eventually, it is not a
pretty sight.  lots of black smelly smoke and possibly even oil smoke.
there's definitely an excess of richness for the second start. i have to
pump the throttle as though it is a racing car to keep it alive.  only
cars 20 years or older behave like that.  easily avoided by just driving
it half a mile like i originally recommended.

i have also been told that special 2 stroke spark plugs (NGK)  were
specified shortly after the v8's launch because of this.  also that there
were lots of early problems with deliveries because the cars would be
driven short distances (i.e. onto the truck)  and then shut off.  lots of
v8s delivered (to the dealer, not to owners) with discharged batteries.

the very expensive spec. NGK plugs don't seem to be terribly effective
against this.  have other owners tried other types of plugs with good
results? those platinum plugs i have in the corrado are excellent.


eliot