# 65 EL Camino 283 SB Carb hard starting when cold **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** chevrolet, starting\ **Created:** [May 15, 2010, 2:26pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/65-el-camino-283-sb-carb-hard-starting-when-cold/48888 "2010-05-15T14:26:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![RAMara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e19adc/32.png) [@RAMara](https://community.cartalk.com/u/RAMara)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2010, 2:26pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/65-el-camino-283-sb-carb-hard-starting-when-cold/48888/1 "2010-05-15T14:26:59Z")
I have a 283 on my 65 Camino. The car will not start first thing in the morning unless I use ether. After that, the car starts on first crank. What could be the problem? Battery is new, wires recently replaced, carb rebuilt… ---
**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2010, 2:33pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/65-el-camino-283-sb-carb-hard-starting-when-cold/48888/2 "2010-05-15T14:33:42Z")
Check and see if the choke mechanism is working on the carburator. With the engine cold, push the gas pedal to the floor and release. Look at the choke plate and it should be fully closed. If the choke plate isn’t fully closed, that’s the problem. Tester ---
**Author:** ![RAMara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e19adc/32.png) [@RAMara](https://community.cartalk.com/u/RAMara)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2010, 3:05pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/65-el-camino-283-sb-carb-hard-starting-when-cold/48888/3 "2010-05-15T15:05:45Z")
Thanks - that was it. I found out that the air cleaner was sitting on the linkage preventing it from closing all the way. As soon as I modified that, the car started right up.