Michael A Riley

Tonight I started my 1979 L82 to let it warm up and move it to a different stall in the garage. It ran a little "lopy" sounding while I was cleaning things out of the way from where I was going to move it to. I attributed it to a cold start, as it sometimes takes a few minutes to warm up and smooth out. About five minutes into the idling, it got slower and slower then died. I tried repeatedly but it wouldn't start back up. Took a flashlight and peered into the tank (occasionally the fuel gauge is a bit off), but tank looked to have gas. Took the breather cover off and tried that (seems to help when my '63 corvette doesn't want to start) but still nothing. At this point it sounded slower at turning over so I stopped before totally killing the battery. Any ideas?

68post

Yes, a stuck float in the carb or a dead fuel pump. Look down the primary bores of the carb and pump the throttle slowly to see if the accelerator pump is squirting fuel or yer just dry !

Michael A Riley

Thanks. Will have my wife pump the pedal once or twice tomorrow while I look down inside. If it's getting fuel, then is there a specific way to check the float? I'm not as familiar with carbs as I am with fuel injection and computers in my newer vettes. Silly, I know.

68post

If the accelerator pump does squirt fuel it isn't a float or fuel pump problem.


If the carb is empty of fuel, ( no accel. pump shot), you can carefully pour an aprx 1/4 cup of fuel into the carb down the fuel bowl vent tube. Then see if it will start, if it does - you know the bowl was empty - which means the float is stuck and holding the needle valve shut.
If it then doesn't start, it's not fuel related.

How long has it sit since it was last parked ?

Michael A Riley

Drive it Saturday when the weather was decent here. Left it out Saturday night, so Sunday started it up and parked it in my wife's spot in the garage (was cleaning out the other areas of the garage). Started just fine both times over the weekend, and actually started just fine last night too, just idled rough then died. I'll check it out here shortly.

Michael A Riley

Well I'll be dammed, started right up with no hesitation at all just now. I'm guessing last night I just flooded it? Anyway, thanks for the help.