Hard Starting
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 313
Likes: 8
From: MILFORD OH
Hard Starting
Let me start by saying that I have replaced the fuel pump, distributor, wires, and carb. But the problem is that after the car sits for a few days, I have to spray some starting fluid in the carb to get the engine to fire and run. After doing this a few times with the choke wide open, it will finally continue to run. Once the engine has warmed up a little, I can turn off the engine and now it will start wirhout using the starting fluid. To me, it sounds more like a fuel problem than electrical, but want do I know. Do I need to rebuild the carb or go the electronic route.
Any advice would surely be appreciated.......
The engine is a high performance 301 in a 63.....
Any advice would surely be appreciated.......
The engine is a high performance 301 in a 63.....
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 17,693
Likes: 3,683
From: Central Arkansas
Unfortunately, this is normal for today's gasoline. Both of my old cars have to be primed if they sit much more than a week. A lot of the carburetors are vented and today's formulation of gasoline simply evaporates out. If it's been a couple weeks since I've started my car, I don't even try without first priming it. I found some inexpensive plastic ketchup and mustard bottles at WalMart and fill it with gas from my lawnmower can and prime the holley in my Corvette through the big bowl vent until I start to see gas trickle out of the idle bleeds. Hit the key and it fires immediately and keeps going. Just in the event there was something about my Holley that wasn't quite right I sent it off and had it restored at the Holley Carburetor Shop. It came back looking a lot better but still has to be primed after a week or two. 
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 5,772
Likes: 694
From: Maryland
St. Jude Donor '05, '09, '15
I have Demon carb on the 65 now, had a Holley on it prior. It has always started great cold. Even after sitting a couple weeks and I don't have a choke! A couple pumps of the accelerator and it lights right up. Gotta keep it alive with the throttle til it warms up a bit but it always starts.
The carb is the first place I would look. Does the acelerator pump pump fuel before you crank it? If not the fuel may be leaking into the intake draining the float bowls.
The carb is the first place I would look. Does the acelerator pump pump fuel before you crank it? If not the fuel may be leaking into the intake draining the float bowls.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 7,106
Likes: 38
From: Newark DE
mine with the stock Holley carb starts when cold with no problem no matter how long she sits.
A perfect example - last year she was in the body/paint shop for 10 1/2 months. when she was finished, we turned the key and she started up instantly on the first crank.
starting when she is hot is another story and it takes a bit of cranking most of the time.
A perfect example - last year she was in the body/paint shop for 10 1/2 months. when she was finished, we turned the key and she started up instantly on the first crank.
starting when she is hot is another story and it takes a bit of cranking most of the time.
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 26,118
Likes: 1,874
From: Greenville, Indiana
Originally Posted by RREEVES
No, the acelarator pump does not squirt fuel into the carb before cranking...
If it squirts fuel into the venturis after you get it to run and not before, your carb is just empty. Rebuilding won't help anything as there is no way for fuel to drain out of an Edelbrock/AFB carb. It can/does evaporate. Many owners with the AFB report this concern.
Usually it takes about a week of sitting for my AFB to go empty. All it takes is about ten seconds of cranking while pumping the gas and it fires right up.
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Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 38,897
Likes: 1,926
From: Washington Michigan
Originally Posted by RREEVES
Any recommendations as to a reliable carb to purchase to alleviate this problem of the disappearing gas in the fuel bowl..........
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 5,772
Likes: 694
From: Maryland
St. Jude Donor '05, '09, '15
Originally Posted by MikeM
If it squirts fuel into the venturis after you get it to run and not before, your carb is just empty. Rebuilding won't help anything as there is no way for fuel to drain out of an Edelbrock/AFB carb. It can/does evaporate. Many owners with the AFB report this concern.
Usually it takes about a week of sitting for my AFB to go empty. All it takes is about ten seconds of cranking while pumping the gas and it fires right up.
Usually it takes about a week of sitting for my AFB to go empty. All it takes is about ten seconds of cranking while pumping the gas and it fires right up.
An electric fuel pump may be a solution if you do not want to crank the engine to fill the carb.
