To pump or not to pump
Race Director
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 13,248
Likes: 7,840
From: Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia
2025 C3 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2024 C3 of the Year Finalist- Modified
2022 C3 of the Year Finalist - Modified
Cruise-In VIII Veteran
Carburetor??? I always found on most cars with a carb. Pump it 2 -3 times. Hold throttle open just a crack. (Hold pedal down slightly) then turn key. Every car is different. Ya gotta get to know yours!
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2020
Posts: 904
Likes: 569
From: Central NJ
Mine is one easy pump to set the choke and it fires right up. my issue was warm starts, say 15 minutes after shutdown, lots of cranking. Turned out if I hold it to the floor it fires right away I just have to let off real fast. Point is they are all different, you just have to get to know your car..
60
60
Racer
Joined: Jan 2016
Posts: 290
Likes: 78
Depends if there is fuel in the bowl or not. If it's been sitting for awhile and the bowl is dry, you should Crank until bowl is full, then pump to set choke and squirt fuel. Pumping on a dry bowl will wear out accelerator pump cup prematurely.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 3,180
Likes: 297
From: Sarasota Florida
If you've got a Quadrajet, there's a good chance the float bowls drain (leak) overnight. You'll read about replacing well plugs but I doubt they need it. Something about those Qjets tends to drain bowls. I've given up searching. I even put an electric pump on mine. Obviously, if you got a mechanical pump, you've got to crank it to fill the bowl.
You might try cranking it without pumping and see if it matters. I assume the choke is working properly and you pumped it once just to set it.
You might try cranking it without pumping and see if it matters. I assume the choke is working properly and you pumped it once just to set it.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Sep 2020
Posts: 121
Likes: 9
Not started in a couple days. It also has not been ran very little maybe once a month. I tried pumping it once then turning over, pumping twice then crank and even three times but it works sometimes and sometimes not. Once it runs it starts great with no pedal. I am wondering if I need a good gas treatment. It does have hedden headers and exhaust if that matters. Its not like it will not start if I am alittle patience it starts.
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2007
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From: Omaha NE
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When mine's cold I crank it over until the needle on my oil pressure gauge wakes up.
Then I stop, give two squirts on the gas & crank again.
It always starts right up at that point.
I've been doing it like this since 1976.....
....
Then I stop, give two squirts on the gas & crank again.
It always starts right up at that point.
I've been doing it like this since 1976.....
....
Race Director
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 13,248
Likes: 7,840
From: Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia
2025 C3 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2024 C3 of the Year Finalist- Modified
2022 C3 of the Year Finalist - Modified
Cruise-In VIII Veteran
Back when mine still had a carb. And it did untill a little over a year ago. It would NEVER start on the first crank if sitting for more than 24 hours. And I had 2 different carbs on it over the years. Crank it for 20 - 30 seconds. Get fuel up to the carb, pump it twice. Turn key the second time, off she went.
EFI, turn key to on and pause for a couple seconds. (You can faintly hear the pump run). Turn to start and it's running.
EFI, turn key to on and pause for a couple seconds. (You can faintly hear the pump run). Turn to start and it's running.
Last edited by 4-vettes; Sep 26, 2020 at 02:05 AM.
Intermediate
Joined: Mar 2015
Posts: 27
Likes: 0
From: Sask, Canada
Good responses above.
Assuming it’s carbureted with no major mods this is pretty normal, was said above but yes if not started in a few days a couple pedal pumps and extended turn over with mechanical fuel pumps is expected, possibly even a few pedal pumps and hold while turning over.
It should generally start without any pumps throughout the day after it has previously ran.
Timing could be looked at but doesn’t sound like an issue in this case.
Assuming it’s carbureted with no major mods this is pretty normal, was said above but yes if not started in a few days a couple pedal pumps and extended turn over with mechanical fuel pumps is expected, possibly even a few pedal pumps and hold while turning over.
It should generally start without any pumps throughout the day after it has previously ran.
Timing could be looked at but doesn’t sound like an issue in this case.