C3 not starting Need HELP!!!!
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1st Gear
Joined: Jun 2025
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C3 not starting Need HELP!!!!
Hi everyone, I bought a 1980 C3 and it ran well for a couple of days but then I noticed after cold starts it couldn't idle and it would just die and then eventually one time it died and when I tried to start it again it wouldn't start. It would crank but it wouldn't start. Now its been a little more than a week and it doesn't even crank it just does one crank and then it shuts off including the battery. I've tried charging the battery and putting in some gas to see if that would help. But none of that has worked and I don't know what else to do. Do you guys have any suggestions?
Race Director
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 13,143
Likes: 7,753
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
Remove the air filter lid. Spray some starting fluid right into the carburetor. Crank engine. Does it fire?
Burning Brakes
Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 1,043
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2023 C3 of the Year Finalist - Modified
I would spend some free time learning about how a sbc works. Maybe watch a few YouTube videos. Learn about how carbs work, what is timing and why it matters, etc.
Troubleshooting becomes a lot easier once you understand the systems you’re working on.
do you know if this is a stock c3 or does it have a bunch of engine mods? What carb do you have?
You need spark fuel and compression.
as mentioned above you can spray starting fluid and if it starts and dies off you have a fuel issue.
You can also fill the carb bowl with gas directly via vent tube, cycle the throttle some and see if accel pump is working. Is there a choke? Is it working?
you can pull a spark plug and ground it against a manifold and see if you have a spark. The spark has to happen at the right time, check and see if the distributor clamp is loose. Backfiring through the carb is common symptom of out-of-time
unlikely you suddenly lost compression.
Troubleshooting becomes a lot easier once you understand the systems you’re working on.
do you know if this is a stock c3 or does it have a bunch of engine mods? What carb do you have?
You need spark fuel and compression.
as mentioned above you can spray starting fluid and if it starts and dies off you have a fuel issue.
You can also fill the carb bowl with gas directly via vent tube, cycle the throttle some and see if accel pump is working. Is there a choke? Is it working?
you can pull a spark plug and ground it against a manifold and see if you have a spark. The spark has to happen at the right time, check and see if the distributor clamp is loose. Backfiring through the carb is common symptom of out-of-time
unlikely you suddenly lost compression.
Race Director
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 13,143
Likes: 7,753
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
As your question sounds as though your a bit less than knowledgeable. You can see you have gotten some very basic answers.
Questions for you. After you charged the battery, does it now turn over for longer again?
Why did you put more fuel in it?
Is the accelerator pump pumping?
Do you have any tools? Can you remove and inspect spark plugs? Electrical test equipment?
Questions for you. After you charged the battery, does it now turn over for longer again?
Why did you put more fuel in it?
Is the accelerator pump pumping?
Do you have any tools? Can you remove and inspect spark plugs? Electrical test equipment?
