Warm Start Troubles
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 473
Likes: 2
From: Champlin Minnesota
Warm Start Troubles
Last week I drove my car to hardware store (30 miles), so engine was warm by the time I got there. Shopped around for 15 minutes and came out to start my car. I tried to turn it over and got no firing, tried a few times to start, 10 seconds cranking and 40 seconds cooling (as to not burnout starter). This has happened twice before, I have tried pumping gas while turning over, I have tried with no pumping, and I have tried with gas halfway down in effort to start car. Once the car started it ran smooth right away, no bogging or stuttering. My personal guess is the fuel is boiling in line or carb and creating vapor lock, but am looking for the wisdom of forum members. Car is a 77 with a GM crate 350 (330hp) with an Edelbrock carb on a PerformerRPM intake manifold. I just bought the car in March 05, previous owner installed engine. I personally know nothing about ignition or distributor (degrees, advance, etc.) What I am looking for is a solution to this problem, does it need a good tune up, is the fuel pump shot, carb plugged up? Any advice is welcomed....
Thanks,
David
Thanks,
David
Tech Contributor
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 14,380
Likes: 6,391
From: At my Bar drinking and wrenching in Lafayette Colorado
Start with some basic troubleshooting to determine if you have an ignition problem or a fuel issue: Pull a plug wire to see if you're getting spark when the no-start situation occurs. Often, the HEI module will intermittently fail after heat-soak. If you have spark, you have a fuel supply problem. This could very well be a fuel boiling issue which can be solved by using an insulating gasket pack under the carb along with a reflective heat shield.
finally remembered I had thrown my kill switch
Drifting
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 1,469
Likes: 6
From: 68 427 4.11s Roadster
My car would do this same thing but it was a 5 minute run while 15 minutes the bowl was just empty- not flooded.
The fuel boils out so the bowl is low. Cranking will fill it. The 2nd problem is the engine is flooded. To start a flooded engine you hold the pedal to the floor and the engine vacuums the intake and carb out so to speak. Cranking with the throttle wide open fills the bowl and clears the engine, it should begin firing within a normal cranking envelope.
If you don't hold the pedal down it will take quite awhile to start since its still sucking fuel when it doesn't need any.
I got tired of that.
I put an electric fuel pump on with a momentary switch for over ride. I can hit the switch prime the bowl and go. The pump whines then growls when loaded, the bowl is full and the float needle closed.
The oil switch operates it normally and I didn't put a crank wire to it since I have the override. The point was to start with a full bowl every time.
The fuel boils out so the bowl is low. Cranking will fill it. The 2nd problem is the engine is flooded. To start a flooded engine you hold the pedal to the floor and the engine vacuums the intake and carb out so to speak. Cranking with the throttle wide open fills the bowl and clears the engine, it should begin firing within a normal cranking envelope.
If you don't hold the pedal down it will take quite awhile to start since its still sucking fuel when it doesn't need any.
I got tired of that.
I put an electric fuel pump on with a momentary switch for over ride. I can hit the switch prime the bowl and go. The pump whines then growls when loaded, the bowl is full and the float needle closed.
The oil switch operates it normally and I didn't put a crank wire to it since I have the override. The point was to start with a full bowl every time.
