73 Big Block no start issue
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Race Director
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 14,399
Likes: 8,204
From: Napa Valley California
73 Big Block no start issue
This is what happened to me Saturday.
I first want to say thanks to those forum members who have posted their issues on the forum over the years and to those who have helped them trouble shoot those issues.
I personally have learned a lot reading these type threads and that knowledge helped me to quickly yet temporarily resolve a simple issue.
Saturday was a beautiful sunny 74 degrees outside.
I’m building new cabinets in the garage so I had pulled the Corvette out and parked it in the driveway.
Later in the day I needed to run up to Lowe’s to get some screws so I took the Vette since it was so nice outside.
I stopped on the way home and put a few gallons of fuel in because it was at 1/4 tank.
It was running smooth and not a single miss, even when I got on it a bit from a stop sign, it ran strong.
When I got home I parked it back on the driveway and worked for several more hours on the cabinets.
Later, when I tried to start it to park it back in the garage, all it did was spin over.
No cough, just nothing but the starter spinning the engine.
I pumped the throttle several times and it still just spun.
The battery was strong and it didn’t slow or drag the starter.
I quickly realized that I wasn’t smelling any gasoline fumes, which I would expect after pumping the throttle and spinning it over numerous times.
I popped the hood removed the air cleaner lid and pumped the throttle linkage.
It was dark, but I didn’t hear or smell any fuel.
I went out to my garden shed, got about 1/8 cup of gas, poured in down the carb, hit the ignition and she fired right up, ran smooth and did not hesitate or miss.
Sunday and yesterday the Vette fired right up in the morning, backed out onto the driveway and pulled back in at night running perfect.
My only thought is that the engine was warm enough to percolate the fuel in the carb when I parked it Saturday afternoon and maybe the fuel pump is going bad so it may not be strong enough to pump fuel from the tank to the carb when sitting on the incline of my driveway.
And maybe just backing out of the garage onto the driveway doesn’t heat the engine enough to percolate the fuel in the carb so the engine will fire up and keep running on the tired fuel pump.
Any thoughts?
I first want to say thanks to those forum members who have posted their issues on the forum over the years and to those who have helped them trouble shoot those issues.
I personally have learned a lot reading these type threads and that knowledge helped me to quickly yet temporarily resolve a simple issue.
Saturday was a beautiful sunny 74 degrees outside.
I’m building new cabinets in the garage so I had pulled the Corvette out and parked it in the driveway.
Later in the day I needed to run up to Lowe’s to get some screws so I took the Vette since it was so nice outside.
I stopped on the way home and put a few gallons of fuel in because it was at 1/4 tank.
It was running smooth and not a single miss, even when I got on it a bit from a stop sign, it ran strong.
When I got home I parked it back on the driveway and worked for several more hours on the cabinets.
Later, when I tried to start it to park it back in the garage, all it did was spin over.
No cough, just nothing but the starter spinning the engine.
I pumped the throttle several times and it still just spun.
The battery was strong and it didn’t slow or drag the starter.
I quickly realized that I wasn’t smelling any gasoline fumes, which I would expect after pumping the throttle and spinning it over numerous times.
I popped the hood removed the air cleaner lid and pumped the throttle linkage.
It was dark, but I didn’t hear or smell any fuel.
I went out to my garden shed, got about 1/8 cup of gas, poured in down the carb, hit the ignition and she fired right up, ran smooth and did not hesitate or miss.
Sunday and yesterday the Vette fired right up in the morning, backed out onto the driveway and pulled back in at night running perfect.
My only thought is that the engine was warm enough to percolate the fuel in the carb when I parked it Saturday afternoon and maybe the fuel pump is going bad so it may not be strong enough to pump fuel from the tank to the carb when sitting on the incline of my driveway.
And maybe just backing out of the garage onto the driveway doesn’t heat the engine enough to percolate the fuel in the carb so the engine will fire up and keep running on the tired fuel pump.
Any thoughts?
Last edited by OldCarBum; Jan 19, 2021 at 01:25 PM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2019
Posts: 7,653
Likes: 2,468
From: Indiana
measure fuel pump pressure and volume, after you check filter on carb would be where i would go..
also this below not helpful!!!! LOL
Saturday was a beautiful sunny 74 degrees outside.
also this below not helpful!!!! LOL
Last edited by interpon; Jan 19, 2021 at 01:33 PM.
