rwerth7

After the car has been sitting for a month or so I have to pump the gas peddle 20 to 30 times to get it to start. Runs fine once it is started. From then on starts right up hot or cold.

1) Carburetor bowls are not empty as I can see gas being squirted into the carb if I manually move the linkage back and forth (before I pump the gas peddle 20 to 30 times).

2) Choke plate closes after initial gas peddle pump

3) Carb has been rebuilt
4) Fuel pump replaced
5) Pertronix electronic ignition with new coil
6) Engine burns a little oil but nothing signifcant but there is an oily residue on the spark plugs
7) Spark plugs and wires replaced. Problem continues.

Any ideas?

Could the oil residue on the spark plugs prevent car from starting until gas "washes" them clean?

I'm stumped. Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

Ron

Lou64

Could be water in your fuel? Try some fuel stabilizer and see if it corrects the problem, and keep the tank full when it sits.

midyearvette

if everything you state is correct, and i assume it is, i would set the choke plate a little richer. it should slam shut and stay there until she fires when the pulloff comes in to play.
if indeed the choke is working properly, i would check for fire, in fact why don't you check for fire first the next time this happens.....good luck

rwerth7

When u say check for fire do you mean to check if the spark plugs fire?

Thanks

MikeM

I'll take your word for it the carb is shooting "something" when you first pump the gas. I'll also bet what it's shooting won't fire in the cylinder.

Next time you let the car sit for a month, drop a tablespoon full of fresh gas down the primary throat of the carb and see if it doesn't kick right off.

midyearvette

yes...sorry

corvetteed

I do what he said; except, I just go ahead and use starter fluid, instead of dropping gas down the carb.

Matt Gruber

the light ends evaporate.
start it every 2 weeks. mark it on your calander. that's what i do.
or do what mikem says, give it fresh gas.

gilbybarr

My '65 and the '63 Avanti are the same when sitting more than a week or so.....a bit of gas dropped in the carb will help it kick off without endless cranking.

toms silver 60

You can dribble gas into the carb by pouring it on top of air cleaner stud/screw, it will save having to remove lid. Plus minimize any backfires ....

JohnZ

When mine sits that long, I use a plastic ketchup dispenser bottle - the nozzle is just right for fitting into the bowl vent tube; about 1/3 of a bottle fills the float bowl, and it fires right up without all the cranking.

65hihp

John
your wife is OK with using the bottle for that? Maybe that occasional 1/3 fill with gas adds a little kick to the ketchup?

Hitch

I've tried bottles like that and the gas usually eats through them so I bought one from Jeg's that seems impervious to fuel..

JohnZ

No, and I don't use her turkey baster to suck brake fluid out of master cylinders either - I have my own.

Fawndeuce

So I'm in the dollar store and I put two turkey basters in my hand basket, one of those salad dressing squeeze bottles and aluminum foil that I use for masking when painting under the hood.
This elderly woman then says to me "So nice to see a man who likes to cook" , I didn't have the heart to tell her.



Paul

MikeM

If a shot of fresh gas makes your engine fire right off, I think you could make the assumption that you just need to fill the fuel bowl with fresh gas from the fuel pump.

I never did see any sense in raising the hood, taking the air cleaner lif off, squirting gas in the carb and getting your hands all stinky and then putting everything back together, washing your hands and the starting the car.

It's much simpler to just crank the engine for about 5-6 seconds, stop cranking and fan the gas a few times and then crank it again and it starts/runs.

Besides, everytime you pull that hood release, you're just one pull closer to having the cable break and then you'll be on your back trying to trip the hood latches with a broom stick.

Hitch

Okay who is logged into Mike's account?

DansYellow66

I do the same thing. Works great on Holleys. I found JEGs even sells a plastic priming bottle specifically for this.

Matt Gruber

on my 61 i have a prime button under the dash(for the electric fuel pump). turn key on, press for 2 sec, turn to start, pump twice, instantly starts.
so if 2 weeks go by, and i don't drive it, i just prime it to keep fresh gas in the carb. otherwise it might, on rare ocasion, dry out and leave flakes in the carb. and clog it.