Engine Starting Trouble

[dammstrate]

I drive my 66 Coronet only about once very few weeks. Over time, it takes longer and longer amount of cranking to get it fired up. Like it has to pull gas all the way from the tank. No leaks that I can find. Worried about frying the starter. What can I look for to try to understand what is happening?

 

[1967coronet]

If its a edelbrock / carter style carb it may be boiling the fuel out after shut down with the weather we have been having.
ethanol mix fuel even makes it worse.
Any sign on the intake of a leak ? if the engine is hot it will evap fast and may not be seen.
wait till its cool and crank it full but not running/started. let it set and look for a seep or leak on the intake.

Could just be plain old evaporation of the fuel if its sets long enough.

 

[dadsbee]

Drive it more often! That said, I can leave my Superbird sitting for over a year and it will still start with a tap of the pedal and two cranks!

 

[turbine68rt]

I drive my 66 Coronet only about once very few weeks. Over time, it takes longer and longer amount of cranking to get it fired up. Like it has to pull gas all the way from the tank. No leaks that I can find. Worried about frying the starter. What can I look for to try to understand what is happening?

What engine?

 

[Big Bad Dad]

I have the same problems. I think the newer ethanol gas mixtures evaporate out of the float bowls quickly, and the old fuel pumps don't send the fuel very quick when the engine is cranking. They work better at higher RPM once the engine is running.

 

[66 Sat]

What's your starting procedure? Do you pump the gas pedal a few times first before turning the key?

 

[turbine68rt]

Big block-- check the length of the fuel pump pushrod. Should be 3.22". (Ask me how I found this out the hard way) Make sure all rubber hose connections are securely tightened. I prefer the factory style crimp clamps. If the car is sitting long enough for the gas to evaporate from the bowls you can always manually pour a small amount down the carb to reduce cranking time.

 

[Budnicks]

are you sure it's all fuel related ?
albeit;
Edelbrocks Carter/Weber clones are known for the stuff

not something like the coil taking a ****
or something else

 

[myk r sanchez]

Drive it more often! That said, I can leave my Superbird sitting for over a year and it will still start with a tap of the pedal and two cranks!

That, or add an electric fuel pump to assist in priming the fuel system during hot starts or after long periods of sitting. Hard starts with today's garbage fuels are a common problem.

I only run an electric pump; hard starts of any kind are a thing of the past but now I have a new problem: I go through those electric Chinese fuel pumps every couple of years...$$$$$

 

[dadsbee]

No need for an electric pump. If the fuel system is bleeding back to the tank I'd suspect a bad fuel pump diaphragm. Both of my cars have the original fuel pump push rod and #1, don't run **** fuel.

 

[Ranger16]

Try priming the float bowls through the vents with a plastic bottle before starting it. A good healthy 1/4 bottle squirt works great for me. If that helps, evaporation is most likely your problem.

 

[Pops1967GTX]

this is a great thread for situation for the bad gas of today. Fuel boiling, evaporation.
when my GTX sits or the temps are too high, I need to spray gas into the carb for start up.


https://www.forbbodiesonly.com/moparforum/threads/fuel-boiling-solutions.167198/

 

[whyjay]

Had a similar issue with my 71 Charger. Last winter finally just wouldn’t start at all. New fuel pump fixed it. Old one was new 20+ years ago. I suspect ethanol gas deteriorated the pump diaphragm.

 

[cr8crshr]

It's the nature of the fuel blends we have today plus it does evaporate rather quickly because of it being a blend. My solution is to crank the motor a few times to get the fuel pump up to speed. I then use the ol' squirt bottle routine to get it to fire. Usually a couple of times before it consistently fires up. then get it up to op temp, put it in gear and away I go. As mentioned above, Carter/Brocks tend to have this problem more so. I am running a Demon square bore 750 cfm in my 66 with a 383 and I also have the same issue occurring so it is more the gas being what it is rather than the equipment...cr8crshr/Bill.

 

[myk r sanchez]

No need for an electric pump. If the fuel system is bleeding back to the tank I'd suspect a bad fuel pump diaphragm. Both of my cars have the original fuel pump push rod and #1, don't run **** fuel.

In other words, don't live in california...

 

[dammstrate]

Thanks for all the discussion. New fuel pump fixed it.

 

[dadsbee]

Good to hear, glad I'm right once in a while! LOL