Hard Starting after Storage

[oldchevelle541]

Greetings, I have a 440 with Auto with a 4738 Carb. After car sits for a few weeks it cranks but will not turn over. If you take off air cleaner lid and squirt a few drops of gas into carb she fires right up and idles like a well tuned 440. I assume gas is draining from the bowls while it sits. You can pump gas pedal 10 times or so and it will not fire until you introduce gas into the carb. Its not a big problem but more of an annoyance.

Problem ?

Recommend Solution ?

 

[Basket case]

seems to be a common problem anymore with todays gas. some ar adding an electric fuel pump to help.

 

[Stumper]

Mine is a bitch to fire up after it sets for a few weeks too. I have an electric fuel pump and getting gas to it is not a problem. Sometimes It'll back fire through the carb once or twice until it fires up and then it smokes pretty good until it gets warmed up. As long as I fire it up once a week it its fine on all accounts. Old cars / old technology....

 

[D575]

I have the same problem, the fuel leaks back into the tank . part of it is the fuel evaporates out of the carburetors, the other part is the check valve in the fuel pump. I have another pump and I was going to put in an electric to prime the system. but just haven't had time. that and every time I crawl under the car and look at my options as to where to mount the electric I get discouraged.

 

[Garys1969RR]

Is there any fuel in the carb? When you pump the throttle does it squirt gas in? Sounds like a weak fuel pump. Or carb may need rebuilt if accel pump not working.

 

[oldchevelle541]

Guys, I see I am not alone with my problem. I will start checking the little things to narrow down potential issues. I will start by having someone pump the pedal and seeing if gas squirts into the carb. I don't know much about the Mopar factory fuel pumps on the 440 but on my GM big block the pump is very basic. I will keep in touch.

 

[oldchevelle541]

Guys, I see I am not alone with my problem. I will start checking the little things to narrow down potential issues. I will start by having someone pump the pedal and seeing if gas squirts into the carb. I don't know much about the Mopar factory fuel pumps on the 440 but on my GM big block the pump is very basic. I will keep in touch.

Checked the carb. When I hit the throttle gas does squirt in. I just pumped pedal a few more times and it then started.

 

[oldchevelle541]

Update: car sat for a month and when we had 60F temperatures this weekend I attempted to fire it up. Endless pumping of the pedal was of no help. Car only started when a tablespoon of gas was fed directly into the carburetor. With all of the pedal pumps there should have been enough gas to fire up a few hemi's.

 

[ArtH]

Update: car sat for a month and when we had 60F temperatures this weekend I attempted to fire it up. Endless pumping of the pedal was of no help. Car only started when a tablespoon of gas was fed directly into the carburetor. With all of the pedal pumps there should have been enough gas to fire up a few hemi's.

A lot of times the rubber fuel line that connects the fuel tank to the steel line going to the pump is rotten and won't hold vacuum. I went through this several years ago. I replaced that 16" of line and it solved the problem.

 

[bandit]

I remember our old family boat being the same way every year after storage(inboard motor) Was a must to use ether in carb to get it started the first time. It would then clear out it's kinks and be fine afterwards. I always assumed it was bad/old gas in the lines from sitting in storage that made for the first hard start. Just needed to mix in some good gas to the tank so next startup wasn't the same.

 

[oldchevelle541]

wouldn't I see gas on the floor or smell gas ?