Quick question...

I'm having what I believe to be an issue when I first start my '71 cutlass. If she has been sitting for longer than a day, I have to pump the gas pedal about 10-15 times before she'll turn over. If it has been a week or two since I last took her out, I'm pumping the gas about 30 times.

The sitting for a week+ doesn't bother me that much. It is most likely that the reservoir in the carb has gone dry. But not starting right up after one day has got me wondering.

I'm not hearing any lag in the starter. I have already rebuilt the carb and it is as clean as can be. The fuel filter is new. I only run 93 octane through her and never let the tank get below half full. I was starting to think that it might be the fuel pump, because it is the original and is now 45 years old. But, once she starts, she runs like a champ with no knock, hesitation or loss of power at all.

I'm not an expert on fuel systems so I'm kind of at a loss.

 

Have you set the choke as per normal procedure of pumping the pedal once prior to trying to start? With the engine off after it sits, have you removed the air cleaner and operated the throttle by hand while looking down into the carb for 2 solid sprays of fuel ensuring there is/is not fuel in the bowl?

 

The choke is set correctly. I have not checked the other stuff yet though. I just got back home after a 2 hour drive (camping with the kids for Father's Day weekend). I have not done this yet. I was going to let her rest until tomorrow and then work off of whatever suggestions that this thread gives me.

 

Not pump or anything. It's your carb. It could be accelerator pump in the carb or I've heard of the gas evaporating because of excessive heat. Never seen that but have heard of it. Only other thing I can think of is if it's leaking. May not be WET but could be seeping out ever so slightly and evaporating right away. Boz

 

There must be twenty threads with this question once the temps warmed up for the summer. The biggest problem is the cat pizz that passes for gasoline today. The ethanol seems to evaporate much faster, causing the float bowl to empty. I have this same problem on all of my carb'd vehicles if they sit for more than a few days. Yes, the fuel pump should eventually fill the float bowl, but if the pump is weak (particularly if the one-way valves are leaking a little), this can take a very long time.

Also, if there is any leakage from the carb into the engine, you'll smell gasoline in the oil. The Qjet well plug leakage is probably the most talked-about non-problem on the web. It is EXTREMELY unlikely on post-1967 Qjets with the spun-in aluminum plugs.

 

Thanks guys. I'll take a look at it over the next couple days.