I currently have a factory 4 barrel carburetor on my 71' 350 Cutlass. I only drive my car to work one day for about 50 miles. For years I have been having issues with the car being hard to start. When it's cold, it can take 5-6 pumps of the gas pedal and quite a while of turning over until it starts. Then it's fine, runs good. But after driving it for a while, it you turn if off for 5-20 mins, its really hard to start again. It acts like it has a float problem. Turns over slow then picks up speed and "usually" starts. Sometimes I have to spray starting fluid to get it running again. I have had the carb rebuilt multiple times by different mechanics since I bought the car in 1987. It always runs perfectly after being serviced. but after a few months, the issues always seem to return. So I think I am done with this carb system. The mechanics have told me I just don't drive it enough and the gaskets dry out causing the carb to fail.

I am thinking about doing a conversion upgrade to fuel injection system. I definitely want the engine compartment to look the same (air cleaner) after the install. I want to keep the factory look. This car is a driver and I am not looking for the most expensive system available. I want a reasonably priced system that will do the job.


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Any suggestions or recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

 

Sorry, no advice about the fuel injection. How many miles on it? Before switching to fuel injection which could be sweet, do a compression test and is the timing chain stretched?

Good luck!!!

 

Slow turnover when hot is an electrical problem that will still be there if you convert to FI. Fixing that will help it start quicker.

 

you really should not be pumping the pedal to start it. One snap of the pedal before cranking when cold will close the choke. Turn it over without your foot on the pedal.

If it is just turning over slowing, than that is probably in your starter circuit and the fuel injection won't help with that.

For me at least, a properly tuned carb is a lot easier and cheaper than setting up fuel injection. My 1971 350 four barrel can sit for a couple of months and then fires up and runs fine. You need to find a guy that can set up the carb correctly to the factory specs.

 

 

55k since it was rebuilt in the early 90's

 

I have a '70 Olds with OE 4-barrel carb, rebuilt close to W-31 specs. It starts great, hot or cold. Your issue may not be fuel delivery.

How are your points, rotor and distributor cap? I converted to electronic ignition (Petronix) and my starts were immediately faster, and horsepower / throttle responsiveness bumped too. This is a very inexpensive and easy DIY upgrade.

I agree you should check the choke assembly and adjustments to make sure the choke isn't closing when the engine is still warm / hot.

Also check the timing at idle and at higher RPM. I assume the OE chain and OE camshaft / crankshaft sprockets have been replaced. The OE camshaft sprocket had nylon teeth that wear out resulting in a loose timing chain and possibly timing chain jumping the cam sprocket.

Regarding the slow turnover at start ... Have you cleaned the battery contact points and/or replaced the two primary wires from your battery, particularly the red (+) wire to the starter? The slow turnover on start could be insufficient power to the starter. Have you had the starter replaced/rebuilt (new brushes) and the starter solenoid replaced? How are the electrical connections at the starter and solenoid? Are the contact points clean?

Edit: The hard start symptoms do not sound like the starter has "heat soak."

 

If you decide to go with EFI, here's a video that you may find helpful: