The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Start Up Advice Needed

I'm getting ready to fire up the 216 in my 49 1/2 ton. The truck has been sitting in the garage for about 6 months for restoration. In addition to the normal replace belts, wires, hoses, tuneup etc, etc. i've had the carb rebuilt, so i have no fuel from the fuel pump to and into the carb.

Will cranking it without the coil wire get enough fuel into the carb or do i need to get fuel directly into the carb. I'm now on 12volt with the 6 volt starter so I don't want to overwork the starter.

Here's a sneaky trick to prime the carburetor without overworking the starter. Loosen the fuel pump attaching bolts about a turn and a half or so, and work the pump body up and down several times by hand. Gasoline will be pumped to the carburetor without cranking the engine. When you can move the throttle and get gas from the accelerator pump nozzle, it's ready to run. Tighten the pump bolts and fire away!
Jerry

Your a BAD MAN there HOTROD LINCOLN.

Bob Adler talked about squirting fuel into the float bowl through the vent pipe. I don't know what king of container he used to do it but it sounds like a neat trick. For the rest of us we just do the old prime of a few ounces before cranking. Two or three starts and she's good to keep going.

If you have help have somebody start cranking the motor. Take a cleaned out Windex bottle, fill with a little gas and spray a mist over the carb. Done it many times and as long as you have a spark she will fire. You may have to mist several times to keep motor running, but it will finally pull gas up from pump.

Ok guys before you give me the devil, remember I'm an old retired firehorse and yes I kept a CO2 handy. popcorn The Truth is Out There (and that is the truth)

Sorry but I have to comment on this last piece of advice, and this is nothing personal. Don't ever squirt or spray gasoline into the intake when the motor is either running or being turned over. Never mind about burning down the garage, this constitutes a virtual bomb. A fire extinguisher will not help with all the missing skin if this happens.

What's wrong with using a little squirt or spray of over the counter starter fluid down into the carb before turning it over?

Trucker:Did not take it personal, after I posted I thought about it and it is not very safe. I am only speaking what I have done, no problems but I am 1/2 nuts anyway. popcorn The Truth is Out There (This site is for safety and I recomend safety first)Ben

Here's a starting fluid story that I witnessed in person. I was parked in a truck stop in northern California on a chilly night, and the guy down the line from me couldn't get his Kenworth started the next morning. This one was a one-year-old truck, with a big-cam Cummins engine in it. He stopped by the shop on his way to breakfast and asked them to get his truck started. Now, I won't say the shop guys were dummies, but if they had three brain cells to rub together, I'd be surprised. They used up one whole can of starting fluid, and about half of a second one, before they figured out the battery just wouldn't spin the engine fast enough. OK, hook up the big 8-D battery in the coaster wagon. Now it cranks! A Cummins doesn't have any throttle plates, and it was cold enough that the ether stayed puddled in the intake. When it lit off, it made it to about 5,000 RPM before the pieces started leaving the engine in all directions! The truck stop bought the guy a new engine!

If you're going to prime a gasoline engine, use a couple of TEASPOONS of gas, and hold the throtle plates open so it goes into the intake, before cranking the engine. It's better to put some gas into the float bowl through the vent, and let the accelerator pump do the priming. I use a squeeze-type ketchup bottle from a restaurant for that little operation.
Jerry

If you read this Jarge, could you post your story about a cold starting attempt by a friend of your? It would really add to this post!

I didn't know that a ketchup bottle would hold gasoline. That really is the way to go.

The safest and easiest is spray carb cleaner.

Just spray a very short burst into the carb with the choke open and crank. It may start and stop a few times but it will soon fill the float bowl providing the needle valve isn't stuck closed by gas varnish.

In that event, disconnect the carb gas intake line and spray some carb cleaner directly into the intake to clear the needle valve.

This works every time for me on old tractors, trucks, cars, lawnmowers--you name it.

Hot Rod, Starting Fluid and big tractors are very popular around here, so is the local JD dealer and rebuilds. Guys just think a little dash is not enough.

Ok guys the easiest way to get gas to a Carb is this: 1. Hot Rods way, or just unhook the line at the carb, put line in containor (coffe can, ect.) start cranking engine, make sure you have a good battery, when gas spurts into can rehook line to carb and try to start. Simple!! popcorn The Truth is Out There (ok everybody have a nice week)

truckernix has the right idea. I use the old suction bulb that was used for cleaning out my newborns throat as he came into the world. I've also used ketchup or mustard squeeze bottles. Either one of these work great to fill the carb. float chamber via the vent. Fill the float chamber once and it'll start and run. I've never had to reprime when using this method and it,s safe. If you have an engine that's sat a while without starting, I suggest pulling the fuel line, drop it in a can of 2 stroke mix and run a few minutes to lubricate the cylinder walls. Then you hook the line back up and run clean fuel.