The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Fuel Pump

When you let a vehicle sit the gas evaporates and it usually doesnt start. Mine has this same problem but the kicker is even afte rit is completely warmed up and even been driven for 30 minutes i turn it off and i try to start it within a minute and it starts for about 1.5 seconds then dies and there is no more gas to start it again i need to spray ether. It is definately not normal to have to spray starting fluid in a vehicle that has been on for a while and is warm. Any ideas on what it could be? My thought was the fuel pump but that wouldnt make sense because it seems to run fine once it is going. Thanks

Sounds like you might be boiling the gas in the carb. Is there a thick insulator gasket under the carb? It's there to help prevent heat transfer.

Another reason for boiling gas can be a heat riser that is stuck in the closed position. It's on the exhaust manifold, below the carb. One end should have a coiled spring, the other a counterweight. The part should rotate about 90 degrees. The spring pulls the inner flap closed when the engine is cold, allowing exhaust heat to warm the intake and help with cold running.

Maybe im wrong but boiling fuel doesnt seem like the problem. If i start the truck let it warm completely up then let it cool down all the way and try to start it, it should start. My truck doesnt. Could the accelerater pump be the problem? Even after it is warmed up and i am driving sometimes it seems like it stumbles on acceleration.

You can easily check the accelerator pump by
looking down the carb throat & moveing the
thottle linkage. A stream of gas should squirt
into the carb. If thats not the problem I
would check the fuel pump pressure& volume.
If thats not it I would replace the fuel pump.

Well I checked the accelerator pump and it works fine. I was actually trying to prime the engine before with 3 pumps of the pedal. I thought that was enough but when i went to check the acc. pump today i ended up squirting it 5 or 6 times and it started. How many times do you guys pump your pedals to start your engines after about a week of non use? I think i am still going to replace the pump.

Anyone?

Det 64,

My 216 only takes a couple of pumps (like 4 or 5) and a little bit of choke and it starts right up.

My truck is not a daily driver yet so it might only get started once a week.

So ya know what worked for me...I had a Double action glass bowl fuel pump on my truck to replace the one that was full of varnish after sitting. I ran that pump for a couple of months...it started to leak and acted like it was putting out too much pressure as the carb was always leaking. Since I plan on driving my truck regularly, I went with a new fuel pump...I bought mine at Car Quest. No more leaky carb or leaky bowl on the fuel pump. I wish I had bought the modern one the first time....live and learn...

My $.02.

Sounds like a fuel pump to me, but you might want to check all the rubber fuel lines. If they are old, change them. You might have a pin hole in one of the lines to allow the fuel to drain back.But it should not do it that fast.

That was my thought. You might have a very
small leak, allowing air to enter the line after
you shut off the engine. While the truck is
running you should get under the truck and
follow the fuel line. See if any fuel is leaking
down.

I don't see where you told us what your engine/carb is. It would be helpful to know that. I have a early '70s Rochester 4bbl on my '47, and it does the same thing yours does, but only after sitting for a couple days. A mechanic friend (48Bigtrucks) was over one day looking the beast over and his comment was that it's a common problem with this model carburetor. A rebuild will take care of it. Apparently there is a plug in the bowl that needs to be replaced because it allows the gas to seep into the intake manifold. When there's gas in the manifold it starts fine, but after sitting a couple days it needs a shot down the throat too.

By the way experts. Is it better to use starting fluid or gas for that shot down the throat? I heard somewhere many years ago that the starting fluid is hard on the engine. It strips oil off of things, and is also too easy to get too much and blow a head off.

I usually use gas, but with a small squirt bottle to avoid getting too much or slopping all over. Since it only happens after a few days of sitting idle, I don't have to carry it around with me.

By the way, I hope you have a decent way to carry that starting fluid that is not in the cab and not in direct sunlight.

If you need to pump the gas at all you have a problem. The B carburator is designed so that as long as the choke is on and fuel is in the bowl your engine will have a rich enough mixture to start. If you have an auto choke you have to give the pedal one pump to set the choke, but with a manual choke a yank on the cable and a crank on the starter should be all it takes to fire. If you haven't run it in a while and your float bowl is empty you will have to crank until it pumps up.

Pumping on the pedal before cranking only floods the manifold with raw, liquid gas, and washes down the cylinder walls, which causes severe wear to the rings when you start it. It also drops the fuel level in the float bowl and makes the mixture too lean for a bit once the engine is cranked.

My somewhat worn out 261 starts easily, even when cold and let set up for a week. My old 216 did, too. As long as the ignition is in good condition and the battery has enough cranking power, it should fire right up.

I have a rochester 1 barrel on my 250. I pump the gas pedal 4-5 times for it to start. If i dont pump it at all it will never start.