The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Carburetor basics

Im wondering if anyone has any good tips on cold starting a carburetor engine.Im new to carbs and find that my truck is a little hard to start when its been sitting for a week and i usually have to poor gas down the carb to get it started. about how many times should i pump the pedal before i try to start it? or any other basic information would help as i would like to know the ins and outs of the carbureted engine business. I have a 1987 350 with HEI distributor, 600cfm carb, and manual fuel pump.

If it's a fuel problem as you indicate, than maybe the carb float bowls are draining back to the fuel pump or leaking out. In either case they should not be doing that.

Hy 1949chevrolettruck, carbs are vented to the atmosphere, so the fuel can evaporate over time. Your carb probably has little or no fuel in it when you try to start the engine after a week. If your carb has an automatic choke then one pump of the throttle pedal will set that, and one more pump may squirt whatever is left in the accelerator pump well, if anything, into the manifold. That should give you the best chance of starting, but I think you may have to continue your practise of "priming" if it is a week between starts, hope that helps.

'87 350s were fuel injected - first year for it. Sure it's not a 305?

I know its a stock 350 im actually not sure if its an '87 just what the guy told me, it had an awful lot of vacuum hoses connected to the carburetor though.
I never thought of the evaporation thing but im guessing its that because their is no signs of it leaking.
I do have an electric choke i just dont think its working. i tried finding a picture of it on the web but it seems most of them have two prongs while mine has more of a L shaped electrical connection. Ive got a constant 12volts going to it. I think this weekend i will try to hook my battery charger up to it and see if it works.(maybe its just a bad connection because the P.O got overspray on it when he painted the engine orange to make it look better)
Another question, the motor seems to sound smoother when it idles around 1000-1100 and runs a little rough at idle where it sits now around 600-800. Should i be setting the idle this high? When we get the motor started we usually manual open the choke.

You have a vacuum leak. Fix it and it'll start easier.