On my 1984 Toyota pickup, 22R engine, the float gas level is right where it should be (middle of sight glass) when it's running and right after shutting the engine off. But after a few hours, and especially overnight, the gas level drops down to the bottom of the sight glass, just barely visible. At that point it takes 15-20 turns to get the engine to start. Once it starts and runs, then it will always start on the first or second turn until that point that it's been shut off for a while.
I checked the vent control device and it's plunger is free and working correctly as far as I can tell. I'm not sure where else to look...I don't see any evidence of gas getting into the oil but if that happens, what path would it take to get there? This happens everytime I park the car for more than an hour or two and I use the car every day...so if gas was getting into the oil I think I'd notice the oil level rising and the oil smelling of gas, which I don't.
Any ideas about this...I had the same problem on my 1976 Datsun pickup except it took 3 days to reach this point and then it wouldn't start without starting fluid. Couldn't figure that out either.
jc