I never claimed to be a carburetor expert

My van usually sits there for two or three weeks at a time.I always have to pat the gas pedal two or three times and turn on the ignition switch.Same process two, sometimes three times before the engine starts up and running.Sure, I can crank it up every two or three days and it usually starts right on up the first time.I think the gas evaporates out of the carburetor float bowl.I am thinking I might drill a little hole in top of the metal air cleaner cover and rig a narrow copper line/tube and have the line running between the engine dog house cover thingy.I can pour about a spoon full of gas into the copper line/tube, straight to the carburetor and the engine should crank up first time every time.Any thoughts on that? cuhulin

Reply to
cuhulin
Loading thread data ...

Pumping the pedal at least once and preferably twice or even more when it is really cold out is 100% proper for a carburetor.

The first pump sets the choke and give a small squirt of gas into the carb to prime it. When it's cold out it needs a few pumps to get the vapor level up good.

At 0C or 32F, mine needs two pumps, at 0F three or four pumps, at -40, it needs a half dozen.

Perfectly normal.

Mike

86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00 'New' frame in the works for '08. Some Canadian Bush Trip and Build Photos:
formatting link
Reply to
Mike Romain

Why not just shoot a squirt of ether in there.

It's c> My van usually sits there for two or three weeks at a time.I always have

Reply to
MechanicJay

Um that's how it is supposed to work. My '73 ford operates the same way

*AND* it says to depress the gas pedal to the floor and release before starting in the owners manual. If it's been sitting for 3-4 weeks then it takes a couple attempts, when I drive it daily just one push and release.

Possible fire hazard.

Reply to
Brent P

Dont start modifying it, Cuhulin. If the carburetor is in decent shape, you would be best off to leave it alone. Rebuild it if need be, but I suggest you not start modifying things like this.

Been there, done that.

Reply to
HLS

How about this instead? Get a cheap electric fuel pump such as from a junk yard. Hook it up as a bypass to your mechanical pump. Wire it up to a pushbutton rather than a toggle switch, so you can't leave it running by accident. Then when the van has been sitting, just run the electric pump for a few seconds and you are all ready to go.

Advantages:

  • No opening the hood or handling gasoline.
  • No overfill or underfill. The gasoline level will be regulated by the float, as in normal operation.
  • If the regular fuel pump ever craps out at an inconvenient time, you have instant backup.
  • So cool that it will help you pick up chicks.

Caveats:

  • Be sure to get a low pressure electric pump for a carb system, NOT a high pressure pump for fuel injection.
  • If you get a junker, make sure it works and does NOT have significant back flow when idle. Otherwise it will rob pressure from the main pump.
  • Install an in line fuse wherever you tap 12 volts to run the pump.
  • Whatever power circuit you tap needs to have have some amperage to spare. I think those pumps may be current hogs.
  • DO NOT bolt the electric pump to the exhaust manifold. ;-)

Have fun.

--Dave

snipped-for-privacy@webtv.net wrote:

Reply to
Dave Allured

I was thinking I can rig up a piece of very small inside diameter copper or similar tube and use a clean little oil pump can (like the metal oil cans that you push on the bottom of the can with your thumb) and put about a spoon full of gas directly into the carburetor.Instead of drilling a little hole in the top of the metal air cleaner top, maybe I will drill a little hole in the side of the metal air cleaner holder.The copper tube will be easy for me to bend and shape it just the way I want it, I have some tubing bender tools here.If necessary, I can cut a lttle notch in the front top edge of the dog house engine cover for the tube and fasten the tube securely with a little metal clamp.It is extra wear and tear on the battery and starter motor when I have to try two or three times get the engine started up.

Years ago, I went to a Dodge dealership parts department for a new choke coil spring.The guy said they can't get one for me, they don't handle them anymore.I could try bending that old flat coil spring choke spring a little more or less, but that might not work so good.I know I can rig up a manual choke, or perhaps buy a manual choke kit somewhere. cuhulin

Reply to
cuhulin

Coil spring? I don't know that model, but on some vehicles the "choke coil spring" is a coiled bimetal strip. The free end rotates with changes in temperature, and it's calibrated. Be careful how you mess with that.

I once had trouble with an automatic choke because I had apparently cranked down too hard on the wing nut on the air cleaner. I had managed to pull the choke body a little bit out of round, causing the choke plate to bind in the hole. If you are having choke trouble, check that. You sound like the kind of guy who takes off your air cleaner a lot. ;-)

Inexpensive manual choke kits are readily available at many auto parts stores.

I checked out aftermarket electric fuel pumps tonight. $44 plus tax, hanging there on the rack at Checker. But it sounds like you won't be needing one. ;-)

I do hope you keep your oil can with gasoline in a different part of the car than your cigarettes. ;-)

--Dave

snipped-for-privacy@webtv.net wrote:

Reply to
Dave Allured

Keep my oil can full of gas in a different part of my van? I buy my cigarette tobacco at a discount tobacco store, I hand roll my own cigarettes, I smoke like a Choo Choo Train too.I am staying with the mechanical fuel pump for my van.I used to own a 1982 Ford van, it had a four barrel carburetor, much more complex than two barrel and one barrel carburetors.I rebuilt the carburetor on that Ford van and it ran fine for about two months and then it got to where it wouldn't start up at all.I removed the top plate, a little tit on the gasket had broken off.I had to go buy another carburetor rebuild kit. On the web, History of Carburetors

You can use a four pound hammer to work on Carter Thermoquad carburetors.I like that. cuhulin

Reply to
cuhulin

My van sits for 2-3 weeks at a time. To start it, I press the gas a few times before turning on the ignition switch. I sometimes have to repeat this a couple times before the engine starts. I think the gas evaporates out of the carburetor float bowl. I am thinking of drilling a small hole through the top of the air cleaner cover and running a tube from there up through the engine cover so I could pour a spoon full of gas through the tube straight into the carburetor, so the engine would start on the first crank. __________________________________________________________

Most of the gas in the float bowl should remain after 3 weeks. If the gas is gone, it's probably due to a leaking float valve needle, allowing the gas to drip down, spread out and evaporate.

Gas may also disappear from the fuel line between the carb and the fuel pump if there is a defective check valve in the fuel pump, or worse, a leak in the pump diaphragm.

If you don't want to tinker with the carb or the fuel pump, you might try this way to start the engine:

1.) Push the pedal to the floor and hold it, as if trying to start a flooded engine. This will hold the choke open so fuel will not be sucked out of the bowl while cranking. Don't pump. 2.) Crank for 5 seconds while the pedal is floored. This should fill the fuel line and the carb bowl. 3.) Floor and release the pedal a couple of times. This will operate the accelerator pump, close the choke, and set the throttle in the fast idle position. 4.) Hit the starter. It might start right up.

Good luck.

Rodan.

Reply to
Rodan

Why bother? The extended cranking time required after a long sit allows the oil pump to get lubricant flowing before the engine starts while the fuel pump is re-filling the carb bowl. It doesn't hurt a thing to crank it a little extra long, and fooling around with pourning gasoline inside the cab and above the doghouse is just silly.

Reply to
Steve

Well, a carb needs a choke to start properly. A manual kit is cheap and relatively easy to put in.

Other than that, you just need to pump the crap out of the gas pedal. You will need to keep the pedal in motion to get it going with no choke.

Mike

86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00 'New' frame in the works for '08. Some Canadian Bush Trip and Build Photos:
formatting link
Reply to
Mike Romain

Back To The Future.Say for instance you could take a modern day car/truck/van back in time to the 1010s/20s/30s/40s/50s,,, you probally wouldn't find anybody who would know how to work on that vehicle except change a wheel or spark plug.On the other hand, bring one of those old vehicles from way back then to the year 2008, no problem.That is what I like about old, old, old vehicles, easy and simple to work on.The Ford Model T cars were designed and made so they could easily be worked on by anybody.They will run forever. cuhulin

Reply to
cuhulin

I drive an 86 Jeep CJ7, one of the last ones made. My Haynes manual covers CJ's from 1949 to 1986, they made that few changes.

I 'like' my carburetor!

Mike

86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00 'New' frame in the works for '08. Some Canadian Bush Trip and Build Photos:
formatting link
Reply to
Mike Romain

And that's why you use a computer to get in touch with others instead of hanging out at the town hall, or sending a telegram, etc., eh?

Reply to
Calab

I own a completely worn out 1948 Willys Jeep I bought it for $300.00 a few years ago.Jeep has at least two burnt valves, it needs a top to bottom rebuild.

formatting link
Maybe some day, I might get around to it.I am too fat nowadays to get behind the steering wheel anyway, and that drivers seat does not slide back.
formatting link
Tom McCahill Test the Jeep

Flat Fenders Forever. Carburetors Forever. cuhulin

Reply to
cuhulin

when it's 70F/20C outside, do you really need one? My race car has no choke and fires right up when it's cold. I'm guessing the fact it has a whackload of timing and the idle's set for about 1500rpm is why... I'm definitely no carb expert.

Ray

Reply to
ray

Yes, but not as much choke or for as long because the engine heats up faster. Revs are giving it gas, just like a choke does also.

The electric carb heater in the air stream right below my carb turns off at 165F and my radiator doesn't see fluid flow until 195F. At 70F, 'my' engine sure thinks it's cold. ;-)

Mike

86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00 'New' frame in the works for '08. Some Canadian Bush Trip and Build Photos:
formatting link
Reply to
Mike Romain

Don't know what kind of vehicle you have, but I know with Chrysler products, the best way to start was to push gas pedal all the way to floor ONLY ONCE to set choke and fast idle, take foot off gas (sit on foot one guy recommended) and crank engine.

Patting pedal more than once before, during or after starting just puts too much fuel in the system.

When starting warm, just crank, no push.

Pete

Reply to
ratatouillerat
1978 big tall long body (it has that extra body lenght on it, from the Dodge factory.I have put fourteen feet long boards in there before and closed the two rear doors) Dodge van, 318 engine, automatic transmission, power steering, power brakes.Dodge builds the best Cars and Trucks on Earth.Most of the thingys y'all take for granted on whatever brand names of vehicle(s) you drive,,,, Dodge (Chrysler Corporation) invented/developed first. cuhulin
Reply to
cuhulin

MotorsForum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.