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Car wont start after sitting for a couple of days!?

4K views 16 replies 4 participants last post by  Everett#2390 
#1 ·
Hey guys,

My 68 327 wont start after sitting for a couple of days.
It has a new q-jet 4bbl and a new Holley fuel pump. I have to end up dumping some fuel into the carb for it to start if she has been sitting for 2 or more days without being driven or started.
Any idea why this is happening? Its starting to get really frustrating and annoying.
Any help would be great! Thanks!
 
#2 ·
are you getting fuel to the carb?
you might have an air leak in the fuel line causing it to loose flow.

check from carb to pump then pump to tank.

Are you running a steel line from fuel pump to carb or rubber?
 
#3 ·
are you getting fuel to the carb?
you might have an air leak in the fuel line causing it to loose flow.

check from carb to pump then pump to tank.

Are you running a steel line from fuel pump to carb or rubber?
Not sure if i am getting fuel to the carb...last time this happened, I took off the air cleaner, and pumped it a couple of times from the throttle linkage, and didnt see any gas squirting into the carb. :( So that is why I dumped a little fuel into the carb to try to prime it.
I am running the stock line from the tank to the fuel pump, and from the pump to the carb is rubber tubing.
How do I check for an air leak?
 
#8 ·
As a troubleshooting tip, you might set up outside the garage, a table with newspaper on it and after a good run, remove the carb and set it on the table with a white towel underneath and leave it set for a couple days to see the drainage if it from the plugs.

If the carb is draining, turn it upside down, view the 'well' the plugs set in, and clean with BraKleen or lacquer thinner, and fill the void with JB Weld and let it cure. Might take a razor blade and while the JB Weld is semi-soft, skim off the top to make it flush with throttle plate.
 
#9 ·
As a troubleshooting tip, you might set up outside the garage, a table with newspaper on it and after a good run, remove the carb and set it on the table with a white towel underneath and leave it set for a couple days to see the drainage if it from the plugs.

If the carb is draining, turn it upside down, view the 'well' the plugs set in, and clean with BraKleen or lacquer thinner, and fill the void with JB Weld and let it cure. Might take a razor blade and while the JB Weld is semi-soft, skim off the top to make it flush with throttle plate.
OK...but what do you mean "see the drainage if it from the plugs"?
What if it is not draining? Is it supposed to?
This is getting SUPER frustrating! I just went outside to start her up ten minutes ago and nothing! :mad:
It ran for a good 20 minutes last night after pouring fuel in the carb. Then I turned her off, went inside, and just to be sure, went back after about an hour, an she started right up...now after sitting for less than 12 hours...nothing! I dont understand whats going on! If it was my fuel pump...it wouldnt run for 20 minutes, right? I am just getting really annoyed....so thanks for the help on this!
 
#10 ·
Oh...one other thing I'd like to add that may help...last night when she was running...I did notice that the throttle adjustment screw was all the way in...if I loosened it...the idle would drop to below 500 RPM's, so I had to screw it back in to keep it at 1000RPM, and now its all the way in! I dont think thats a good thing...just thought that this may help in diagnosing this extremly frustrating problem!
Thanks again for the help!
 
#11 ·
If fuel is leaking past the plugs, it will stain the towel and no, not suppose to drain from the plugs. Since the carb was rebuilt, it more than likely went through a caustic bath for cleaning and may have upset the lead plugs.

Next time you try it, fill the bowl through the vent tube and observe the start-up.
If quick, then gas is being evaporated from the bowl due to heat soak of the carb.

Now if it does start fairly easy, how does one insulate the carb since you have a phenolic spacer? If you have stock exhaust manifolds, make sure the heat riser is opening and not staying closed to direct hot exhaust through the manifold. Heat riser has a weight on it and gravity pulls it down to open as heat expands the spring.
 
#13 ·
If fuel is leaking past the plugs, it will stain the towel and no, not suppose to drain from the plugs. Since the carb was rebuilt, it more than likely went through a caustic bath for cleaning and may have upset the lead plugs.

Next time you try it, fill the bowl through the vent tube and observe the start-up.
If quick, then gas is being evaporated from the bowl due to heat soak of the carb.

Now if it does start fairly easy, how does one insulate the carb since you have a phenolic spacer? If you have stock exhaust manifolds, make sure the heat riser is opening and not staying closed to direct hot exhaust through the manifold. Heat riser has a weight on it and gravity pulls it down to open as heat expands the spring.
OK...when I do pour gas into the vent tube...it does start up immediately.
I do not have stock manifolds...I have headers.
 
#14 ·
OK...well the idle screw is in all the way, but I know nothing about carbs (but i think I'm gonna learn really fast!).
Is there a link or web page that can help me do this? I dont even know where to being to check the float level...I know, I am making this easy for you arent I! ;) Sorry.
 
#15 ·
You can remove the top of the carb without removing it from the manifold.
Pull the cotter pins/clips for the accel pump linkage rod and choke lever, remove all the screws, those in the middle also and the two front mounting bolts.
Pull up gently as fuel rods come with it.
Keep track of the length of screws to position.
Set float level and reinstall.

Might visit a local shop and copy pages from an older Motors Manual. Might even let you borrow/rent book.
 
#16 ·
You can remove the top of the carb without removing it from the manifold.
Pull the cotter pins/clips for the accel pump linkage rod and choke lever, remove all the screws, those in the middle also and the two front mounting bolts.
Pull up gently as fuel rods come with it.
Keep track of the length of screws to position.
Set float level and reinstall.

Might visit a local shop and copy pages from an older Motors Manual. Might even let you borrow/rent book.
OK...I'll give it a try. Wish me luck. Thanks for the help!
What am I setting the float level to...3/8 like you said?
 
#17 ·
Generally, its 1/4 inch, but I've had good luck with 3/8 inch.

My mistake, the float stays in the bowl when the top is off.
You push down on the float axis to seat it against the needle, as if it were shutting off the fuel, then lay a straightedge across the bowl and midway of the length, or in the middle of the float, it should measure 3/16 inch depth from the straightedge.
Bend the tab laying on top of the needle to adjust.

As I said, purely my mistake.
 
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