My 1934 Plymouth is hard to start if not run on consecutive days. I use an aerosol starting fluid but it will take five or six cranks before ignition. Once it is running the problem does not re-occur, unless like I said it's not run the next day. It seems like it's not getting sufficient gas until the engine warms up - then it runs fine and will re-start without issue. Would an electric fuel pump solve the problem? I do have some safety concerns about electric fuel pumps. Any input would be greatly appreciated... the Roadsrunner
Be careful with over use of starting fluid. Very hard on motors when you use too much. Saw a guy blow the oil pan to about twice its normal size on a Ford truck when I worked for the park service. A properly installed electric fuel pump is not anymore dangerous than a mechanical. Try and find a modern car with a mechanical fuel pump. Can't be too unsafe. What carb do you have ? sounds like your carb is leaking and losing the fuel in the fuel bowl and draining into the motor.
Agree that it sounds like fuel bowl is leaking or your accelerator pump isn't working. I've had leather pumps that I had to prime carb. first start every day but would start afterwards. Changed the pump and solved my problem. Hope it's that simple and easy for you!
I had an Edlebrock carb that would evaporate fuel in a week. If you didn't start it every couple of days, you would have to either crank starter till it filled up with gas, or take hood & air cleaner off to "prime" it with some fuel in the carb throat
The flex hose from the fuel line to the pump started ****ing air with high mileage, old age, or hot weather. Shops & gas stations had wall racks of them to service most cars & trucks.
Starting fluid is the devil. You're better off priming the carb. I run a "pull-thru" electric fuel pump back near the tank on old cars that aren't run all the time. Use the pump to prime the car then start. Otherwise the electric pump is switched off and is having gas "pulled-thru" it by the factory manual fuel pump.
UPSPIRATE is right. Living in Arizona (read low humidity and high heat), both cars, Edelbrock equipped, would not start after sitting a couple weeks. Had to prime them. When I switched one car over to a Holley, this issue went away. I do not mean to say that Edelbrock makes **** parts, but this is an issue I find several Arizonians experience. Otherwise, their carbs are fine. Just sayin'...
Just crank it over until the oil gauge starts moving before hitting the gas and you should be fine,that is what I had to do with my 55 sunliner when it had the original carb when it sat for over a week.
It is tri-power and I was told the carbs are Stromberg 94's but the carbs are stamped "Ford" so I am thinking they are Holleys... Thanks to all who took the time to reply, the Roadsrunner
This is such a common problem. Here's the thing, it will not happen unless it sits & it sits in your garage. So your always at home when it doesn't start. A fuel prime bottle on the shelf is all you need. Pop the air cleaner, a little squirt and she's running. It's always just and only where you leave it sit, right next to your fuel bottle. Or add a electric fuel pump and then a pressure regulator and an extra circuit and a relay and a fuel pump stop switch wired into the oil pressure and ,,,,,,,,,,,
My F100 always started immediately with my Holley 650 double pumper, NO CHOKE. It could sit 2 weeks, start right up. (less than 1 revolution, it made me money!) I switched to a new Edel 600, electric choke. Amazing how nice and smooth it ran, and how gutless my truck now was. A week of driving my '66 VW and I tried starting the truck...Cranked it more than a few times, finally started. Every hose and fitting perfect. ******* sits 3 days, electric pump and all...Crank it and crank it some more. Holley's gonna get rebuilt and go back on there. (after I do some monkeying around with metering rods and jets, of course...Sure hope it cures the lo-performance problem!)