59 Olds - Carb advice

I have the original 2 barrel Rochester carb on my 1959 olds. Last year I rebuilt it myself and ever since the install I have to put a little gas down the carb to get the car to start when it's cold. Once it warms up and I drive the car for a bit it will start back up fine. If it sits for a few hours and the engine completely cools down I again need to put some more gas in the carb to get it to start running. Not sure if something went wrong in the rebuild - although I thought I was very thorough with my dissasembly and reasembley taking pics between each step. Maybe the re-instalation was faulty too. Any advice would be appreciated.

 

I've got a '58 with a 2bbl that I rebuilt. I've never had that problem, though, mine fires right up unless it's parked for a couple days or more, then I crank it for a bit. I'd start by letting it sit overnight and checking to see if the bowl's still full of fuel. You can prolly drop a coffee straw (thin) down the bowl vent to check. If it's not, I'd check somewhere other than your carb. I still don't have any idea what would cause that, but it be a good first step.

 

Thanks for the reply! I have checked the bowl and it's usually bone dry to start.

 

Do a pressure leakdown test on the fuel pump; should hold for at least a few minutes.
Heat riser free ? If it's stuck on, it'll boil the fuel out of the carb on hot shutdown.

 

Best advice I have gotten from local friends is to just replace the fuel pump with an electric. Anyone know what new electric fuel pump would be suitable?

 

screw the electric pump, just replace the original. the electric you'll need to run more wiring, cut and paste the fuel line somewhere, get a fuel pump block off plate.
do you have a rubber fuel line to the carb? if so, run it for awhile, pull the fuel line off the carb, let it sit for another day, check the fuel bowl the next day, if it's full, the fuel pump is most likely the problem, pulling the fuel out, if it's not full, you'll have to double check the carb setting...

 

doesn't the owner's manuel say to pump the gas a few times at cold start up?

check your choke for adjustment and function

 

I'll give that test a try Jeff.

 

BTW I always pump the gas on start up and have a manual choke installed on the car that I'm pretty good with since I have had this car for 7 years.

 

give it a shot and lt us know....

 

Can't help you with the carb, but would like to see some pics of the olds! I'm a 59 olds owner as well.