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Our 59 Firesweep takes a lot of cranking to start after it sit for about a week. It starts easily daily & when hot. I had Carb King rebuild the carb last year but I can smell gas sometimes when it sits.There are not external leaks.I think the carb is leaking down.What would cause this in the carb,a 2bbl Carter? Thanks ahead.
Ron,
My '55 Firedome - also the Carter 2 bbl - has done this since I've owned it which is over thirty years. I've had the carb rebuilt several times during this period. I just assumed this is normal, and from my discussion with other old car owners of various makes it sounds pretty typical. Be interesting to see what the experts say.
Mark
Ron -
Do you have the glass bowl fuel filter attached directly to the carb ? I found that extra half ounce of gas in the glass bowl cured a similar problem on my 58 Plymouth.
BTW, it is not 'normal' for a car to be hard to start. My Plymouth can sit for a month or more. After 4 or 5 seconds of cranking, it will start and smooth out almost immediately.
Ron
No glass fuel bowl,just a glass fuel filter.
I am by no means an expert but if the carb is leaking down would installing an electric fuel pump in the system that could be activated by a switch before cranking the engine help? The engine has to crank until the fuel pump fills the carb. I would think if that is the problem an electric pump would save all of that cranking.
Hey guys,
My '59 Firesweep does not exhibit this problem and there is no smell of gas. It'll start within 5 to 10 seconds after sitting for a month. I just pump the gas pedal a few times (sets the choke), hold it down about a third of the way, and bingo it's up and running on fast idle.
I can confirm that an electric fuel pump can be a plus as I used to drag race and used electric fuel pumps all the time but they had to be placed between the tank and the stock fuel pump to be NHRA legal in stock classes. A toggle switch under the dash would allow for turning the unit on and off as I did not have, or even want, it hard wired to the ignition switch.
Here's a tid-bit of information that might be helpful for automatic transmission cars - once the engine is running, put the car in a forward gear first and then reverse as it will "cushion" that abrupt and annoying drivetrain "clunk" going into reverse on fast idle.
"It's delightful, it's delovely, it's DeSoto"
"It's delightful, it's delovely, it's DeSoto"
No glass fuel bowl,just a glass fuel filter.
I don't understand your comment. What is a 'glass fuel filter' ?
Photo shows what you should have...
There is no need for an electric fuel pump on a car with a 2bbl or 4bbl carb. Does your choke close completely the first time you step on the gas pedal ? When you try to start the car, does the choke pulloff open the choke about 1/8" to allow some air into the air horn of the carb ?
Ron
I'll check the choke .It's a new thermo spring type as stock. I still like to know how the gas can leak down into the intake when the car sits for awhile.
I may have found the cause ,Go to a website called the Carburetor Shop LLC,under troubleshooting.It may be an Ethanol problem.
The leak down has to occur from the float bowl. There's got to be some sort of a seal/gasket failure in the carb for that to happen.
The only other cause for the loss of fuel in the carburetor is evaporation and this is most noticeable when the hot engine is shut off and the car sits for awhile. The heat from the engine will evaporate the gasoline and cause what is commonly known as "vapor lock". When this hapens the float bowl is empty and has to be refilled by the fuel pump in order for the carb to function.
One other thing that can cause lengthy cranking time is the "rod" that triggers the fuel pump from the camshaft. If this "rod" is worn down, it will not give the fuel pump the full stroke intended. But once started, even if there is not full stroke, there still is enough pumping action to keep the engine running under normal operating conditions as long as the "rod" is not worn down to the point there is no push on the fuel pump arm. However, this has nothing to do with carburetor leak down.
"It's delightful, it's delovely, it's DeSoto"
"It's delightful, it's delovely, it's DeSoto"
My dad's '56 Fireflite has exhibited these conditions for a long time.
His solution was to keep a small bottle (leftover from his favorite hair and scalp treatment...) with some gasoline in it in the trunk, however IIRC it was never a problem unless the car had sat for a while, and that always meant a 1st start typically in the garage. I guess keeping some in the trunk was just to cover any contingency...
Dad simply loosens the wing nut on the air cleaner and dribbles an ounce or so of gas down the the shaft of the air cleaner stud and the car starts right up, and continues to easily start until the next time it sits for a while.
It's supposed to be fun!
1949 De Soto Custom Convertible (project)
If your car sits for a long time, take the top off the air cleaner. Before starting the car, look down the air horn and throttle the car from the carb. The first thing you should see is the choke closing. Manually prop the choke open and throttle the carb (gently and evenly) until you see two streams of gas shooting into the carb. Now the car is ready to start. Remove your finger to allow the choke to close. Then go start the car.
If any of the above fails to happen, then you have other problems.
Ron
I checked the choke & it works as it should,closed at start up & opening about1/8. I poured an eyedropper shot of gas down the air horn & it started immediately.I should not have to do this to start up after sitting a couple of weeks .The Carb Shop website says this is caused by ethanol gas evaporating after the car sits for a while .The only fix seems to be straight gas. Any opinions ?
I checked the choke & it works as it should,closed at start up & opening about1/8. I poured an eyedropper shot of gas down the air horn & it started immediately.
Did you look down the air horn and throttle the car at the carb, in order to see two even steady squirts of gas going into the carb ? Car should not be running when you do this. Also, do you have the glass bowl filter, as seen in my photo above ?
The Carb Shop website says this is caused by ethanol gas evaporating after the car sits for a while .The only fix seems to be straight gas. Any opinions ?
If that were true, they why don't Fred (above) and I have the same problems ? I'm using the same crappy ethanol gas that you are.
Yes, ethanol gas evaporates faster than traditional gas. But if you're concerned about your float bowl being dry, let the car sit for five days. Then remove the air horn/float assembly and check the float bowl to see if it still contains gas. I'll be that it will.
Ron
