Engine Hard Starting After Days Of Rest

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I drive my 383 barracuda about twice a month and every time i start it after sitting it takes about 15 kicks of the throttle and about 10 seconds of cranking. I used to go easy on the throttle pumps and eventually realized it takes 10-15 pumps and some decent cranking to get it started.
 
I drive my 383 barracuda about twice a month and every time i start it after sitting it takes about 15 kicks of the throttle and about 10 seconds of cranking. I used to go easy on the throttle pumps and eventually realized it takes 10-15 pumps and some decent cranking to get it started.

You mean you don't just wave your hand?
 
I drive my 383 barracuda about twice a month and every time i start it after sitting it takes about 15 kicks of the throttle and about 10 seconds of cranking. I used to go easy on the throttle pumps and eventually realized it takes 10-15 pumps and some decent cranking to get it started.
yup, its a ritual with mine. If it sits more than 3 days, i get in the car and:
1.-15 pumps of the pedal, then crank for 5 seconds
2.-15 more pumps of the pedal-crank for 5 more seconds
3.-15 more pumps of the pedal, crank and it fires off and if i feather the pedal quickly enough to keep it running for a few minutes, then all good, if not and it dies after it fires, then 5 more pumps of the pedal and then its good to go..
I dont have a choke either but not sure how much one would help. Its a thermoquad..
 
yup, its a ritual with mine. If it sits more than 3 days, i get in the car and:
1.-15 pumps of the pedal, then crank for 5 seconds
2.-15 more pumps of the pedal-crank for 5 more seconds
3.-15 more pumps of the pedal, crank and it fires off and if i feather the pedal quickly enough to keep it running for a few minutes, then all good, if not and it dies after it fires, then 5 more pumps of the pedal and then its good to go..
I dont have a choke either but not sure how much one would help. Its a thermoquad..
No reason to pump the pedal if there is no gas in the carb. You might as well crank it and then set the choke and give it a squirt from the accelerator pump.
 
No reason to pump the pedal if there is no gas in the carb. You might as well crank it and then set the choke and give it a squirt from the accelerator pump.
I havepulled the breather before and hit the accelerator and it squirts but maybe not enough..
 
This problem is certainly worse with the carter / edelbrock carbs. My dart has the same problem with an AVS2. I had the car running and the very next day I pull the lid off the carb to swap jets and the bowls were bone dry.
Its the damn ethanol and butane they are putting in gas these days. I did notice the problem has gotten much better since its got cold out. Maybe the winter blend has less ethanol in it.
 
Today i started the car and counted pumps and cranking time after 1 week of sitting.

15 pumps

5 seconds of cranking with a couple pumps of encouragement when she starts to fire.
 
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its an old car way of making sure you have everything lubricated before it starts. :) 5 seconds of cranking then 5 pumps repeat until ignition. :)
 
I really dont see the problem with kicking the **** out of the throttle and cranking for 5-10 seconds on a 50+ year old car after its been sitting for a week. My carb is in pretty bad shape but even after a rebuild I would expect a good amount of pumps and cranking after a week of sitting.
 
I really dont see the problem with kicking the **** out of the throttle and cranking for 5-10 seconds on a 50+ year old car after its been sitting for a week. My carb is in pretty bad shape but even after a rebuild I would expect a good amount of pumps and cranking after a week of sitting.

Crank first then kick. why ruin your accelerator pump on an empty carburetor.
 
well pumping it once will set the choke, so maybe that is it ?

My choke doesn’t work currently, as stated, my carb isn’t in great shape. It sat for about 10 years before I got the car, it’s a wonder it runs as well as it does but it definitely needs to be gone through.
 
1967 440 Magnum, 600cfm Carter carburetor, electronic ignition, manual fuel pump. Engine was just tuned up with all new filters, wires, plugs, rotor, etc. Runs great once started. Battery good.

The next day after a drive, the engine starts right up with one pump of the gas pedal. Same with day two. Day three, takes a little more cranks of the starter. After that, I might have to start the engine a second time to get it going. A week later, can be much more difficult to start.

Is hard starting caused by evaporation of gas in the carburetor? Does anyone else have this issue and have some tips? More pumps of the gas pedal?
You MUST know if fuel drain-back is the issue 1st. Disable ignition or use remote start button with key off, remove fuel line from carb. and put into clear bottle. (use hose or whatever). Either you or a helper crank eng. until solid fuel pulses into bottle. If it takes a whole bunch of cranking, check valve in mech. fuel pump bad, dirty, whatever, replace fuel pump. If fuel right away, now we know we have a carb issue or whatever.
 
1967 440 Magnum, 600cfm Carter carburetor, electronic ignition, manual fuel pump. Engine was just tuned up with all new filters, wires, plugs, rotor, etc. Runs great once started. Battery good.

The next day after a drive, the engine starts right up with one pump of the gas pedal. Same with day two. Day three, takes a little more cranks of the starter. After that, I might have to start the engine a second time to get it going. A week later, can be much more difficult to start.

Is hard starting caused by evaporation of gas in the carburetor? Does anyone else have this issue and have some tips? More pumps of the gas pedal?

What you describe sounds exactly the same as my 360. Then it's this scenario every time: Set the choke and crank for about 3 seconds and a few pumps, pause and repeat, pause and repeat and that's when it fires up. Same exact routine every time.
Also let's say I've been driving around for a while, and stop someplace for 20 min or so, it'll crank without firing up so I'll pause and then floor it and crank and it'll fire right up.
I'm kinda OCD about not cranking the starter for long periods.
To me it's just something I'm used to doing with old cars.
 
Carter P60430 Carter Inline Electric Fuel Pumps | Summit Racing and a momentary push button switch.

electric fuel pump.jpg
 
Mike have actually tried this? Will the engine driven mechanical pump draw through the electric pump when the electric pump is off?
Haven't done it myself. There are a few threads here about it. Yes the mechanical pump will draw through the electric pump.
 
I saw a brand new AVS years ago that had the same problem. There was a casting flaw that looked ok but the longer it sat the longer it took to start as the gas had leaked out of the fuel bowl.
 
yup, its a ritual with mine. If it sits more than 3 days, i get in the car and:
1.-15 pumps of the pedal, then crank for 5 seconds
2.-15 more pumps of the pedal-crank for 5 more seconds
3.-15 more pumps of the pedal, crank and it fires off and if i feather the pedal quickly enough to keep it running for a few minutes, then all good, if not and it dies after it fires, then 5 more pumps of the pedal and then its good to go..
I dont have a choke either but not sure how much one would help. Its a thermoquad..
Without a choke, you need to make up for it by putting a LOT of fuel into the carb before it will fire. Seems to me all that excess unburned fuel would wash down into the cylinders and cause wear problems.
 
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