My 83 takes 2-3 minutes of cranking (On n OFF of course) to start after its been sitting overnight. It will run rough for a few minutes and then run great the rest of the day. After the engine is warmed up and shutoff it starts great. Just tap the starter and it's running. I've messed with and set the choke and doesn't make a lot of difference. I can see gas squirting inside the carb from the accelerator pump so it's getting gas. What am i missing ?

 

How many times are you cycling the throttle? Just once or twice?

The accelerator pump has a check valve where it draws fuel from the main float chamber. If the main chamber drained overnight for whatever reason, the accell pump still holds enough fuel for one or two shots. I generally recommend cycling the throttle at least three times when checking for fuel in the main chamber.

What engine/carb do you have? I'm wondering if the power valve may have sprung a slow leak. A leak there would flood the engine and wash oil from the cylinder walls. It also empties the float chamber. This would give you a double whammy of an empty carb and low compression.

A leaky power valve will also cause a very rich idle. Try turning in the idle mixture screws all the way at idle. If the engine keeps running, the power valve is probably leaking.

 

How many times are you pressing the accelerator to the floor before cranking? Once? If it's not at all, you need to press it to the floor at least once to set the choke and give it a shot of fuel to prime it. If you are pressing it to the floor once and it's giving you these problems, before cranking it press the accelerator pedal twice completely to the floor and try that. When it's really cold, 3 times is not unheard of before cranking.

 

Engine is a 300, 1 barrel. Carb is off EBay. Remanufactured. I put a manual choke on it. Electric choke/wiring system was a mess when I bought it 1 1/2 years ago.

I usually set the choke and pump at least 3-4 times before cranking. Crank 7-8 seconds or so and let up. I need to repeat the process 5-6 times until the engine starts firing up. Depending on how long it's been sitting and how cold it is outside. Cycle times vary,

After the engine warms up, after I shut it off (for the rest of the day), I get in BUMP the starter and the engine fires right on up.

 

Something just is not right if you have to pump and crank it that much?

Next time it is cold pop the filter off, open the choke and move the throttle and see if you get a stream of fuel.

When was the motor last turned up? New plugs, cap / rotor, maybe plug wires?
If the plugs are new who makes them and the model number?
What are they gaped at?
What is the timing set to?
Have you checked the compression lately?

I have an auto choke on my carb sitting all week, I use the truck for weekly trash run, and 1 pump to set the choke and a squirt of fuel a short crank and it fires right up.
Because it sits all week the oil drains back to the pan and if it starts right up and the fast idle I get a little bearing knock till the oil psi comes up so I crank it a bit to get oil moving before setting the choke.

Tune up was done 3 years ago, maybe 5000 miles on it. Compression good or I would not of done turn up.
Timing is set at 12* BTDC, idle speed 600 - 700 RPM manual trans.

We will get your to fire up quicker.
Dave ----

 

Oh Should have asked is yours a feed back system or DS II system?
Dave ----

 

If this is a smog carb, it will have a large pipe coming out of the top of the fuel bowl. If that is open and the truck sits for a week or so, the fuel in the carb will tend to evaporate like if you left the cap off your gas can. You can try plugging that large port off and see if that helps it. I think all the cranking is just filling the carb back up with gas.

 

Yes, I do see fuel squirting out of the accelerator pump.

I tuned it up when I bought it 1 1/2 years ago. Put less than 1000 miles on it since then.

New plugs, wires, cap, rotor, coil, reman carb, fuel filter, manual choke.

I don't remember the brands. I do remember gapping the plugs at whatever the sticker under the hood said. Timing set by ear and vacuum pressure gauge. No Tach (yet) to set idle speed first.

The fuel pump is shiny and appears newer. Assumed PO replaced it. Probably replace it real soon anyways.

Host of other new parts replaced when I bought it. To include a new battery, starter, alternator..... sure I'm missing something.

Like I said, it runs real strong after it's running and will start right on up just bumping the key. Fires up immediately. Just a real PITA starting it after it's been sitting overnight. Of course it's worst the colder it gets.

It does have an exhaust manifold leak.....right where the carb sits. Not certain if the intake is also leaking there as well. The vacuum gauge test doesn't indicate a vacuum leak.

I'll be doing a compression test (wet/dry) as soon as I get the time. Real curious about the results.

So new mechanical fuel pump and compression test on the horizon.

 

1000 miles in 1 1/2 years? That's about 50 miles per month! Is that correct? That's about 3 gallons of gas per month. How often are you fueling up and how many gallons? The alcohol in gas will draw water out of the air/go bad in about 3 months. And that watery alcohol will settle to the bottom of the tank. If you have one of the clear fuel filters, water/alcohol will look hazy or cloudy. If your tank has a drain plug, you could draw a sample and see what's there.

Another thought on driving it so little is the carb may be gumming up more than it were driven more.

When the zombie apocalypse happens, stock up on 100% gas or learn how to distill the gasahol.

 

I'm not sure. The truck's vacuum lines and wiring were an absolute disaster when I got it. I've owned nearly 100 vehicles over 45 years and this one takes the cake.

Basically, I plugged off all the vacuum lines that were not essential. Like brake booster, distributor timing advance, charcoal purge. Pretty much all emission stuff plugged off or missing. Ran 100% better afterwards. Vacuum gauge held pretty steady. High teens/low 20s psi IIRC.

 

Yea, it's my wood/garbage hauling truck. The County dump is only 5 miles away. I make a trip couple times a month. Few trips a month to Lowe's/Walley World for stuff.

It does have dual tanks. I filled when a bought it. Only topped of the rear tank once. Gauge doesn't work on that tank. Only fill up once a month or so. I never like going below 1/2 tank on any vehicle.

When the Zombies come, I'll use my truck to squash them with my big winch bumper on the truck ! LOL !!

 

That could be some VERY old gas. It may or may not be the source of the problem. But if I were in your place, I'd drain or run the secondary tank dry and only keep three or four gallons in the primary. Then, for peace of mind, get a good old fashioned jerry can and fill it with pure gas.

Side note for the zombies... if your 300 is one of the lower compression ones (like mine), it will gladly accept 10-15% diesel with the gas as long as you don't tow or carry heavy loads. And in a real pinch, you can up that percentage IF you retard the spark. Model Ts could run on pretty much anything from kerosene to high test gasoline by simply adjusting the spark and not flogging the engine.

 

If you have a vacuum hose going to the distributor then that is not a feed back distributor.
Carb you will need to post up a picture or 2 so we can tell.

After reading more I wonder if the gas has gone bad?
Today's gas dose not last long and a sign is hard starting when motor is cold if it is bad.
I also wonder if the carb is gummed up a little from the bad gas?
I will add more when on my pc
Dave ----

 

On my PC now!
If you want to see if it is bad gas, disconnect the fuel line to the fuel pump and plug it so gas dose not come out.
Now get a long hose to go from the pump to a small gas can you can set upon the inner fender well.
I would also add SeaFoam gas treatment to the can so it can clean the carb while you do this test.
Make sure the hose will reach the bottom of the can.

Now you being the truck sat for a bit it will take some cranking to fill the carb before it will start, that is normal but I would not think it would be as long cranking as it had been when the gas tanks were hooked up to the pump.
Run the truck for a while to get the gas thru the carb and motor up to temp.
Depending on the size of the gas can and if it is fasten well maybe go for a little drive.
The more of the good gas and SeaFoam you can run thru the carb the better.

Now let the truck set for a day or 2 and then try and start it.
With fresh fuel it should start quicker and now you know you have to burn that old fuel and get fresh in the tanks.
I can see keeping the tanks full to keep rust at bay. If the metal is covered in gas it cant rust.
But if you dont use the truck the gas will go bad.
I have used Stable in the past but I have seen it posted it does not work as good with todays gas but I dont know?
Maybe once you have good fuel in the tanks add Stable and see. Cant be any worst than you have going on now.
Dave ----

 

FWIW, my 86' gets about 800 miles a year or so. I never fill the gas tank unless I know I need that amount of fuel. I keep the tank fairly low, yeah, the fuel gauge sucks. I always bring a gas can with me if I know it's getting real low on fuel. I also give all my cars some Chemtrol Berryman B12 in the Fall to clean the fuel system.