This problem just started a few weeks ago, maybe as its started to get colder here in georgia.

The truck starts fine but is very hard to start once I cut it off. Both times it happened I was just stopping in at a gas station, so the truck did not have much time to cool down. It then takes me about 10 minutes to get it started, lots of playing with the gas. Engine turns over fine, just does not fire up.Pedal to the floor, pedal half way down, no pedal. Finally it starts.

Could this be an issue with the choke. I know I am getting plenty of gas as I can smell it.

My truck is a 78 F100, I6 300, carb is fairly new.

Any ideas. How do I adjust the choke.

 

How long was it run before you shut it off those times?

Kinda sounds like vapor lock but I'm not sure...

 

The reason it takes 10 minutes to start is because when you keep trying at it with the pedal like that, it floods out. That's why you smell all the gas. Next time you run it and shut it off, before you start it, pull off the air cleaner and look at the choke plate and see if it's open or not.

Here is pretty much everything you need to know about setting up choke and fast idle on a Carter carb.

http://users.ece.utexas.edu/~jlabundy/carter1.jpg
http://users.ece.utexas.edu/~jlabundy/carter2.jpg

(There is no copyright information on this rebuild sheet therefore I feel I am free to distribute it.)

 

Traditionally to start this truck it took me about 4 minutes of pumping the gas to get it started, I am trained to try to start it with my foot to the floor. Its possible that now that I replaced the fuel filter that I am actually just flooding it.

Thanks for the info I will take a look

 

A fuel filter by itself wont cause an engine to flood out. Your carburetor needs proper adjustment, and any vacuum leaks addressed. Once tuned properly, your motor should start within 2-4 revolutions hot or cold.

 

If you pump the gas for 4 minutes, I'm surprised it will start at all. Anything more than a couple pumps will flood out the carburetor. On a cold engine, you pump the gas once and turn the key. This lets the choke snap shut and loads the fast idle. On a warm engine, you usually hold the pedal about halfway to the floor and start it. The fuel filter doesn't have anything to do with flooding.

 

You talkin about manual choke or electric?

 

That is for an electric choke. On an electric choke, when the motor shuts off and cools down, the choke spring tries to retract but the linkage is trapped by the fast idle linkage. You must push the pedal to unpin the fast idle linkage and allow the choke to pull it back up by snapping shut. A manual choke works the same way except you must close it yourself instead of the spring doing it for you. Outside of the black choke cap, there is no difference in fast idle setup.

 

Thanks for the clarification. I have an electric setup on my Holley and I usually just pump the pedal twice, turn key and feather the pedal to keep it running. If it dies, I pump again twice, turn key and then hold pedal down enough to maintain an idle until she holds on her own...

I'll try your way next time.

 

After the truck sat for a week or so, it really took a lot to get the gas flowing.