My 66 BB won't start.

[vipergts]

I have terrible trouble starting my car when it's been left for a few weeks.

Can anyone shed any light?

It cranks over and over with nothing so i pump the gas pedal then occasionally it'll fire briefly a couple of times and then no more.

I take the plugs out clean them and try again......same thing happens.

What do you guys think.

There is no choke fitted so maybe this doesn't help but then I have no trouble with my 68/69 Chargers.

Is there a magic trick?

 

[Ratmotortom]

It might be a combination of things. What kind of carb do you have ?? Maybe your carb is drained of all fuel after a few weeks of inactivity. Having no choke might make for some of your difficulty too.

Take off the air cleaner and pump the accellerator a few times to see if it is getting fuel from the accellerator pump. If the carb is dry, it will not start until a proper fuel supply is there.
You may have other issues too, but I'd start with the basics.

Is this a recent condition, or has the car acted like this for a long time? If you've recently done some work and this condition just started, I'd retrace your steps and see what might have gone wrong in recent repairs.

 

[vipergts]

Thanks for your help.

I'll have to check the carb although after pumping a bit I get the smell of petrol so it becomes flooded I think.

Not had the car running for long so this is my first experience with it.

 

[Grizzly]

My small block is the same way. What happens is the carb is dry and you need to crank it enough so that the fuel pump can refill it and then it starts. Just squirt a little gas down the carb after it has been sitting a while and see if it starts. If it does, that's your problem.

I just live with it.............................Griz

 

[Ratmotortom]

Tell us about your carb . What brand and size ?? Recently rebuilt, or new ??

 

[67HEAVEN]

vipergts,

If this is your first experience with a carburetted engine, especially one without a choke, you'll be surprised how much you have to pump it to keep it running.

I removed the choke from my 850cfm Holley, so in cold weather, I pretty much tap on the pedal like a tap dancer for the first minute or so to keep it running.

"Blipping" is a good word......flicking the pedal when it seems like the engine is dying to keep it running.

 

[Ratmotortom]

vipergts,

If this is your first experience with a carburetted engine, especially one without a choke, you'll be surprised how much you have to pump it to keep it running.

I removed the choke from my 850cfm Holley, so in cold weather, I pretty much tap on the pedal like a tap dancer for the first minute or so to keep it running.

"Blipping" is a good word......flicking the pedal when it seems like the engine is dying to keep it running.

We don't need no stinkin' fuel injection, we just flick the pedal !!

 

[IH2LOSE]

It seams we are all so used to driving fuel injected car these day that if we actually have to pump a car to start it something must be wrong .

A car with a properley set and operational choke if its been sitting a while is going to need some pumps to start it in cool weather.

My 66 is 4 pumps and another half pump and she fires to life and sits on high idle for a few moments

My old Deville was 7 pumps just to get it to sputer and then a couple more for good measures. The 62 with the tri power on it just seams to start with one pump every time

If your using the car in cooler weather I think its silly to go with out a choke as youll be working like heck just to keep it running with out flooding it.

Good Luck

 

[Tom Bryant]

My old '67 427 ran a 780 vacuum Holley with no choke summer and winter. I'd just pump the pedal 3 or 4 times before I turned the key and it would light off every time, no matter how cold out it was. I drove this car daily unless it was snowing. Then I'd hold the engine at a fast idle for about a minute or so with my foot and I was ready to head home from work. This was an aftermarket Holley and I tried a choke cable on it once but it would vibrate closed. I learned to live without it.

With a non fuel injected car you have to pump in some fuel with your foot before you try to start it. If the accelerator pump well in the carb is dry it will require more cranking to get fuel up to the carb before it will start. If you run it often and the pump well is still dry every time you start it cold then the fuel is leaking out internally someplace. Looking down the carb do you see gas squirt out when you work the linkage (engine not running)? Your fuel pump should fill even a dry carb in short order when you start cranking on it. If you prime the carb by pouring a bit of fuel down it and you still can't keep it running after a couple of trys then I'd look at the fuel pump.

The fuel will evaporate out of the carb if it sits for weeks at a time but a week should not be a problem. Check around your carb for staining from leaking gas. If it's a Holley the bowl gaskets are famous for leaking. When you smell the gas smell do you see any leaking anywhere?

Tom

 

[JOLEB]

Hummmm,, pumping the gas pedal,, but why cann't i just reach out w/ my key fob and start the darn thing? Anyhow,, my 64 is the same way, come to think of it so is my Harley, I love old cars. get your choke fixed, pump the classic a few times and I bet she starts right up, yea you mite have to give her a little xtra fuel but she wants some attention too. O well anyone see the darn fob I lost it again, O onstar........

 

[vipergts]

Well guys...lots sound advice.....thanks

I got the old girl started last night. pumped a couple started and stopped. This happened quite a few times which I'm used to. Gently teasing the gas until it was warm enough to cope.

I'm used to carbs for sure with 2 440R/T Chargers. Not sure on the size. Supposed to have been reconditioned (But don't trust the guy) Has just had a new base plate too.

It's a Holly with a choke flap over 2 barrels (not connected) I'm sure if I tried it again today it would fire a lot quicker.

My initial grief was the fact that it churned over and over whilst I was tapping, blipping, pumping and all those things eventually flooding the thing.

Anyhow....went for a spin to warm her up and realised I still need to do plenty of work on her.

 

[JohnZ]

It's a Holly with a choke flap over 2 barrels (not connected) I'm sure if I tried it again today it would fire a lot quicker.

My initial grief was the fact that it churned over and over whilst I was tapping, blipping, pumping and all those things eventually flooding the thing.

You say the choke isn't connected; is the choke flap wired fully open, or just lying there loose, or what? Makes a big difference...

 

[vipergts]

Lying loose as a goose in a noose.

 

[67HEAVEN]

Lying loose as a goose in a noose.

Then, if it's not connected, it's likely moving around in there with the airflow. Either wedge it fully open or remove the flapper and see what the improvement is.