Carb Guru Needed - TriPower Start Up
Would the float level cause the a hard start up after the car sits for a few days. I have to crank the car much too long before it fires up. Very little smell or visable gas until it starts. Once it's started, the car runs fine. Any suggestions?
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Jack Corso
1972 Elkhart Green LT-1 Coupe 43,200 miles
Top Flight 1994, 2018 & 2021 -
Re: Carb Guru Needed - TriPower Start Up
Not a Tri-power guru but past experience with my carburated cars (and boats) is that over a few days the fuel in the bowls evaporates. However, if the float level is a bit low to start with it will just take less time for the fuel to evaporate making it seem like a worse problem. All that cranking is what is needed for the mechanical fuel pump to refill the bowls until there is enough for it to start. Then the bowls will be re-filled as it is used. -
Re: Carb Guru Needed - TriPower Start Up
Jack, If you know for certain that fuel in bowl is at proper level when in operation, remove centre carb and fill to proper level with syringe. With a few hours of observation you should be able to determine if you have evaporation or an internal gasket leak.
DougComment
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Re: Carb Guru Needed - TriPower Start Up
Thanks for the info. I do use 100% avgas and wonder if it evaporates at a much faster rate than pump gas.Jack Corso
1972 Elkhart Green LT-1 Coupe 43,200 miles
Top Flight 1994, 2018 & 2021Comment
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Re: Carb Guru Needed - TriPower Start Up
Jack how long are your few days?
With my Holley's on my two SB's if they sit for a few days I use a syringe to inject fuel into the carb using the vertical vent after removing the top cover of the air cleaner.
Depress the accelerator once and have instant start up, no wear and tear on the starter. Almost like having a modern FI car start up.
I read somewhere that the gas that comes out of pumps now evaporates faster. Don't know about avgas, I know a certified Cessna repair man that I will ask.
Something else I wonder about avgas is how long will it remain as a safe usable fuel between flights. Some airplanes are not flown every month.Last edited by Jim T.; April 1, 2009, 08:22 AM.Comment
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Re: Carb Guru Needed - TriPower Start Up
Jim, it will sit for 4 or 5 days, The carbs were rebuilt about a year ago and may be in need of some screw tightening as well.Jack Corso
1972 Elkhart Green LT-1 Coupe 43,200 miles
Top Flight 1994, 2018 & 2021Comment
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Re: Carb Guru Needed - TriPower Start Up
We're so used to driving modern cars (all fuel injected) that we tend to forget the good ole day of carbs and their 'quirks'. By necessity, the fuel bowl has to be open to the atmosphere to equalize pressure for proper mixing in the venturi.
That allows fuel stored in the bowl(s) to evaporate when the car is left sitting. And, yes, a week WILL let 'er run down...
Hint: you can either re-fill the fuel bowl(s) manually with a syringe (inject down the vent stack) or adopt a less 'aggressive' cold start proceedure. By that I mean:
Do NOT LAY on the starter after the car has been left sitting! Go through the normal cold start proceedure of pushing the pedal all the way to the floor to set the choke and 'maybe' give 1-2 additional taps to prime the carb.
Now, engage the starter and let 'er crank for a SHORT period, say 10 seconds. If she doesn't start, RELEASE the ignition key! Repeat the cold start proceedure. By the 2nd or 3rd attempt, she ought to PURR to life...Comment
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Re: Carb Guru Needed - TriPower Start Up
make sure the choke plate closes completely as this will cause fuel to be pulled from the booster nozzles while crankingComment
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Re: Carb Guru Needed - TriPower Start Up
Thanks, as I was running her for the first time about a month ago, fuel was leaking from all three float adjusment screws so I turned them all clock-wise to tighten them down, most likely lowering the float level by doing so. I believe this was the start to my problem.Jack Corso
1972 Elkhart Green LT-1 Coupe 43,200 miles
Top Flight 1994, 2018 & 2021Comment
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Re: Carb Guru Needed - TriPower Start Up
the nut adjusts the float the screw locks the nut. use the float level sight plugs in the side of the float bowls to check the float level. the fuel should just be slightly below the bottom edge of hole with the engine running.Comment
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Re: Carb Guru Needed - TriPower Start Up
Thanks again. I give an update over the weekend.Jack Corso
1972 Elkhart Green LT-1 Coupe 43,200 miles
Top Flight 1994, 2018 & 2021Comment
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Re: Carb Guru Needed - TriPower Start Up
Jack,
I have had problems in the past with the carbs leaking down into the motor. Check and see if after you shut the car off after it has run for a while if the carbs leak into the bores. (usually a drip or two from the venturi) I had to remove a few carbs and just retorque the metering plates and fuel bowls to stop the problem. After that the fuel bowls stayed full and the cars would start up with a touch of the key.Comment
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Re: Carb Guru Needed - TriPower Start Up
Jim, I have been told numerous times that 100LL has an indefinite shelf life. Doesn't gum up or go bad. That's the beauty of using it in our collector cars.
I had some in my power mower than had not been started in three years. Maybe longer as I use a lawn service now.
My son came home from college for spring break and said he wanted to get the power mower started. I said good luck as it hasn't run it 3 or 4 years. I was shocked when it started immediately. Now I did add some fresh fuel to the tank as it was 99% empty.
I didn't mention it in my article on ethanol recently because it's illegal for street use because of the tax thing. JDComment
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