Pouring Gasoline into the Carb

[Michael H.]

Re: Pouring Gasoline into the Carb

I was not aware that my car had a problem. I just thought that sitting for weeks in a hot garage would evaporate all the fuel in the carb bowl.

How do I find the problem?
-Clark

Clark,

You probably don't have a problem. Todays ethanol fuel will evaporate out of a carburetor completely in just a few days, especially if the engine was last shut off at operating temperature.

Prolonged cranking is not especially good for a starter. I agree with the Clem and Dick's suggestion of using a small syringe.

[Robert T.]

Re: Pouring Gasoline into the Carb

I used to use the syringe method, but it seemed like I always had to add 2 or 3 fills and the rubber plunger was only good for a couple of iterations. I switched over to a plastic bottle like attached. The end fits perfectly into the vent tube. Installed clear sight plus and fill to the "normal" fill level.

Just my 2 cents

bob

[Dennis O.]

Re: Pouring Gasoline into the Carb

This may or may not apply, but I'm going to relate it anyway because it might be germaine to this discussion. I have a stock '51 Ford with a Holley 94 carb. It may be hard to believe, but the power valve in that carburetor looks and functions exactly like a power valve in a Holley 4bbl. I have been having problems getting it started after it sat a day or two, and decided to chase down the problem. What I found was that the composition power valve gaskets that come in a Holley kit always seem to want to leak a little. I ended up getting a nylon power valve gasket from a place called Vintage Speed, and that seems to have solved the problem. A couple of caveats here; first of all, although the older and newer Holley power valve look almost exactly the same, they're not. The area where they seat when screwed in is slightly different. If you put an old one in a new carb or vice-versa, they will leak for sure. If you buy power valves separately, make sure you get the right one. Also, the power valve in a 4bbl sits on it's side in he carb, while the old Ford ones sit with the diapraghm end down.

As I said when I started, this may have nothing to do with the modern carbs "leaking down", but upgrading the PV gasket in the older ones solved my problem.

[Clark K.]

Re: Pouring Gasoline into the Carb

since i am not well versed on these "L" numbers what carb do you have ???

The L76 (327/365hp) engine uses the Holley model 4150 List 2818-1 carb. My engine is stock.

[Domenic T.]

Re: Pouring Gasoline into the Carb

I used a model airplane rubber gas filler thru the carb vent then got lazy and loosten the wing nut on the air cleaner and pour a once of fuel in the recess the wing nut sits in and the gas trickles down the stud into the carb and after the quick start I tighten the wing nut .

Works great but filling the carb bowl is the right way.

DOM

[Clem Z.]

Re: Pouring Gasoline into the Carb

The L76 (327/365hp) engine uses the Holley model 4150 List 2818-1 carb. My engine is stock.

the bowl vent is the 5/16" diameter tube that stick straight up in front of the choke plate.

[John H.]

Re: Pouring Gasoline into the Carb

I switched over to a plastic bottle like attached. The end fits perfectly into the vent tube.

I use a clear plastic ketchup bottle (99 cents at K-Mart) - the end is just the right size to fit the bowl vent tube; about 1/3-full will fill the float bowl.

[Phil D.]

Re: Pouring Gasoline into the Carb

So where do you get a syring or small enough funnel to put fuel into the float chamber through a vent?
Stu Fox

In the baby supplies at most any drug store are dosing syringes for liquid medicine. I've been using one for all sorts of noxious garage chemicals for years and it seems to withstand them all.

[Clem Z.]

Re: Pouring Gasoline into the Carb

no matter what you choose make sure it is gasoline proof

[Chris H.]

Re: Pouring Gasoline into the Carb

Clark, when the motor is cold, you might want to check to see if the choke is all the way shut. If it's open more than spec (1/8 inch or less, not sure), it can effect how quickly it starts. Also check the operation of the accelerator pump squirters.

I've found that these motors are extremely sensitive to choke settings.

[Ray A.]

Re: Pouring Gasoline into the Carb

Read an a magazine article a while back by the guy that owns Pony Carbs. I am not a big fan of his but I have to admit that a lot of his information is spot on. In the article he said you should never have to crank extensively on a carb that is in good shape if everything else is in proper working order. His procedure for starting is to not touch the accelerator but just turn the car over for up to a count of five. If the car does not start then pump the accelerator 6 to 8 times without touching the key. Hit the key without touching the accelerator and the car should start. If it does not after 2 seconds of turning it over turn the key off and pump it a couple of more times. Hit the key again without touching the accelerator. If the car does not start right up there is a problem some where. He says you should not have to prime the carb or pump the accelerator while starting.

So far this procedure has not failed for me. My wife's 6 cylinder convertible Mustang was bad about needing to prime the carb if it sat more than a week without starting. Since using this procedure I have not had to pime it even if it has sat for a month without starting. The procedure also works well for my 61 2 four barrel car. Hope this helps.

[Domenic T.]

Re: Pouring Gasoline into the Carb

[q
Ray,
On the GM cars there used to be instructions on the sun visor that said to depress accelerator once or twice (to set the choke) then start.

If the carb is empty the choke will set but the accelerator pump will not squirt the needed prime to get started.

Most old carbs have an open vent and some have a meetered vent that opens and closes.

The evaporation and leakage in our vette carbs is the culpret.

There was a sevvice bullitin on some carbs that had you seal certain carb plugs that allowed gas to drain into the manifold.

Once that happens and the carb is empty the needle opens and lets the gas drains to the lowest place which is the gas tank.

At that point there is no gas in the line or fuel pump. The fuel pumps have one way valves but they are not air tight so the gas drains all the way to the tank.

Thats why you have to crank the engine, it's to get the gas back to the carb from the tank.

The design was not so bad if you used the car on a regular basis but who knew back then that we would only drive them once a month.

DOM


uote=Ray Anderson (52385);569984]Read an a magazine article a while back by the guy that owns Pony Carbs. I am not a big fan of his but I have to admit that a lot of his information is spot on. In the article he said you should never have to crank extensively on a carb that is in good shape if everything else is in proper working order. His procedure for starting is to not touch the accelerator but just turn the car over for up to a count of five. If the car does not start then pump the accelerator 6 to 8 times without touching the key. Hit the key without touching the accelerator and the car should start. If it does not after 2 seconds of turning it over turn the key off and pump it a couple of more times. Hit the key again without touching the accelerator. If the car does not start right up there is a problem some where. He says you should not have to prime the carb or pump the accelerator while starting.

So far this procedure has not failed for me. My wife's 6 cylinder convertible Mustang was bad about needing to prime the carb if it sat more than a week without starting. Since using this procedure I have not had to pime it even if it has sat for a month without starting. The procedure also works well for my 61 2 four barrel car. Hope this helps.[/quote]

[Pete B.]

Re: Pouring Gasoline into the Carb

Ok guys, try this.
Crank engine until you get oil pressure, then shoot a blast of spray starting fluid into the carb. Done.
It has never failed and you dont have the filling the bottle routine and then spilling the contents after your done.

KEEP IT SIMPLE!!!!

[Stuart F.]

Re: Pouring Gasoline into the Carb

The only problem with "starting spray" or "ether" is that an SHP Chevy V8 (10.5 to 1 or greater) will knock like crazy. No thanks! Been there done that. Never again. I'll stick with what has served my 63 L-76 since new, including it's several storage periods. The last long one back in the late 60's early 70's, we went a little overboard and collapsed the valves and filled the cylinders with Wynn's Friction Proofing (method of the day). When we went to crank it up with new plugs, oil, and valves adjusted, etc., the PCV Valve stuck open and on the long crank at near below zero ambient we had a crankcase explosion which blew off my original aluminum valve covers (a design fault of the 63 only addressed by a service bulletin to add a flame surpressor screen in the air cleaner). I still have no screen. Who wants to apply screws in their air cleaner? No thanks.

Stu Fox

[Brian M.]

Re: Pouring Gasoline into the Carb

No thank you.

Ok guys, try this.
Crank engine until you get oil pressure, then shoot a blast of spray starting fluid into the carb. Done.
It has never failed and you dont have the filling the bottle routine and then spilling the contents after your done.

KEEP IT SIMPLE!!!!