Fire Up C2 after Carb Rebuild

[John L.]

This is a pretty basic question, but just had the carb rebuilt and re-installed on my "66 (an L72) so its bone dry. What is the correct procedure to start the car?, thanks

[Timothy B.]

Re: Fire Up C2 after Carb Rebuild

John,

You can just turn the starter until the float bowls fill or get something small like a plastic picnic ketchup container and use a small vacuum hose and fill through the vent tube on the primary. Don't squeeze hard or you will be cleaning gasoline off your newly rebuilt carburetor.

[Chris H.]

Re: Fire Up C2 after Carb Rebuild

John, with the Holley you need to set the float bowl heights by using the adjustment screws. If possible see if you can get some clear float bowl plugs that will act as a sight glass for the primary and secondary bowls. The basic idea is to adjust the screws to that when at idle, the fuel level comes up to the bottom of the plug hole. What I have done in the past is disconnect the coil so it doesn't start, and have someone crank the motor so the fuel pump starts to fill the bowls. Once that starts, adjust the screws roughly halfway through their travel. Try starting the motor. If you can get an idle, adjust the screws so you get fuel to the bottom of the site holes. Of course, as with any job around gas, have lots of water handy, just in case. Also, I believe the NCRS bookstore sells a Holley maintenance manual.

[Terry M.]

Re: Fire Up C2 after Carb Rebuild

John, with the Holley you need to set the float bowl heights by using the adjustment screws. If possible see if you can get some clear float bowl plugs that will act as a sight glass for the primary and secondary bowls. The basic idea is to adjust the screws to that when at idle, the fuel level comes up to the bottom of the plug hole. What I have done in the past is disconnect the coil so it doesn't start, and have someone crank the motor so the fuel pump starts to fill the bowls. Once that starts, adjust the screws roughly halfway through their travel. Try starting the motor. If you can get an idle, adjust the screws so you get fuel to the bottom of the site holes. Of course, as with any job around gas, have lots of water handy, just in case. Also, I believe the NCRS bookstore sells a Holley maintenance manual.

Please do not use water to try to extinguish a gasoline fire. Gasoline will float on water, and putting water on a gasoline fire will just spread fire over a wider area. Perhaps Chris you meant to clean things with the water, but it will not be very effective by itself as a cleaner on petroleum products of any kind.

When working with gasoline in this fashion a fire extinguisher close at hand is very wise. There are many threads on here about the kinds of extinguisher(s) to have, but any large extinguisher is better than none at all.