Hard Start after shut down

[Bruce Meyer]

I have a new Brawler 650 on top of my 383. Initial start up it quick and easy. After the car for awhile, it will not restart until it cools off for about 15 minutes. Any tips on calibration techniques? Vapor lock? Air fuel mixture screws?

Thanks

 

[Photon440]

Isn't that normal for a Mopar? It's even in the service manual.

 

[khryslerkid]

Probably vapor locking. To verify, after the 15 min you mentioned remove the air cleaner, pull back on the throttle and see if you're getting a squirt of gas. (Not familiar with a Brawler, hope it's not a fuel injection)

If you haven't a good squirt, it's vapor locked. Gas has evaporated out of the bowl. A good cure for this is using a spacer under the carb that dissipates heat. Aluminum or wood works the best. Some have gone to the extent of installing a electric fuel pump with a return line to turn on before starting.

Edit: I see the Brawler is the Holley. Some will use a thin plate under the Holley that extends under the float bowls to sheild the heat. A intake gasket with the cross over port blocked will help.

 

[kiwigtx]

Isn't that normal for a Mopar? It's even in the service manual.


View attachment 1052729

...surely that is fake.

 

[Bruce Meyer]

Thanks for the input. I have a 1" aluminum spacer and a "Cool Deck" spacer on top of that to protect the carb bowls from heat. I'll check the "squirters" after warm up and see.

 

[64BEL]

...surely that is fake.

But funny!

 

[HALIFAXHOPS]

Make sure it still has spark during the hard hot start, can be a ignition part also.

 

[AR67GTX]

A lot of cars run on today’s gas will self-percolate fuel into the intake upon a heat-soak from a hot shut down. Basically they are semi-flooded when you try to restart and not lacking for fuel. As for any flooded condition, Typically pressing the throttle to the floor and holding it there while turning the starter will result in mine starting pretty quickly. Then try to release the pedal before it hits the rev limiter.

 

[Frank Mopar]

I had hard start when hot. Chased all the obvious. Turns out it was the reluctor gap in the cheapie Summit electronic distributor.
It takes but a minute to verify it.

 

[68BabyBlue]

My stock slant six Valiants all suffered from the self percolating issue back in the day. My 1970 GTX, less so. Had the hot start problem with my '62 Imperial with a stock 413 - turned out original coil was cooked, when it cooled after 15 minutes, I had good spark and quick start. My '68 GTX starts hot perfectly 99% of the time - has Holley Street Avenger with spacer, factory vapor separator, and Holley electric fuel pump. If it balks, it has always been from percolation, starts when cleared. My stock '69 GTX had major hot start issues the first year I owned it. Had vapor lock initially - factory vapor separator had been removed from system. Put system back to stock with vapor separator, helped but still had trouble. Turned out I was still starving for fuel. Replaced the stock Carter fuel pump with a new one, and now the '69 hot starts better than any Mopar I've owned.

 

[Ranger16]

Initial start up it quick and easy. After the car for awhile, it will not restart until it cools off for about 15 minutes.

Sounds a lot like a misadjusted choke.

 

[toolmanmike]

Like mentioned before, check for spark and check for fuel when it's hard to start then go from there. Fuel percolation is a big problem with today's gas. You may even hear it bubbling in the carb a few minutes after you shut it off. A spacer/insulator usually helps that. A fuel filter with a return line helps also.

 

[Unkwilly]

I have a new Brawler 650 on top of my 383. Initial start up it quick and easy. After the car for awhile, it will not restart until it cools off for about 15 minutes. Any tips on calibration techniques? Vapor lock? Air fuel mixture screws?

Thanks

 

[myk r sanchez]

Easy things first, try a phenolic or wood spacer, at least an inch thick. I'm using an inch and a half and along with my electric fuel pump, no more hot start issues. Hood clearance is TIGHT on my car though...

 

[Sixpactogo]

My question is, when you say "hard start", does it crank over slow or crank for a long period before starting? Years ago, I had a car that would start fine when cold but after being warmed up would crank over slowly until it cooled down. Turned out it was a shorted plate in the battery that would get discharged while running, but would equalize with the other plates after shut down.

 

[Timothy Jensen]

Thanks for the input. I have a 1" aluminum spacer and a "Cool Deck" spacer on top of that to protect the carb bowls from heat. I'll check the "squirters" after warm up and see.

Did you have the spacer and "Cool Deck" under the carb while you are having the problems? I am having the same issue right now with a Brawler on my 440 and am looking for the easiest fix. Please let me know if you put the spacer and cool deck on after you had the problem. Sunday, I made a gas run (about 10 mile round trip), came home and let the car idle in the driveway for about 5 minutes, went back out for a quick run, and I had to coast into the subdivision 1/4 mile from my house. Sat and waited about 30 minutes, hard started, and made it home. Thanks- TJ