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Best Way to Start After No Driving

On my 65, I fill the bowls with a squeeze bottle when needed. You can remove the sight screws to tell when bowls are full; assuming a Holley.
I have found that the dollar store ketchup bottles leak real bad, so I got one of these from Summit.
https://www.summitracing.com/int/parts/clp-bfb
I also spin the motor a few times to get oil pressure before starting.
 
Oil's getting there while you crank, That's the point, really. What's harder on the cylinders is startup / running at say a 1000 rpm for that half second / second while the oil pressure builds. Combine that with the super rich condition at start up which washes the cylinder of any oil that's left and your you can see why startup is the toughest part of an engine's day, outside of racing.
Thanks HT413. So what it sounds like you're saying is that if I can crank for 20-30 seconds until it starts (it will start when gas gets to the dry carb), that may be even better than a normal quick fire up?
These forums are great!
 
I've used eye droppers before - most times the bowls aren't completely empty so it only takes a few squirts. They sell slightly bigger eye droppers with an angled tip - works great and minimizes leakage.
 
On my 65, I fill the bowls with a squeeze bottle when needed. You can remove the sight screws to tell when bowls are full; assuming a Holley.
I have found that the dollar store ketchup bottles leak real bad, so I got one of these from Summit.
https://www.summitracing.com/int/parts/clp-bfb
I also spin the motor a few times to get oil pressure before starting.
Thanks. When do you need to fill the bowls ... wouldn't spinning a few times fill the bowls at the same time?
 
Thanks HT413. So what it sounds like you're saying is that if I can crank for 20-30 seconds until it starts (it will start when gas gets to the dry carb), that may be even better than a normal quick fire up?
These forums are great!

Well sorta. You have to fill the bowl(s) then pump. so crank in like 10 sec bursts (without pumping the accelerator) and let the starter cool between shots. Maybe 3 bursts and you're good. then pump 2-3x to the floor and fire her up!

Doing it this way I haven't had to manually fill a fuel bowl in years, even after 6 months of sitting. Of course I just bought this, so fuel boil / evap will soon be a thing of the past for me...

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Any chance you've checked the carb floats? And the adjustment for them, too.
If the floats are soaked, or have gas in 'em, the bowls will drain out.
 
Thanks. When do you need to fill the bowls ... wouldn't spinning a few times fill the bowls at the same time?
I fill the bowls when the carbs have been off.
I always spin the motor to get oil pressure before starting.
 
Any chance you've checked the carb floats? And the adjustment for them, too.
If the floats are soaked, or have gas in 'em, the bowls will drain out.
I haven't checked the floats in years. I just figured the gas was evaporating from the vents. You mean the bowls may drain out the jets?
 
You mean the bowls may drain out the jets?
Drain might have been the wrong word. Just saying, if the floats aren't right, to 'close' off the needles/seats...allows an escape path for the fuel, either draining, or evaporating.
Those bowls are going empty for some reason.
 
Drain might have been the wrong word. Just saying, if the floats aren't right, to 'close' off the needles/seats...allows an escape path for the fuel, either draining, or evaporating.
Those bowls are going empty for some reason.
Good point ... if some gas evaporates out the vents then the floats sink and maybe open the inlet needles as an another evaporation escape route.
 
Yes, sir...leaks. Just trying to get my head around why the bowls are going empty.
 
Yes, sir...leaks. Just trying to get my head around why the bowls are going empty.
You don't think it's normal for gas to evaporate out the vents in 2-3 weeks? I thought maybe it was. I need to do some more checking...
 
I don't know if it is normal for a carb (Holley aftermarket) to be dry after 2-3 weeks, but this is how it has been for years.
Was going to ask what carb... Holley aftermarket? Okay.

Won't say design flaw, or the like, could be something not set right, or a part failed. Or, not assembled right??? Flat hard to say.

I've worked on a handful of types, though mostly prefer AFBs. Used to overhaul 'em, when I was a teen, just for something to do. Have walked up to carbs, that sat for years, and as long as it was getting gas...fire right off. Yeah, I know, different gas. Still.

Might look over, from the pump to carb, but there's some reason, bowls are going dry. My two Eddys (ugg, rather have AFBs) have gas in the bowls, after sitting two weeks.

All you can do is look. Maybe something simple.
 
Was going to ask what carb... Holley aftermarket? Okay.

Won't say design flaw, or the like, could be something not set right, or a part failed. Or, not assembled right??? Flat hard to say.

I've worked on a handful of types, though mostly prefer AFBs. Used to overhaul 'em, when I was a teen, just for something to do. Have walked up to carbs, that sat for years, and as long as it was getting gas...fire right off. Yeah, I know, different gas. Still.

Might look over, from the pump to carb, but there's some reason, bowls are going dry. My two Eddys (ugg, rather have AFBs) have gas in the bowls, after sitting two weeks.

All you can do is look. Maybe something simple.
I wonder if it is actually better if I have to crank for a few seconds (because the carb is dry). Some others are saying they crank for a while anyway before starting to get the oil flowing. I mean what is the trade off between cranking first and firing right up (if the carb is not dry)? In other words, is it better to get some amount of oil flow just by cranking first or is it better to have a quick fire up with much more (I assume) oil flow quicker? Which results in more engine wear?
 
I wonder if it is actually better if I have to crank for a few seconds (because the carb is dry).
No. Not in my book. 'A few seconds' is normal, much more, no.
Oil circulation? Do you want your 'starter', that can overheat if used too long, to circulate your oil? Or, motor driven pump, that normally gets it in 1-2 seconds?

Any of my motors, I've had through the years, including my current, new motor, pretty much fires right off. My current 440, crossram w/a pair of 600cfm Edelbrocks, chokes wired open...only takes two pumps, barely hold throttle open, instantly fires off.

Just saying...
 
No. Not in my book. 'A few seconds' is normal, much more, no.
Oil circulation? Do you want your 'starter', that can overheat if used too long, to circulate your oil? Or, motor driven pump, that normally gets it in 1-2 seconds?

Any of my motors, I've had through the years, including my current, new motor, pretty much fires right off. My current 440, crossram w/a pair of 600cfm Edelbrocks, chokes wired open...only takes two pumps, barely hold throttle open, instantly fires off.

Just saying...
Thanks, I agree. I had always thought a quick fire-up with minimum cranking was best and resorted to starting fluid when it didn't startup right away, but some other responses made me question that. I need to check further on why it is going dry after a few days.
 
You have to be careful using starter fluid. Easy to use too much. One guy did, at the trucking company I drove for. Truck started all right...and RPMs kept climbing, and climbing, until the motor (diesel) blew up, and put a rod out the side of the block!
Probably used the whole can.
 
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