Cranking RPM is slow . Just cranking on the starter won't provide much splash oil to the cam and lifters. It's better to have the engine start immediately and be slinging oil everywhere. This is the main reason that it's recommended to keep the RPM's above 2500 when breaking in a new cam. Obviously it's much less critical after. As far as ideas: Seems like most of the complaints are from the Carter/Edelbrock guys. Holley style carbs have the acc pump at the bottom of the fuel bowl so if any fuel at all remains in the carb you should be able to get a good squirt or two. My suggestion? Get an electric fuel pump and a Holley carb.It appears I've been drive-by red X'ed. View attachment 668602
Hey @forphorty - I don't mind a red "X" but at least be prepared to state why you disagree - or offer alternative ideas.
I appreciate your answer. I've had a bunch of both types of carbs over the decades, like most I'm sure have.Cranking RPM is slow . Just cranking on the starter won't provide much splash oil to the cam and lifters. It's better to have the engine start immediately and be slinging oil everywhere. This is the main reason that it's recommended to keep the RPM's above 2500 when breaking in a new cam. Obviously it's much less critical after. As far as ideas: Seems like most of the complaints are from the Carter/Edelbrock guys. Holley style carbs have the acc pump at the bottom of the fuel bowl so if any fuel at all remains in the carb you should be able to get a good squirt or two. My suggestion? Get an electric fuel pump and a Holley carb.
I remember your experiment (and that thread) very well. It confirmed what my (dusty) old memories of the volatility of the involved chemicalsTak419 is correct, I did an experiment last year when the debate in another thread was going on about fuel evaporation. Here is the experiment post I made. https://www.forbbodiesonly.com/mopa...ars-from-my-carb.137351/page-5#post-910766385
Ethanol fuel is a prime issue with evaporation and no matter the carburetor and insulators, they all will eventually suffer from heat soak and evaporate ethanol even faster. With the exception if you have a high rise that sits outside the engine compartment above the hood line!
Very interesting. I'm putting together a truck for my dad and have been looking at carbs and was wondering about those, might have to take another look. So how's the driveability, any hiccups? I love my Holley style carbs but have always like the simplicity of the Carter carbs but had bad luck with the Eddy I bought.Something I forgot to mention is that I bought a Street Demon 625 with the composite bowl for my wife's car...it sometimes sits a month but usually lights off almost instantly.
I know a lot of people think those are junk but it has been the most problem free carb I have ever had. It was spot on out of the box...and it didn't cost $500+
Bingo, bingo, bingoI appreciate your answer. I've had a bunch of both types of carbs over the decades, like most I'm sure have.
There are well known disadvantages to the Holley design as well, of course, and they're enough for me to shy away from them.
Personal choice there. I wouldn't be adverse to running a nice Holley 750cfm vacsec again in the future, in fact.
As far as slinging oil goes, of course there's going to be oil circulating by the simple turning of the engine, running or not -
obviously not as much as when it's running, but some nonetheless. I don't see any harm in that at all.
I've thought about an electric pump, but find it unnecessary for this purpose because with this Carter repro hemi fuel pump, gas
gets to my carb within 10 seconds of cranking anyways.
The starter gets a good workout, sure, but I run a late-model high torque one off a Dakota V8 application and it takes the work
just fine and even spins the engine over faster than the stock 440 one ever did. If it should prove over time to lay down from the
work, that's no biggie either - it's a "lifetime" unit from the local parts store. Free replacement.
To each their own.
I don't see this whole issue as that big a thing.
I AM, however, totally against ethanol mandates for our gas,
simply because it has had a very severe adverse effect on our grocery prices AND the environment- and the fuel itself is inferior
in every way to "straight" gas, too.
It's just another case of do-gooders in DC mandating something for our own good, under the best of intentions I'm sure
(yes that was sarcasm - looking at YOU, ADM, Monsanto and others) where the results were nothing like we were told they would be
and we all pay the price for it.
Finally, as far as this whole red "X" thing goes -
Using such a thing, at least from what I've observed over these years on FBBO, is considered somewhat rude and insulting by some.
It's perfectly fine and perfectly acceptable that we can disagree with each other on this forum without resorting to such and we do
every day.
Me, I have some fun with it as you can see. Some others won't. Word of caution on that as a result.
I have the same issue with my car. This Edelbrock carburetor fuel pump and wiring kit solved the issue right and quick.Hmmm, take the lid off to fill it with a squirt bottle, an electric fuel pump, or deal with it?
How much are electric fuel pumps, again?
Very interesting. I'm putting together a truck for my dad and have been looking at carbs and was wondering about those, might have to take another look. So how's the driveability, any hiccups? I love my Holley style carbs but have always like the simplicity of the Carter carbs but had bad luck with the Eddy I bought.
I have to admit, this old school stuff is too complex for this IT nerd! I really don't know how the old fellows dealt with it!
We weren't useing ethanol gas back then.
I have access to ethanol free gas and don't have any problems with fuel evaporation. I'm useing dual 600 eddies, pump twice, pull the manual choke, hit the key and it fires.
Now I have been using 103 octane 10% during the summer just to see how it acts. I add the Stabil 360 at each fill up and haven't had any problems with it. I had one instance where I had to crank on her a bit before it fired off. I believe it had set for three weeks. Now that it's close to winter, I'll keep it filled with 92 ethanol free again.
On the real hot days, after being out on the road, I'll pull it into the garage, shut it down and put a fan in front of the car with the hood up to cool it down. Takes about an hour or more.
I'm also using 1/2" wood spacers under my carbs, fuel lines have foil insulation on them and the crossover port in the intake is blocked. Running a 180* Super Stant. Also my coolant is mixed for 10* above 0. The more water the better it cools. Coolant additives like Water Wetter and distilled water during the Summer will really keep them running cool also.
Maybe that's the issue? I can't remember having these hard starting issue when I ran ethanol free.
The 87 octane ethanol free stuff is very easy to come by around here but it makes the engine ping and if I turn down the timing the car feels like a slug.
There was a station that had 90 octane, for $4 a gallon, which was awesome but they lost their roof over the summer. They stop selling the 90 octane stuff when they reopened and converted the pump to diesel. Bastard.
I have been using 92 octane from a Kroger's. Maybe I'll switch back to Costco gas?
5-8 times! WOW!Electric pump did not help on mine. I too spin it a bit for lube purposes without touching the throttle. Then, 5-8 times to the floor. Normal. We forget what normal was as time goes on. Like halogens and bias tires.
Because that's what a motor is supposed to do, fire right up! I don't get this whole priming the oil pressure before every start up logic, does any of your daily drivers that get 200,000-300,000+ miles on them have a pre start oil priming system... No and they run and run and run. The most vulnerable part of the motor to wear is the cam and lifters.... guess what's getting ran without oil with this logic? Your just taxing your starter, battery and making everyone around think your in dying need of a good tune up IMO.Good opportunity to build some oil pressure before putting everything under load. I crank my engine for a good 10 seconds or so before hitting the electric fuel pump if it's been sitting.
I CAN turn on the electric pump and hit the throttle a few times with instant fire-up but why would I do that
Maybe some of us run engines that are beyond your daily driver. Maybe some start only once a month or so and maybe some very high valve spring pressures, etc. You think built engines will survive 200-300k miles? Think starters and batteries cost more than $2200 valve-trains?Because that's what a motor is supposed to do, fire right up! I don't get this whole priming the oil pressure before every start up logic, does any of your daily drivers that get 200,000-300,000+ miles on them have a pre start oil priming system... No and they run and run and run. The most vulnerable part of the motor to wear is the cam and lifters.... guess what's getting ran without oil with this logic? Your just taxing your starter, battery and making everyone around think your in dying need of a good tune up IMO.