Filling dry carburetor bowl

[BigBrother-84]

Gentlemen, I am on the route to solve my problem.

Recap.:

- I use my truck (Big Brother) one or two times a month. A little more in summer time, but not so much.

- The engine (351W) is equipped with a 4V Holley and a mechanical fuel pump (which I don't want to modify).

- Carburetor tends to dry between each use.

- Until now, was cranking the engine and "pumping" furiously the pedal until getting a start.

- Jim mentioned he uses a syringe to pre-fill his carb, through the primary vent tube.

- I feel that pre-filling my carb after a long-term inactivity would result in a "softer" and les "agressive" starting process for various parts (battery, starter, etc).

So, I am willing to give a try for this starting method.

I am wondering about your various experiences about filling a dry carburetor.

- How do you proceed?

- How much fuel do you fill?

For the moment, I plan to use a squeeze bottle or a syringe to pour some fresh fuel into the primary bowl vent hole.

Thanks for sharing your advices!

[mat in tn]

be careful as some paint is damaged by gasoline. don't spill on painted parts and silver seems to be worse than others. I know gasoline evaporates quickly and sitting on a hot engine will speed this up. try to just start it more often. just how vented is the carb that is on it? if it is an original, are the bowl evaporative vents open? these are the large ones meant to keep evaporative emissions from drying off to the atmosphere, part of the vapor recapture system. the two inside the air cleaner housing are much smaller and the ones on holleys "truck" carbs are hooped front to rear with even smaller vent holes to avoid spilling in odd angle driving. this has often made me think the vents are far bigger than needed for most situations.

[grumpin]

Another option is starting fluid.

It will get the engine to stumble a bit and easier on the starter.

[Gary Lewis]

Another option is starting fluid.

It will get the engine to stumble a bit and easier on the starter.

I believe your mechanical pump will pull fuel through an electric pump. So you could put an electric pump in the line and wire it up to a pushbutton in the cab that is powered by the Run circuit. Turn the key to Run, push the button for a couple of seconds, and then turn the key to Start and it'll fire right up.

[86 12 Brutus]

I believe your mechanical pump will pull fuel through an electric pump. So you could put an electric pump in the line and wire it up to a pushbutton in the cab that is powered by the Run circuit. Turn the key to Run, push the button for a couple of seconds, and then turn the key to Start and it'll fire right up.

The best and easiest way to do this is how i do it. If the bowls are dry, disconnect the coil to distributor wire, crank the engine for about 30 to 45 seconds, the bowls will fill.

[BigBrother-84]

The best and easiest way to do this is how i do it. If the bowls are dry, disconnect the coil to distributor wire, crank the engine for about 30 to 45 seconds, the bowls will fill.

I like this approach, simple and easy. I'll give a try.

My main issue is in winter time, when weather is very cold (let's say below 5°F, often below -5°F).

Batteries suffer of that, one minute cranking can low them drastically.

Have similar issue with my AVTs, as if mixture can't be enough rich for too cold air. They just don't start before the battery dies.

Summer time is different, I can crank longer and let the fuel come up, no battery issue.

That's why I am looking for an easy method to manually fill the bowls before putting battery and starter at work.

Gary's suggestion about a parallel fuel circuit with a small electrical fuel pump could do the job.

But little more complicated to install than a syringe.

I'll consider that, but not this winter.

Block heater (and battery heater pad) help a lot. But the wait for the first spark is still long.

Guys, please don't suggest me to insulate and heat my garage.

I found it was strategic about the rust (and more economic I admit) to keep Big Bro out of the snow/rain/sun way and at "natural" weather temperatures.

The guy has absolutely no rust and I want to keep it that way.

 

[mat in tn]

The best and easiest way to do this is how i do it. If the bowls are dry, disconnect the coil to distributor wire, crank the engine for about 30 to 45 seconds, the bowls will fill.

I like this approach, simple and easy. I'll give a try.

My main issue is in winter time, when weather is very cold (let's say below 5°F, often below -5°F).

Batteries suffer of that, one minute cranking can low them drastically.

Have similar issue with my AVTs, as if mixture can't be enough rich for too cold air. They just don't start before the battery dies.

Summer time is different, I can crank longer and let the fuel come up, no battery issue.

That's why I am looking for an easy method to manually fill the bowls before putting battery and starter at work.

Gary's suggestion about a parallel fuel circuit with a small electrical fuel pump could do the job.

But little more complicated to install than a syringe.

I'll consider that, but not this winter.

Block heater (and battery heater pad) help a lot. But the wait for the first spark is still long.

Guys, please don't suggest me to insulate and heat my garage.

I found it was strategic about the rust (and more economic I admit) to keep Big Bro out of the snow/rain/sun way and at "natural" weather temperatures.

The guy has absolutely no rust and I want to keep it that way.

I'm impressed at the concept about natural temps. it is a real thing! my current garage is well insulated, and I use a tiny space heater as a hand warmer basically. everything is cool if not cold. I dress as if I'm outside yet without wind or rain. zero condensation or moisture related issues at all. my last shop was the same way and it allowed me to strip/ sand body panels to the bare metal and be left for periods of time if I got pulled away by other work. sometimes for way longer than preferred.

[Gary Lewis]

I'm impressed at the concept about natural temps. it is a real thing! my current garage is well insulated, and I use a tiny space heater as a hand warmer basically. everything is cool if not cold. I dress as if I'm outside yet without wind or rain. zero condensation or moisture related issues at all. my last shop was the same way and it allowed me to strip/ sand body panels to the bare metal and be left for periods of time if I got pulled away by other work. sometimes for way longer than preferred.

I would not want to crank my engine even close to 30 seconds. In fact the owner's manual says:

Avoid excessive cranking (in excess of 30 seconds) with an intermittently firing or flooded engine. To avoid starter overheat or damage, do not crank the starter continuously for more than 30 seconds at a time. If the engine fails to start within the period mentioned above, wait 2 minutes before again attempting to start the vehicle.

Not only does that hurt the starter, but in really cold weather it will deplete the battery. So I'd either add fuel via the syringe or add the electric pump.

[81-F150-Explorer]

I would not want to crank my engine even close to 30 seconds. In fact the owner's manual says:

Avoid excessive cranking (in excess of 30 seconds) with an intermittently firing or flooded engine. To avoid starter overheat or damage, do not crank the starter continuously for more than 30 seconds at a time. If the engine fails to start within the period mentioned above, wait 2 minutes before again attempting to start the vehicle.

Not only does that hurt the starter, but in really cold weather it will deplete the battery. So I'd either add fuel via the syringe or add the electric pump.

Using a fuel stabilizer/Fuel Antifreeze also helps with cold starting. Back when our trucks were new, they would add Fuel Antifreeze etc, to the fuel. This is something they do not do any longer. I notice a big difference when I use it, than when I don't.

 

[dionden]

Using a fuel stabilizer/Fuel Antifreeze also helps with cold starting. Back when our trucks were new, they would add Fuel Antifreeze etc, to the fuel. This is something they do not do any longer. I notice a big difference when I use it, than when I don't.

If the fuel bowls are dry, then the carb is perculating the fuel when engine is shut off. The carb is not tuned right, the idle speed screw is not set up right, or the secondary plates are drawing in the fuel.

Before going any further with anything, install a translucent fuel filter just before the carb, Is it draining or fuel leaking from somewhere?

My mechanical fuel filter as I just found in cold weather leaks! The fuel filter was dry, but the fuel bowls had enough fuel to start the engine right away.

If it doesn't start right away, there may some thing wrong with the choke. Choke adjustment!