starting troubles

[B5charger]

Having trouble starting the charger after it's sat for more than 15 mins.  Wonder if the choke may be the problem.  I have the edelbrock 1406 wired to the ballast resistor and am getting 9v to the electric choke.  Is this causing the choke to not open fully causing me to pump like hell to get it started.

[cudaken]

 Big Block or Small Block? 

[polywideblock]

other side of ballast should  be 12 v just switch sides to the one with the "jumped " connections  if its a 4 prong ballast

[B5charger]

It's a small block with a 2 pronged ballast.  Could wiring the choke wrong have a effect on starting nlyeven though the rest of the time the carb works fine?

[Dino]

Does it still have issues starting after sitting when the engine is hot?  You may have a heatsoak issue rather than a choke one.

[Matthan]

what do you mean by heatsoak?........could it be the floats in the carb?

[Dino]

If the car runs fie then the floats will likely be okay.  If your carb is not properly insulated, the fuel boils out of the bowls and now you have to crank it to fill the carb again.  I have the 1407 and had to block the crossover under the manifold to prevent my carb from boiling empty.

Before you do so you may want to try a phenolic spacer, the thicker the better but watch for hood clearance.  When you block the heat crossover you lose the choke.

http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,52284.0.html

[Matthan]

Dino,

What did u use to block the cross over?

[elacruze]

You need to wire the choke to 12v, and if it does not go through an oil pressure switch you need to be aware that you're opening the choke as soon as you turn the key on; that means if you sit there a moment with key on before starting the choke starts to open.

Sounds to me like you just need to adjust the choke a bit richer so it stays part closed until the engine is warmer.

[Dino]

Dino,

What did u use to block the cross over?

Felpro 1215 valley pan.

Bought mine local but this is the one.

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/fel-1215

[B5charger]

I thought it was my fuel boiling off so I installed a half inch spacer...nothing changed.  My fuel line doesn't come near the exhaust manifolds.  How do I make the carb richer?

[Dino]

I read somewhere about a guy with a bb chevy who had the same carb and no luck with the spacer until he got a phenolic 1" spacer.  That did it. 

I tried a half inch spacer with my 1407 and no change either.  Crossover block did it though.  The issue is rarely a hot fuel line, it's the heat from the intake manifold that translates to the fuel bowl that gives you problems. 

Disconnect the choke and see how she does.  You'll have to play with the throttle when cold starting but once it warms up you should be good to go.  Drive it around until it's nice and hot, shut it off and try to crank it after a 3-5 minutes.  If it is a fuel boiling problem it'll still be there but if not then it looks like your choke ain't doing well.

[Cooter]

ETHANOL......With this Alcohol in the fuel, your engine is already running leaner than with reg. fuel. It also does NOT like the heat soak. To confirm this is simple. Try wiring in an electric fuel pump[Even those little clicker types will work for this] and turn it on then pump carb once/twice and see if still happens.

Fuel boils right out of the carb's bowls. Only way to isolate carb is with cooler temps. "Spacer" may/may NOT do this. Material is the key to isolating properties...
Think phenolic.

[Dino]

I happen to know a guy who tinkers with thermoquads from time to time.