Still got some hard starting issue's after it sit's a bit.....

[69wannabe]

Old car has been running great and I am only having a couple of small issue's with it. After I drive it and then turn it off and let it sit awhile it is hard to start but it does start but is very rich feeling until I rev it a few time's and clear it out. Sometimes it will start and then stall out and i have to pretty much put the pedal on the floor to get it started again. The heat crossover is blocked and I am running a eddy RPM intake on the big block but I can only run about a 1/4 spacer under the carb because of hood clearance. Floats are set to where I actually have to rock the car back and forth to get fuel to slosh out of the sight hole. I am running a 180 degree thermostat and was thinking of going down to a 160 to see if that helps with the temps and maybe insulating the fuel line from the fuel pump to carb to see if that may help too. Am I missing anything here?? Besides this the car run's out great and I have pulled a couple of plugs and they look pretty good too, not black just kinda tanish.

[Hard Charger]

I had the same problem with my stock 68" 383, pissed me off leaving car shows. always ran smooth and strong. just could be difficult to start.

you could have a couple issues: one being your ignition is week and not firing quickly the other being that carburetors suck and always seam to need there own particular priming sequence before starting. if I messed up that sequence then I would need to put the pedal to the floor to clear out the carburetor. I have a newer Eddy AVS carb and no choke.

when I put it back together I replaced the distributor and went to electronic ignition. just getting it back on the road now after 4 years but it seems to start better. I still need to pump the pedal a couple time prior to firing it up.

[69wannabe]

I am running a holley carb 850 double pumper on my engine with a firecore distributor and firecore wire set and NGK plugs. Got my timing set pretty high initial at 18 degrees with 34 total. Like I said before I may go to a 160 degree thermostat to see if it will cut down on under hood temps and maybe insulate my fuel line. I always run 93 octane in it and used to put the lucas additive in the fuel to help with the fuel we have to to run these days. I have been out of the additive but I think it helped so I need to pick more up next time I go to the parts store!!

[Nickrc3]

I have a similar set-up w/ a 1/2" phenolic spacer and insulated fuel lines, and experienced the same situation of difficult restarts. She's heat soaked. Very frustrating and embarrassing at those shows.
Decided to try a tank-full of 91 octane recreation fuel. No more stubborn starts, and the engine doesn't appear to miss the higher 93 octane (w/10% ethanol) I had previously used. 

[69wannabe]

Recreation fuel??? All we got in georgia is the 93 with the 10% moonshine. I need to get more of the additive that I used last year. Every time I go by the parts store I forget to pick it up. It really seemed to help...

[myk]

I wish I could get 93 octane...

[Nickrc3]

Recreation fuel???

...pretty common with the off-road and boating enthusiasts. Several outboard engine manufacturers recommend to only use the 'Rec' fuel; ethanol plays hell on neoprene seals & gaskets.

[toocheaptosmoke]

Over the last few years I have experienced this in all my carbed vehicles, I too think it's linked to the ethanol.  There's a "sweet spot" when you shut it down for like 10-20 minutes, no more or less, where they act flooded upon restart.

[c00nhunterjoe]

Floats sound a tad low for a holley but thats not going to cause the issues. The spacer usually takes care of the heat soak. Are any of your fuel line touching or very close to the valve covers? Doesnt take much to start boiling fuel.
Here is how i ran mine- rubber line from the stock pump, up across the right fender, and around the back of the firewall into the dual feed line from the rear. I have 0 heat soak issues running the standard e10+ fuels in md and pa.

[Chargerguy74]

Off topic I know, but c00nhunterjoe where did you get that valve cover breather?

[c00nhunterjoe]

Off topic I know, but c00nhunterjoe where did you get that valve cover breather?

The breather is a standard twist style unit. The extension is from summit, mr gasket i think. Used it while experimenting with pcv oiling issues

[Chargerguy74]

Off topic I know, but c00nhunterjoe where did you get that valve cover breather?

The breather is a standard twist style unit. The extension is from summit, mr gasket i think. Used it while experimenting with pcv oiling issues

Thanks

[69wannabe]

Yeah Joe, my fuel line runs right over the pass side valve cover. I picked up some of that lucas ethanol treatment today and I may put some of that heat sleeving on my fuel line where it is so close to the valve cover and see how it goes.

[Nickrc3]

and I may put some of that heat sleeving on my fuel line where it is so close to the valve cover and see how it goes.

Yeah, did that too.
Still had the hard start issue...

[c00nhunterjoe]

If its too close, its too close. Heat wrap wont help. Reroute. And that spacer looks like the "wood" or resin style. Try the phenolic version. Makes a world of difference.

[69wannabe]

I have my fuel line ran from the fuel pump up behind the alternator and then up to the tee for the dual line for the holley. I ran it behind the alternator like the factory did but back then the fuel wasn't crap so I may route it a different way soon. I just bought one of those eastwood flaring tool's so it may be about time to try it out and re do my fuel lines and get it away from the engine so it won't be so prone to boiling the fuel.....

[Hard Charger]

have you solved your starting issue?

[69wannabe]

Well i'd like to tell you that yes I have but actually I haven't. I did order a cool carb technology's heat shield spacer and installed it under the carburetor and went down to a 160 degree thermostat and put the heat sleeve over my fuel line from the filter up to where the dual line split's and it is better but it still suffer's from some heat soak. It isn't near as bad as it was so the thing's I have changed have made some improvement's. I really need to put my temp gun on it after I drive it a bit and see where the temp is reading, my gauge still show's it above 170 and it really shouldn't be going up to 180 with a 160 thermostat in there. It has been in the mid to upper 90's here the past few weeks so that may be some of it too. Did try some 90 octane non ethanol gas a few weeks back and that seemed to help too but the last time I went to get more of it all the nozzles were wrapped in plastic so they were out I guess. Haven't driven it much lately since I have been so busy with other mechanic work going on but i'm hoping once it cools down a lil bit weather wise it will do better.....

[Hard Charger]

what starter do you have? do your have a factory style starter?

thinking the high torque models spin the engine faster helping the engine start easier.

[69wannabe]

The starter actually spin's the engine over fine, it's just that after it sit's about 20 to 30 min's after it has been driven it has to turn over maybe 5 or 6 times before the engine fire's up. If I stop and get gas at a store and it sit's for maybe 5 to 10 min's while I pay for and pump gas I can get back in and it start's up quickly. After it sit's 20 min's or so it just heat's up under the hood and causes the carb to slightly flood which causes it to have to spin over a few more time's than usual to start up and clear out the excess fuel. I have read up on the hemi style fuel filter that has a return line going back to the fuel tank. I have never ran a return line but am wondering now if it would help with this problem if I did run a return line???

[Hard Charger]

I have that same starting issue. I would be interested to see your progress.

[69wannabe]

If I figure anything out I will let you know!!!! Haven't had a chance to tinker with it lately since I been covered up with other junk to work on!!!