Hard starting after sitting a day or 2

[hemi68charger]

Hey gang...
I have a '69 Charger 500 with 440, AVS and factory dualpoint distributor... I have plenty of cranking amps on the battery... It just seems I have to crank and crank and crank before the fuel gets "back into the carb".. Once I know there's fuel up there, it will fire and running perfectly fine..... Is this a case of the bowl vent allowing too much fuel to evaporate out and thus, causing the carb bowls to run dry? Every once and awhile I'll go out and check the squirters and they seem to be fine... The choke butterfly (valve) is closing properly.... It's just aggravating sometimes... I know these things couldn't have done this new.......

[UFO]

I have the same problem.I`m using a edelbrock avs carb.Was thinking a thicker base gasket(a thin one came with carb) might help.

[resq302]

Troy,

I think it has to do with the formula of todays gas.  I have the same problem with my charger and el camino so I can't see it being just a AVS related incident as the El camino has a Q-jet.  If I start the car the next day, it only cranks over for a little bit so the issue with me is having the car sit for at least 4 days or more.  You figure the EPA has a lot to do with the formula of the gasoline in todays cars.  Back when our cars were new, they had leaded gas for the most part.  A lot has changed with gas in the last 5 years even with them adding oxygenated fuel in the winter which seems to damage internal parts of motors from what I have heard.

[NHCharger]

I have the same problem.I`m using a edelbrock avs carb.Was thinking a thicker base gasket(a thin one came with carb) might help.

Read this thread. Edelbrocks are notorious for this problem that some call percolation. Basically if the car sits for more than a day the fuel will drain out of the bowls.

http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,7236.0.html

[Ghoste]

I think it's a one-two punch with the Carter style carbs and the modern gasolines.  I know years ago I didn't really have as many problems with Carters (the Eddys are Carter clones) but you did have to really pump them before starting.  But today, sheesh. 
I had a glass fuel filter on my car for a short time (it was on there for a couple of days for a specific reason so no need to remind me of the danger of thsoe things), anyway, it was at the same time I had the Eddycarter AFB on the car and when you shut it off, it was something to watch how quickly the fuel siphoned backwards through that thing.

[8WHEELER]

I have problems with both the AVS and my Holley, if the cars sit for more than a couple weeks
''crank crank crank'' until the bowls fill up with gas. Starting them once a week, I have no problems.
So if I have not started old red in a month  it takes forever to fill up that 850 Holley
then it run perfect, I never bother giving it gas until it sputters ''SP'' Then give it two pumps
and boom runs perfect very much like my AVS problem, I do think it is the gas, it did not
used to be this bad.

Dan

[Charger1973]

Would an electric fuel pump help this problem any?   Just curious. 

[hemi68charger]

Would an electric fuel pump help this problem any?   Just curious. 

That would.. But I was trying to see if I could find the root problem.. I have always contemplated an electric fuel pump, but just hate the fact I'd have this electrical motor back there..... May have to go that route if others are having the same issue and it doesn't seem to be my car, but the fuel.......   

[firefighter3931]

Mallory makes the quietest (electric) pump. 

Todays fuel sucks....not only is it expensive....it evaporates into thin air ! 



Ron

[hemi68charger]

OK, this may be a stupid question........

If I do put an electric pump, obviously, it's going to be in the rear for I still wish to maintain my mechanical pump.... When I fire up the electric pump, it'll only pressurize and feed the line up to the fuel pump, no? Also, are there electric fuel pumps out there that'll pass fuel, even when not running? Or, do I need to create a by-pass around the electric pump so once started, my mechanical pump can take over without restriction........

Troy

[Charger1973]

Im not an expert by any means, but I did just install one in my car a couple weeks ago.  From what I understand it can be used with the mechanical pump as a "helper" or it can replace it.  I am running my car off the electric one alone at the moment.  It said right in the instructions to mount it no further than 12" from the gas tank because they are designed to PUSH gas not to PULL it.  So that is one thing to keep in mind I guess.  The one I used was a cheap one, but then again I hope to do away with it once I get my regular pump working again.  I was having problems with the mechanical pump and just bypassed it for now.  Also the electric pump just runs off a hot wire, so wire it to the accessory.  That way, once you turn the key, its on.  If fuel can pass through the electric one, once the mechanical pump is running... (im not sure if it can or not) it could probably be wired to a toggle switch and then you could shut it off once the cars running. 

[hemi68charger]

Im not an expert by any means, but I did just install one in my car a couple weeks ago.  From what I understand it can be used with the mechanical pump as a "helper" or it can replace it.  I am running my car off the electric one alone at the moment.  It said right in the instructions to mount it no further than 12" from the gas tank because they are designed to PUSH gas not to PULL it.  So that is one thing to keep in mind I guess.  The one I used was a cheap one, but then again I hope to do away with it once I get my regular pump working again.  I was having problems with the mechanical pump and just bypassed it for now.  Also the electric pump just runs off a hot wire, so wire it to the accessory.  That way, once you turn the key, its on.  If fuel can pass through the electric one, once the mechanical pump is running... (im not sure if it can or not) it could probably be wired to a toggle switch and then you could shut it off once the cars running. 

I have a fairly OEM correct '69 Charger 500, so I'm trying to keep it as original as possible.. The pump I was going to mount was going to be back by the gas tank...

Thanks,,,

[Charger1973]

If you do, ask around and find a quiet one.  All the cheap ones and some of the name brands are pretty noisy. 

[hemi68charger]

If you do, ask around and find a quiet one.  All the cheap ones and some of the name brands are pretty noisy. 

Cool......... If I do it, it'll only be for initial starting after sitting awhile.......... After that, it's all good until the next "break-in-service"........

[mikepmcs]

Troy, just a question... do they make a mechanical pump with a little more pressure that looks like OEM?

I'm gonna search the net for that right now.

v/r
Mike