Car won't fire up unless primed, Is it a carb issue or something else?

[WH23G3G]

I've got this 65 Valiant 170 1bbl that I'm trying to get started. I added 4 gallons of fresh fuel today, it's got a recent fuel pump, and I installed a new clear fuel filter to see the gas. I did rebuild the carb a month or two ago and thought that I did everything right. I'm not sure if the choke is causing a problem. The choke thermostat's rod in the manifold when connected to the carb keeps the choke plate open a little more than it looks like it should be. What it's doing is that it will fire up when you prime the carb with some carb cleaner or starting fluid but dies when it burns out. So it just runs for a second. I put in a new distributor about a year ago, the car has been sitting outside ever since. I timed the distributor by putting #1 at TDC with the damper on 0. It seemed hard to tell which turn of the pulley was compression on this Slant Six with the #1 plug out and my finger over the whole because it's a big hole because it has the removable spark plug wells. But I'm pretty sure it's on compression now. It did fire up with the carb cleaner sprayed and didn't flame up so I assume the timing is close enough to fire. So with all that info is there something wrong with the carb or could it be something else? It does spray gas out the nozzles when you hit the gas. I have a reman Holley 1920 but I wanted to get this one running first so I can get the timing right and then swap it over. What should I try now?

[Paul G]

Where are your idle mixture screws set at? Should be about 1 1/2 turns out as a starting point, adjust from there after the engine warms up. Will it stay running if you keep feathering the throttle, keep the squirters squirting?

[WH23G3G]

No it won't stay running if I tap the gas while I have it primed with carb cleaner. That's why I thought maybe an accelerator pump promblem. But the rebuild kit did come with a new one which I installed. I did turn the mixture screw all the way in and back it out 1.5 turns. I'm not sure how to set the fast idle and curb idle screws as a starting point. Is it better to try and start it with the air cleaner on or off on a Slant Six? It's got one of those original restrictive closed air cleaners w/o a snorkel which I've heard causes trouble starting. I'm wondering since it will run for a second or two after I prime it can that rule out the ignition system? This carb isn't original to this engine either. It's a 66 170 and the carb is a Holley 1920 from a 1962 225. The original choke rod keeps the choke plate open more than it should, so I don't know if that's causing a problem. I don't think it should since it's about 78-85 degrees here. I was going to install this reman carb I picked up at the parts store because it's correct with the spring staged choke and choke pulloff on it. But I really wanted to get it running and the timing set right before I swapped carbs. Anything else I can check to verify that it is a carb problem first?

[c00nhunterjoe]

Try with the choke fully opened. This time of year you shouldn't need it anyway.  If the squirters are dumping fuel I'm not understanding why it won't run feathering the throttle, or even kick over with a few pumps.

[Paul G]

Okay lets get some clarity. Are you spraying carb cleaner down the carb while trying to start? Carb cleaner will stall an engine. Starting fluid will help an engine fire up. Which one are you using?

Hold or block the choke wide open while you are trying to get it started. Dont need it when it is warm outside. 

[WH23G3G]

I installed the reman carb I have today and played with the distributor back and forth for a couple hours. Finally it started and runs. I had the vacuum advance line off and everything plugged. I was using an advance timing light. I turned the knob until the white mark lined with 0 and on the dial it was at about 7 or 8 degrees. Does that mean the timing is at 7 or 8 BTC? Timing on a 65 should be 2.5 BTC. It was idling at about 700-750 which is what the fast idle should be. Curb idle should be 550. Should I mess with it? It ran smooth and was so quiet. It was smoking from the tailpipe a little, maybe from sitting for so long, it wasn't that bad. I drove it around the driveway a bit because it's pretty big and it runs along fine. The Park cable and e-brake don't hold so I didn't want to take it around the neighborhood with lots of hills. Next project is brakes  and park cable for sure.

[Paul G]

You can set the dial on the light to 0, then read the mark on the damper. Set the mark to your desired number BTDC. Either way works. If it gets some pinging you will want to set it back some. Wont be able to tell if it pings till you can get it on the road. Glad you have it running.

[WH23G3G]

I'm not familiar with the type of timing light that I bought. But I have several. This one with the dial I was told was the best. I even called the company's tech line to ask how to use it properly. The tech said to take a reading and turn the dial until the white mark lines up with the 0 on the timing tab and that will give you youre initial advance. Then he said turn the dial to the desired number degrees advance and turn the distributor in the correct direction until the white mark again lines up with 0. He said they use the 0 mark because it's easier to see on the tab. So when they say turn the dial to the desired advance setting does that mean my timing spec of 2.5? Doesn't advance mean number of degrees BTDC? That's why I got this light because it's supposse to help you get it right on the number.