engine starts hard ...

[0X01B8]

So, the motor starts hard after it sits for around 1/2 hour or more.  This is usually after a good long drive.  It will crank and crank and then sputter to life.  It's not vapor-locked and it turns over like normal.  Doesn't seem to matter if I give it gas when cranking or not.  It always does start, though.  It also has to crank quite a bit to get it started after several days or longer of sitting.

It's really more of an annoyance than anything.  The motor runs fantastic in every other scenario, it's really dialed in well.  I can drive around forever on a warm day, shut it down to gas up, and it fires right up.

It's like all the gas drains out of the carb after a while - is that even possible?  This symptom was also present before my cam change and subsequent re-jetting / re-tuning of the carb.  It's a Carter 750.

So what do you think, I mean, do you have any promising leads?   

-john

[Musicman]

Sounds like you've already diagnosed your problem... Yes, the gas is leaving the system... boiling out on a hot engine after a long drive, and evaporating when just sitting there for extendended periods of a time... Todays gas evaporates much quicker & easier than the gas sold in the 60's. Your not alone, many folks are suffering or have suffered the same problems. There are things that can be done... heat insulators under the carb, electric fuel pump, etc,etc... What to do, or what not to do, comes down to a matter of choice and personal preference.

Mike 

[0X01B8]

Thanks.  I found a similar thread --> http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,16551.0.html  When we did the resto I looked at the fuel return line and thought "where the hell does this hook up?"  I'd never had a mopar with 2 fuel lines, so we just plugged it.     A quick look at the shop manual reveals the mysterious fuel vapor separator which I guess was a RT only deal.  Don't know why I missed that in the first place.  Anyway, I bet that's my problem.  I like my engine to look stock I guess I'm gonna get banged out of $60 for a basically a fancy filter!     

[histoy]

Running the fuel vapor line from the fuel filter back to the gas tank will not solve the problem you are having.

[BrianShaughnessy]

You can substitute this fuel filter in place of a vapor separator.
http://napaonline.com/masterpages/NOLMaster.aspx?PageId=470&LineCode=FIL&PartNumber=3054&Description=Fuel+Filter+(Gold)