jeff70

Hey guys,

For a couple of years now if I let my car a 71 Convert Supreme CA sit for 2 weeks or more its hard to start and will kill the battery trying to start. I resorted to using starting fluid which would in a sense would prime the carb I suppose?After 2-3 sprays It will fire up and be fine until it sits for 2 weeks.

Some details about the car.

New rebuilt Q-jet
New fuel filter
New fuel pump
New fuel line from pump to carb

It has the original fuel tank, sending unit and lines from coming from the tank forward.


Any ideas before I start throwing $$$ at it?

Thanks.

jeff70

I forgot to mention I started it 3 weeks ago and tried today and the starting fluid will not prime the carb now.

Im not getting fuel to the carb as of today.

Thanks

oldcutlass

First off, you may have a weak battery if it goes dead before the pump brings some fuel into the carb. You can fill the carb bowl threw the vent tube to expedite starting. If the car sits for 2 weeks or more, chances are the fuel is evaporating in the carb. This is normal. If its not starting with the ether, you may have a weak ignition system.

jeff70

Thanks for the reply.


I keep the battery on a trickle charger for the most part. Even with a fully charged battery it will not bring the fuel up from the tank to fill the float bowl unless I prime it with starter fluid or pour into the vent tube.

Prior to 2 years ago it never did this, It would start after a few runs of the key and a few pumps of the pedal.

Like I previously mentioned It now won't even prime with the starting fluid. I ran outta time before work so I didn't get a chance to prime the flat bowls manually.

Thanks

MDchanic

Check your rubber hoses for cracks and steel lines for pinholes, between the tank and the pump.

Just pull the rubber hoses, put a hose with a bolt in it on one end of each steel line, and a line to a compressed air source on the other, and see if the air leaks out, then replace the hoses.

- Eric

jeff70

I did notice the rubber line the connects the tank to the hard line had a small leak. Would a small leak cause it to not want to bring the fuel up from the tank though?

jharsh

It would be like trying to drink through a straw with a hole in the side.

MDchanic

+1. Make a hole in a straw above the waterline and try to drink through it.

- Eric

jeff70

Ok, I will start with replacing the rubber pieces.

Is their a filter or sock on the sender or pick up tube in the tank?

oldcutlass

There is a sock on the pickup tube. I'll add check your fuel filter in the carb if your still running a Rochester and that was not the one you replaced.