Fuel loss in Carburetor

[Ian Osborne]

Lately if I haven't started my '63 in four or five days it seems that the carburetor has gone dry. The starter cranks for an extended period of time and the engine doesn't come close to firing. I have resorted to pouring a little fuel into the carb to save the starter and battery. This gets it started and it runs fine. It also starts fine after sitting a short while - a couple hours or so.

The fuel pump is new and there is always fuel in the glass bowl of the fuel filter. This, along with the fact that it runs fine after it starts make me believe fuel delivery is not the issue. The carb has not been rebuilt for years but has been very reliable until now.

Time for a carb rebuild or any other suggestions?

[Kurt]

Yeah, good advice Clovis. Go back to your corner anyway.

[Ian Osborne]

Clovis,

I don't believe that had been suggested but I was thinking that myself considering the condition of the old part. I did get a modern compliant kit and have the car up and running. I'm confident the issue has been solved and just have to fine tune the carb now.

Thanks to all

[Clovis]

That looks like alcohol ate that rubber. Be sure to get an alcohol resistant rebuild kit. I haven't read the whole post so if someone has already stated this I'll go back to my corner.

[Tony and Ginny 429]

When you pump the gas peddle 3-5 times before starting the car —to set the choke — the pump primes the intake manifold with gas  for the engine to fire on that fuel and start 

that is why a bad pump makes starting difficult 

the prime does not happen so engine is  starving for fuel 

Get a carb rebuilding kit for you number carb and replace all the parts in the kit 

I would examine the —metering rods for wear and replace them if they show signs of wear ( replace them with the same numbers printed on them ) WB  available at a good auto parts store 

you have a metal screen fuel filter where the fuel line enters the carb -( behind that nut ) remove and clean it 

Enjoy 

[Ian Osborne]

I tried the accelerator pump manually and did not see the squirt but thought there might not be any fuel going to it. I then removed the top of the carb. Plenty of fuel in the bowls but as I was pulling it apart I noticed the rubber seal in the accelerator pump had gotten extremely brittle and actually broken into pieces. I would not have thought a non functioning accelerator pump would have caused such hard starting but that looks to be the case. Good call on checking that!

[Ian Osborne]

Tomorrow will be 3 days since it ran so I should be able to get some idea if the fuel is draining from the bowl by removing the top. I will also check operation the accelerator pump but I am doubtful it is not working because there is no issue with hesitation under acceleration once the engine is running.

Thanks for the suggestions

[Tony and Ginny 429]

If the pump has gone bad every time you try to accelerate you will feel --a Lag for a moment in that process
The fuel squirt from the accelerator pump fills that Lag in foward motion when it is working correctly

Enjoy

[Tony and Ginny 429]

I second Russ's thoughts on the carbs accelerator pump working correctly ( or not )

With the air cleaner off - looking into the front of the carb you should hear and see two lines of liquid fuel squirting into the venturi---when you work the carb linkage from idle to full open --each time you do that
No squirt--- pump has gone bad
If the pump has gone bad i would think you have had enough time on that carb to consider a complete rebuild
A new fresh carb will always be a wonderful thing to have to help the engines performance
Accelerator pumps and the carbs needle and seats will wear out over time and need replacing
Owning a 63 with the trans shifting controlled by the carbs TV rod i would rebuild the carb you now have to keep the car shifting as intended
The Edelbrock replacement for the Carter carb will require that --you design a bracket for the TV rod to work the trans shifts correctly
Staying with the Rocheater just seems like a simpler solution to keep the trans shifting as intended

Enjoy

Enjoy

[Russ Austin]

Forgot to ask if the accelerator pump is working.  A few squirts from the pump and the choke closing should get the old gal up and running.

[Ian Osborne]

Thanks Russ, My suspicion is that the cause is along the lines you mention. The symptoms are similar to if I had run the car out of gas and then put gas in the tank, thus the extended cranking time to get fuel back into the carb. I will try your suggestion.