[Formulajones]

A stock mechanical fuel pump works off a diaphragm and check valve setup as already mentioned earlier in this thread.

So technically it should hold fuel from the pump forward. If not I'd look at another mechanical pump.

Your carb should also hold fuel in the float bowl, enough to fire off fairly quickly with minimal cranking, and should run on that long enough for the fuel pump to catch up and run normally.

I've never had an issue with todays fuel evaporating completely out of the carb float bowls. If it's bone dry it must be leaking somewhere, or the carb has gotten so hot it's percolating off, or maybe pushing it past the needle and seat after shut down.

Some of my carbed stuff that I'm not driving can sit for months and they still have a shot of fuel from the squirter and fuel in the bowls. It'll run on that for a several seconds and then I see fuel pressure build as the mechanical pump catches up.