[RocktimusPryme]

Mine does exactly the same thing. If Ive been driving it, cranks right up. If I wait a couple of days, it has to be cranked for a while. Ive looked everywhere for small fuel leaks. Cant find one. Even after I switched to the electric pump. If it sits for a while, its going to crank longer.

At this point it just is what it is. Its never not started, so I just stopped thinking about it. With mine anyway, its not an eternity. Probably 4-6 seconds on the starter, but its notably longer than if I drove the car a few hours ago.

[geeteeohguy]

Totally normal. Especially with the new E-10 gas we have to use. I've had my '67 GTO for 38 years, and this issue started to be more noticeable with the newer gas. My tripower '65 can sit for a couple-three weeks and fires right up, same as my '61 Chev, which has dual Carter WCFB's.

[68 Firebird]

totally normal here too
sits for a few days and she starts instantly!!
sits a week or more and fires after 2 seconds of cranking!!!
Also same for my old jeep.

Gerry

[fiedlerh]

Are to following parts newer ones that are resistant to ethanol in gas?
Fuel pump (easy to swap out)
Rubber inlet tline to the fuel pump.
Rubber fuel lines on top of the gas tank.
Carb float
Inlet needle

[Formulajones]

If you get a good carb kit from someone like Cliff, it will come with good parts that are resistant to ethanol. Most of your store bought cheap rebuild kits do not.

As far as rubber lines go made today, I would assume they are about as resistant to ethanol as one can expect. I've never had any issues with any of them on several cars.

Fuel pumps, hard to say. I don't know if the cheap $30 rebuilt replacement pumps really care if they build them ethanol resistant. I tend to believe that most of them are not. Even with that said I have a couple in service on daily drivers that are still working just fine. One is more than 20 years old now, before I think they even cared about ethanol resistant diaphragms, and that pump is still working fine as we speak. The other pump I bought 5 years ago and it's working fine as well. So I don't really worry about it. They are so cheap to buy I just carry a spare in the trunk for the long road trips. The last mechanical pump I actually had fail on me (started weeping out the hole so it alerted me early) was around 30 years ago. And that one still got me home.

As far as Q-jet starting issues, I haven't really had an issue with that either, no more than one would expect if the car sits for a couple weeks. It only has to crank over for a couple seconds and it fires off. That's pretty normal for any carbureted car that sits for any period of time. If it just sits overnight then sure, it fires as soon as you touch the key.

That's all just pretty normal carb operation as far as I'm concerned.

[Cliff R]

We get a LOT of complaints to the shop from folks who have recently purchased mechanical fuel pumps. It appears that Airtex is making most of them, and the quality is horrible from the reports I'm getting.

They are known to have WAY too much fuel pressure, and some customers have to buy several of them to finally get one that doesn't flood.

Just went thru a MAJOR ordeal wiht the owner of a later 1970's Chevy truck. I did his carb and NOTHING but issues. It would run OK at times, then stumble, hesitate, surge and even stall. Then other times it was fine. I asked about the pump, and very quickly he snapped back that he just replaced it with a "new one".

Things were going South on the job and right before he was about to send the carb back the truck stalled and left him stranded. Turns out his "new" fuel pump pivot broke and the pump arm wasn't moving the diaphragm so no fuel delivery. I suppose it was broken or loose from day one and just kept getting worse till it completely failed. Most likely those pumps and NOT USA manufacture from what I'm seeing.

I'd also mention that "drain back" and poor priming issues are among the complaints from folks using them........FWIW......

[BLUE TA]

hi guys, started my 74 TA today with a q-jet. took about 5 seconds and fired up. I have the carter hp pump. seems fairly normal with todays gas. BLUE TA

[Greg Reid]

Originally Posted by BLUE TA

hi guys, started my 74 TA today with a q-jet. took about 5 seconds and fired up. I have the carter hp pump. seems fairly normal with todays gas. BLUE TA

You left out one important detail on the subject...How long had your car been sitting before you started it?

[z man]

I installed a small electric inline pump 5 psi That pushes fuel to the original mechanical pump in my 68 GTO. Thought I would need it to ward off vapor lock. But since installed, only use it for 4 second prime before starting. Starter Never cranks more than 4 seconds before starting after a week. No excessive pressure pushing past carb inlet even with both pumps operating.

[brjgto]

Originally Posted by Kenth

10 seconds on starter may seem like an eternity before start compared to a modern fuel injected car with a closed to atmosphere fuel system and a start button.

Not uncommon with todays fuel evoparates out of fuel bowl in a couple of days.
Should not take more than 10 seconds on starter for fuel pump to fill the bowl.
I would say normal for a carb with center located small fuel bowl.
IIRC this is mentioned in the owners manual.

BTW, 1969 and later Q-jets seldom if ever leaks thru the bottom plugs like the 1968 and earlier unit were plagued with.

FWIW

My plugs never leaked and I thinks it’s normal to refill the bowl after sitting. My method is always pump the pedal constantly while cranking no longer than 5 seconds. It always fires on the second try if not the first. Long cranks are not good. Knowing it takes good pressure to fill the bowl leaves time to prime the oil pump too.👍😉

[OG68]

Originally Posted by z man

I installed a small electric inline pump 5 psi That pushes fuel to the original mechanical pump in my 68 GTO. Thought I would need it to ward off vapor lock. But since installed, only use it for 4 second prime before starting. Starter Never cranks more than 4 seconds before starting after a week. No excessive pressure pushing past carb inlet even with both pumps operating.

Z man, do you recall what electric pump you used? Where did you mount it? Inline or parallel with the fuel line?

[z man]

The pump is mounted above the foward face of the fuel tank on the frame of the car. I cut the fuel feed line there and spliced in the pump. Line in line out. You need to run power to it and have an on/off switch near the dash. Many of the small pumps only put out 5 to 7 psi . they will last eight years or better as you’re not using it constantly . You shouldn’t have to worry about excess pressure forcing fuel past your inlet valve. One pointI should mention if your using this to offset the effects of starvation or vaporlock, you should also install a check valve to force the pressurized fuel to the carb . You can hear my pump ticking as it pumps before startup. Please wrap yours with a hose/ etc if you don’t want the noise.

[z man]

Let me clarify. The tank feed line feeds The mechanical pump. This line needs to be cut in two places to put two tee fittings in that will allow the electric pump a place to be fed and a place to push fuel through . I don’t have the ability to post a photograph , so , the first tee nearest the tank will feed the electric pump. From there the pump will feed the other tee leading to the mechanical pump. This tee will require a check valve at the feed inlet to stop fuel from returning to the tank. The electric pump will push fuel through the mechanical pump weather the engine is running or not. But don’t believe the mechanical pump can pull fuel through the electric. Hope this helps. Can’t get the exact pump, but have used 3 or 4 on two different cars in twenty years. Nothing elaborate

[68 Firebird]

Really normal for any carb I would say.
Gerry

[98 SNAKE EATER]

If you're having drainback issues due to a possible bad fuel pump check valve not sealing right, consider a fuel filter with a built in check valve as a quick fix.

Most guys frown upon them as they can cause starvation at high rpm's, but if it cures your starting problem, at least you'll have a good idea what the problem may be without even pulling the carb.

If it doesn't work, check the float and make sure it's not fuel soaked (a heavy float will cause drain back after shutting down).

And if you do a tear down, replace the secondary well plug seals and drill/tap the primaries for bolts and use a good epoxy seal on the threads.

[NeighborsComplaint]

I have always run Holley carbs so I am spoiled by it starting faster than I can release the key even after sitting for a couple weeks. I so run a pusher pump inline back at the tank with no bypass or check valve and have no issues. I thought it might be needed but my Carter Competition Series mechanical pump has no problem supplying all the fuel it needs so I rarely ever switch it on. I really only use it for initial startup after winter storage. I just flick the pump on and it fills the carb in a couple seconds even without cranking. The fuel free-flows through the mechanical pump when the engine isn't cranked so no need for that extra plumbing and check valves to fail. The fuel just flows straight through the mechanical pump no matter where on the pump eccentric the arm winds up when you shut off the motor. It pumps via a moving diaphragm and never fully closes off the plenum in the pump.