[3Putter]

Hello Gurus. I'm stumped. My 63 Impala has a 350 crate. It used to startup great. For the past few months, when it's cold, it cranks and cranks and sometimes back spitrs gas out of my carb. Used to have a Holley 80457(elect. choke). Since that's a squarebore, I used an adapter. Thought that was the problem. Now I have a Holley 80555c. Same problem. Timed 8 deg. and has always had a MSD elect. distributor. When it's warm......not much of a problem. Tried different choke settings, doesn't matter. Good spark at the new plugs. I remember way back when it would start up in 1 second. Now, it'll run the battery dead on a cold morning. Any suggestions???

[84_sportcoupe]

how cold are we talking about? like 40F or like -10f? if your in freezing or below freezing weather you need to use a header duct. basically it is a small duct that comes off the exhaist manifold in to the breather, it warms the air going into your carb.

i once new a guy who wired a glow plug up under the lid of his breather with a switch for freezing cold starting. the hics in michigan will do anything to get to the ice faster

i dont reccomend you try it. if you want to go that route i would rig up an aluminum carb spacer with some window defroster strips all over it.

[hemiford]

Miles on the engine? Time for a tune up, plugs, wires, cap&rotor? MSD electronic what? HEI or MSD box to an HEI or full MSD to a MSD magnetic pickup distr. My similar engine starts everytime in the cold. It tends to foul plugs as it warms up though. I run modified Mallory HEI with no box.

[lluciano77]

Have someone start the engine when it is cold. While they try to start it you should open or close the choke plate by hand until it starts up. It might only need 1/8" or so. That will tell you your intial setting. Bend the choke rod to achieve this. Then once the engine cools all the way down again get your choke pull off correct. Then get your fast idle right, and finally get the thermostat setting correct.

[GTO 1965]

3Putter

make sure the accelerater pump is working then try 6 to 10 pumps before you turn the engine over, if this works your choke is not set tight enough closed, they need to be closed completely when the engine is cold then the pull off needs to be working after the engine starts, it will only pull the choke butterfly about 1/8 to 1/4 inch open.




Good Luck

[3Putter]

Thanks for all the tips. Our cold temp is only like 35 to 45 deg. This is the second carb with the same results but in all honesty, I haven't tried adjusting all the linkages. I have tried numerous pedal pumps to start with and various choke thermostat settings without any change. I'll check how closed is closed.

[3Putter]

Well, I checked linkage adjustments. All seems to be correct. I tried to start it again (it was 65 deg.F. here) and it cranked a couple times and when I let off the starter, it turned over and then stopped and spit a straight stream of about a quart of gas straight up into the hood and all over. Same problem as always. I only pumped twice. Is that much fuel normal? Still won't start.
Going Nuts

[GTO 1965]

3Putter

It sounds like the ignition switch might be bad. As you try and start the engine let off the key and see if it tries to start and do that a couple of times if it only hits as you let off then more than likely it is the switch.

Also check the back of the switch and see if any wires may have came off.

[3Putter]

That's what I suspected also. So I tore into the ignition sw. and tested all. No problems. A mechanic friend said it was my Holley leaking at the float and filling the intake. That would explain the quart of gas pumping straight out of my carb. And it did only happen after a long sit time. This is my second carb. and I have the same problem. But, my first carb was also a Holley. He said they're notorius for that. What do you think?

[GTO 1965]

Boy, I can see why this thing is driving you crazy!

If you have a rubber fuel line going to the carb try pinching it off with a pair of vice grips and try starting the engine, if it starts and runs untill the carb empties then you know it's the carb if not ?????????

Jim