ALMOST got it running

[noitisnt.tony]

Any advice on starting a flooded engine?

On a hunch I pulled the carb last night and just inside the intake manifold I could see standing gas. Not sure what to do to get it fired up, I've tried turn I no the key with my foot on the pedal all the way, it definitely helps but is not enough.

 

[CorkyE]

Pull plugs and check, they're probably well fouled by now. Also spin the engine over with plugs out, this will clear any fuel that's in the cylinders.

Now you need to find out why you have standing fuel in the intake. What kind of carburetor do you have? If it's a Q-Jet, there are epoxy plugs in the bottom that are prone to leaking.

 

[noitisnt.tony]

Pull plugs and check, they're probably well fouled by now. Also spin the engine over with plugs out, this will clear any fuel that's in the cylinders.

Now you need to find out why you have standing fuel in the intake. What kind of carburetor do you have? If it's a Q-Jet, there are epoxy plugs in the bottom that are prone to leaking.

I changed the plugs sunday, perhaps I need to clear all the fuel THEN change the plugs...

It's a Rochester carb, nothing special. I rebuilt it in january and haven't touched it since.

All in all I probably have to get it towed tonight and figure this out later, tomorrow is the last day of our lease overlap for moving.

 

[middleagecrisis]

"On a hunch I pulled the carb last night and just inside the intake manifold I could see standing gas."

Make sure you don't have fuel in your oil, that can lead to all kinds of bad things happening!

 

[chevy2ss]

Pull plugs and check, they're probably well fouled by now. Also spin the engine over with plugs out, this will clear any fuel that's in the cylinders.

Now you need to find out why you have standing fuel in the intake. What kind of carburetor do you have? If it's a Q-Jet, there are epoxy plugs in the bottom that are prone to leaking.

yeah i had an edelbrock one time that a float stuck and filled a cylinder up with gas. ended up bending a pushrod

 

[vabuddha]

as dumb as this may sound ive done a fuel pump swap and had a small leak on the fuel line was sucking more air than fuel but never spilled a drop of fuel

 

[ls777z]

Hooking up a heater core? Not related.
You said you rebuilt the carb? Was it running fine after you put it back on?
As far as the gas sitting in the intake if you've been constantly pumping the gas pedal while attempting to get it running, and it's not, yes, the gas will collect. Remove the plugs you just put in, clean them up, crank it over to get rid of the excess gas, reinstall plugs. Just for the heck of it try spraying some starting fluid in the carb and try starting it without touching the gas. It won't run for long but then you'll know if you're on the right track.

 

[noitisnt.tony]

Hooking up a heater core? Not related.
You said you rebuilt the carb? Was it running fine after you put it back on?
As far as the gas sitting in the intake if you've been constantly pumping the gas pedal while attempting to get it running, and it's not, yes, the gas will collect. Remove the plugs you just put in, clean them up, crank it over to get rid of the excess gas, reinstall plugs. Just for the heck of it try spraying some starting fluid in the carb and try starting it without touching the gas. It won't run for long but then you'll know if you're on the right track.

It ran great right after I put the carb back on, fired right up without pumping the gas.

Last night I could get it to stay running as long as my foot was on the gas, once I took it off it died immediately. It sounds like maybe the excess gas is causing one or more cylinders to not fire and thus making the engine run weak?

If I pull the plugs and turn the engine over to empty the gas should I do something to prevent more gas from building up (like disconnect the fuel line?) Or assume it was me on the pedal that got the gas there?

 

[ls777z]

If it wouldn't start after numerous attempts then the gas just collected. If it ran and you still had the gas then it's got to be the carb. Are you sure you set the float height correctly or checked to see if it moves freely? That would explain the excess gas and having to keep the idle high/foot on the gas to keep it running. I've run in to that problem a few times with my Holley.

 

[noitisnt.tony]

If it wouldn't start after numerous attempts then the gas just collected. If it ran and you still had the gas then it's got to be the carb. Are you sure you set the float height correctly or checked to see if it moves freely? That would explain the excess gas and having to keep the idle high/foot on the gas to keep it running. I've run in to that problem a few times with my Holley.

Could enough backfires through the carb cause the flat to mess up? I did have several backfires before I got the timing set.