eyeteeth wrote:
Latest problem... The old girl has gotten rather difficult to start. Runs fine... just doesn't like starting up.
But other ideas are appreciated.
Latest problem... The old girl has gotten rather difficult to start. Runs fine... just doesn't like starting up.
But other ideas are appreciated.
Just a thought, I wonder if they have upgraded gaskets etc in the newer carb rebuild kits to deal with the ethanol problems?
Downsizing ">
Ballenxj wrote:
Just a thought, I wonder if they have upgraded gaskets etc in the newer carb rebuild kits to deal with the ethanol problems?
eyeteeth wrote:
Latest problem... The old girl has gotten rather difficult to start. Runs fine... just doesn't like starting up.
But other ideas are appreciated.
Latest problem... The old girl has gotten rather difficult to start. Runs fine... just doesn't like starting up.
But other ideas are appreciated.
Just a thought, I wonder if they have upgraded gaskets etc in the newer carb rebuild kits to deal with the ethanol problems?
Yea... Some kits claim to... others don't mention it. The ones that specifically mention it are easily 3-4 times the price... Definitely worth asking when I pick up the new kit from NAPA.
Ballenxj wrote:
Just a thought, I wonder if they have upgraded gaskets etc in the newer carb rebuild kits to deal with the ethanol problems?
eyeteeth wrote:
Latest problem... The old girl has gotten rather difficult to start. Runs fine... just doesn't like starting up.
But other ideas are appreciated.
Latest problem... The old girl has gotten rather difficult to start. Runs fine... just doesn't like starting up.
But other ideas are appreciated.
Just a thought, I wonder if they have upgraded gaskets etc in the newer carb rebuild kits to deal with the ethanol problems?
The boss at CarQuest when I worked there rebuilt carbs as a sideline. According to him, all carb kits now have the newer gaskets and seals as long as you don't buy the cheaper kits from less reliable companies. Also, avoid NOS (new old stock) kits.
I've rebuilt more carbs than I'd care to count. Back in the early '80s, I had to rebuild the BBD carb on our '77 B200 roughly once a year. The carb seemed to go bad every spring. Turns out the cheaper gas line anti-freeze we were using was mostly ethanol.
I'd also do a tune-up ... new sparkplugs, distributor cap, and rotor at a minimum. Also put a timing light on it to make sure the distributor hasn't shifted. (Electronic ignition is so much better than the old point systems.)
I usually also get a new set of plug wires and replace the vacuum advance hose. I also check the 12VDC wires on the coil to make sure they're in good shape and the connections are clean and tight. Do the same with the block negative/ground cable.
Check the polarity on the 12VDC wires on the coil. It's not unusual for people to switch the wires accidentally. That tends to make the ignition system less effective and the engine hard to start, especially if it's been a while since the last tune-up.
An old boy told me, "Ignition first, fuel second." Simply put, if you don't have a good, hot spark, at the right time, messing with the fuel system is a waste of time and effort. (He grew up with moonshiners and rum-runners, as well as the boys who started NASCAR ... he had Lee Petty's autograph, as well as a number of autographs from other early NASCAR drivers and crew chiefs.)
1970 Explorer Class A on a 1969 Dodge M300 chassis with 318 cu. in. (split year)
1972 Executive Class A on a Dodge M375 chassis with 413 cu. in.
1973 Explorer Class A on a Dodge RM350 (R4) chassis with 318 engine & tranny from 1970 Explorer Class A
A cold engine requires a richer mixture to start, whether its the fuel pump squirts or the choke plate cutting off the air.
On another note. Mr. Gasket Thermostats are garbage. Complete Garbage... I bought a skirted thermostat in fall 2015. Drove Maybe 300 miles between the installation and it's failure... got around it by using a non skirted thermostat. The other week, I put the another skirted thermostat from Mr Gasket back in... and... it lasted 2 heat cycles and less than 12 miles. leaving us stranded AGAIN. Put the other thermostat back in and limped it back to the campground. GARBAGE!!! Find something else. Save yourself the trouble... Mr Gasket seems to be pretty prevalent, but if you dig a bit, there are other options. Hopefully, they're better.
I put a Stewart Components thermostat in mine and it's been the best one I've found.
'73 Concord 20' Class A w/Dodge 440 - see profile for photo
It's rare but does happen, especially in really old (decades) carburetors.
I know it's not good news, as it usually means replacing the carb rather then rebuilding.
Mr. Gasket is an example of cheap components ... meaning lower quality materials and less stringent quality control. I strongly dislike having to do a job more often than necessary. So, I prefer to pay more for things from reliable manufacturers. (I tend to prefer the same things NASCAR builders use. When's the last time you saw a Mr. Gasket sticker on a winning race car?)
I tend to prefer Fel-Pro and look for parts stores that carry that brand.
If you have pinholes, you want to use a solvent resistant epoxy, similar to that used to seal gas tanks.
RvFNG76 wrote:
Since we are on the topic of carbs. Ive been having mine hiccup (backfiire) every once in awhile usually during hard acceleration it only happens when i first get into the throttle it will pop once then never again any takers on why. Another question what "performance" upgrades has anyone done to maybe boost ponies or fuel economy?
Since we are on the topic of carbs. Ive been having mine hiccup (backfiire) every once in awhile usually during hard acceleration it only happens when i first get into the throttle it will pop once then never again any takers on why. Another question what "performance" upgrades has anyone done to maybe boost ponies or fuel economy?
1. Distributor timing.
2. Vacuum advance.
2.a. Worn vacuum advance springs in distributor.
2.b. Leaky, loose, or plugged vacuum advance hose.
2.c. Other vacuum leaks.
3. Pre-ignition. (Carbon build-up in cylinders.)
(This assumes it's back-firing through the carb ... not in the exhaust system.)
An old-school technique for reducing carbon build-up in cylinders is to dribble water into the carburetor when the engine is warmed up. In the hot cylinders, the water flashes into steam, knocking the carbon loose. (Just enough water to almost stall the engine but no more.)
Economy: Not sure about the big-blocks but advancing the timing a few degrees on older small-blocks results in a more complete burn.
If it starts knocking, especially on hard acceleration, you've gone too far.
My '77 B200 van, with 318 cu. in. engine, got 18-20 mpg ... if I behaved myself. (This was in the mountainous region in south-central Alaska.) Part of it was advancing the timing. The rest was driving style.
I've said it before -- you're driving a big truck, not a sports-car. Smooth and easy on the throttle makes a lot of difference.
If you have a four-barrel carb, try to stay out of the secondaries.
A four-barrel has a greater potential for fuel economy than a two-barrel, provided you avoid using the secondaries unless necessary. The primaries are usually smaller than the venturis in a two-barrel.
My '77 B200 had a Carter BBD two-barrel ... I might have been able to boost economy a bit more if I'd swapped to a four-barrel. However, it wouldn't have been enough better to justify the expense.
Our '69/70 Explorer Class A, with a 318, got 14-16 mpg ... when I behaved myself. Under-powered? No. It routinely tackled Turnagain Pass without any difficulties. I'd pick up speed (to 70-75 mph) before starting the climb and then hold steady up the long steep grade. I wouldn't have to downshift until the last quarter mile before the crest. I'd be down to 30-40 mph when I reached the crest.
On the other hand, I'd be passing small cars and light trucks before I was halfway up the grade and they were having to downshift well before me ... usually because they were forcing the throttle.
So, to repeat ... driving style makes the greater difference when it comes to fuel economy.