Okay, I’m going to show my status as a newbie here.. Went at looked at an older Third Gen that seemed to be in great shape. 305 Carb. Never really messed with carburetored engines so is it normal to have to pump the gas pedal before the car starts? I always assumed this was a sign of age (worn parts), but this car started right up after said pumping with no blue smoke.

If this is a sign of age, what worn parts does this usually indicate?

 

It is normal to haft to pump it 1-2 times before you start it. I have an old manual that came with my car somewhere that says 2 pumps then start. Mine starts on one, IF it takes more than that there is usually a probem with the choke thermostat.

 

Is that a pretty isolated thing, or does it indicate your carb is probably bad?

 

pumping the pedal is normal, the longer it sits you may have to pump more times, thats just some of the fun of an old carb

BTW Welcome to TGO!!

 

 

choke thermostat is like a 30 dollar part very easy to change. It might not even be that you may just haft to adjust it, I had a problem with mine long ago and though that was bad, but It only needed to be adjusted. I doubt its the actual carb.

 

If i pump it 3 times thats what i was taught then my engine fire right up but i also have my distributor, wires and even my Q-Jet is in sync just gotta play with it for a while.

 

With a properly setup q-jet (unless it's -40) ONE pump, and crank it over. Any more and something is not perfect.

 

"Normal" would be about 1/2 travel depression. In colder weather, maybe a whole pump.

You are doing two things with this: 1) Allowing the choke butterfly to close and high idle cam to set; 2) giving the intake manifold an initial "charge" of gasoline.

It was 17 degrees F this morning when I went out to start the Camaro. I gave the accelerator pedal 1/2 a pump, turned the key immediately with my foot off of the accelerator, and it started in less than 2 seconds. It kept running, I tapped the accelerator after about 5 seconds of running to bring the high idle down one step, put it in gear and drove off. This is normal.

If yours doesn't work like that, you've got something that isn't right. I wouldn't go so far as saying it has to be "perfect", as it implies the system is finicky, which it isn't. Check out the E4ME sticky in the top section of this forum for adjustment details.

 

Its normal. Remember, pumping the pedal brings the fuel to the carb. Its not like a fuel injected car where a electric fuel pump will bring the fuel to the engine automatically as you start it.

 

Likewise, is it bad when you jump in the car and pump the car 7 or 8 times before you try and start it? Got acouple of buddies who do that before they ever turn the key. Is this bad for the carb and/or engine?

 

It doesn't bring fuel to the carb, the fuel is already in the carb. The fuel pump brings fuel to the carb, and with a mechanical pump, it requires the engine to be turning over. Pumping the pedal does dump fuel into the intake manifold.

Bad for the engine. You're basically dumping raw fuel into the intake that will either wash down the cylinders or flood the mixture. Unnecessary, harmful - either stupid, or there's something really wrong with the carb system if that's what it takes to get it started.

 

Yea, it should never take that many pumps. If the accelerator pump seal is broken/missing, and 7 pumps is NEEDED to get it to start - then fix that. An acc pump comes with a new seal from napa for what - $10? The car will run a lot nicer when you go to pass someone too....

 

No clue what that is, but sounds pretty easy to fix. All in All this sounds like an isolated problem with the carb/start-up system.

Finally, would this be a problem that would deter you from buying a car? If its something that's probably isolated to the carb system, doesn't seem like a big deal.

 

What problem? You haven't described anything wrong yet.

 

Yea, if it takes more than ONE pump to get it to start, then you can consider replacing this $10 part that might take you 20 minutes to do.

One pump is normal though. No problems. Buy the car.

 

It isn't unusual to need to rebuild a carb from time to time. If the car hasn't been operated regularly lately, it's even more likely that the carb will need to be rebuilt. Things get dirty, gummed up, and if the car sits and the gas evaporates, dried out.

A rebuild kit will run about $40. The carb cleaner to dip the various parts in while the carb is disassembled with run $15-20. The kit will include detailed instructions on disassembly and settings. The E4ME sticky in the top section of this forum is also chock-full of good information (including where this "accelerator pump" is). A couple of adjustment tools come in handy in this process as well, cost me about $8 three years ago IMS.

 

not trying to steal the thread but does the fast idle ever come off by itself on a holley? i let mine warm up about 10 mins and it is almost at 2k and i have to tap the gas to get it to go to normal idle. When i start my car first thing in the morning i just push the throttle in slowly till i hear the choke plate close then it fires right up

 

No, the fast idle never comes off by itself on any carb.

 

Thats odd, mine does after a couple of minutes
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I would get the car, its a minor problem to fix and its really common on these cars, mine used to have the same problem if that makes you feel better

 

The fast idle won't come down until you tap the accelerator. If your idle speed drops without tapping the accelerator, something other than the fast idle cam coming off is causing it.

 

I have a question on this also since we are on the topic. I store my car in the winter, and last summer I probably took it out twice. Anyway, since mine sits for so long, I have to pump it about 5 times and crank it over for about 5 seconds, and repeat until the car starts. Usually 2 or 3 times. I'm guessing the fuel has evaporated out of the bowls and the pump has to fill them back up to the point where it can flow through the carb properly. Does this seem normal??

After the initial startup though, and it's driven regularly I usually only have to pump once, sometimes not at all.

Another thing, after driving and I turn the car off and go back to start it again later, sometimes it hesitates to crank over or cranks REAL SLOW. What's the deal with that?? I've heard it could be timing, or the carb is running too rich (which it is...needs rebuilt) and when it does actually start, sometimes it will quit right after. It only does this after I've driven for a while and turn the car off and then start it back up shortly after. It's kind of annoying.... any suggestions??

 

Yes, that's normal. Instead of letting the fuel evaporate and leave behind all sorts of nastiness in your float bowls, when you shut the car down for winter you should drain the bowl by pinching off the fuel line and letting it run until it stalls.

You could have too much initial advance so the mixture is being lit while the piston is still on the upward stroke, or you could have a weak battery or starter.

 

One pump is fine. I had to replace the choke thermostat relay and readjust the choke. It's not perfect, but my car starts with 1-3 pumps. Before it would take 7-9 pumps and the car ran like crap. You could rebuid the carb now, but if it starts and runs good with 1-3 pumps, I'd leave it alone for now. If the rest of the car is fine and the price is right, buy the car the carb is ok.