Hard starting, fuel supply problem

[Cool Hand Lurker]

My 53 flathead had a problem starting without a lot of cranking, whether it was hot, cold, or whether or not it had been running recently. It acted like the carb bowl had emptied out. I had just rebuilt the carb though so everything should have been OK.

It turned out that the economizer valve was leaking. Even though it was new there was a defective diaphragm in the valve so I had to put in another valve. Problem solved!

(The economizer valve I am talking about is #45 in the diagram.)

[ken ct]

A lot depends what an how you put things back together. You could be leaking from the PV, [poor or wrong gasket] That would empty out bowl in a hurry. junk foreign parts would comprize of,Rubber accel. pump,any inlet needle that is not all steel,wrong float setting,Poorly made or wrong #.Questions like this are hard to answer,we didn't do the rebuilding??? ken ct.I can try to help if you call me. 1-203-260-5945 cell #/

[V8COOPMAN]

Wow Cool Hand Lurker, seems like even though you have the "Problem solved", you probably need to consult an EXPERT to make certain that you put things back together correctly, make sure you didn't use junk foreign parts, along with making sure you didn't set the float level incorrectly, nor that you used the wrong inlet needle, and to verify that YOU actually did the rebuild. Maybe then you can be assured......"Problem solved"! Personally, I think ya done GOOD. DD

[KiWinUS]

Originally Posted by V8COOPMAN

Wow Cool Hand Lurker, seems like even though you have the "Problem solved", you probably need to consult an EXPERT to make certain that you put things back together correctly, make sure you didn't use junk foreign parts, along with making sure you didn't set the float level incorrectly, nor that you used the wrong inlet needle, and to verify that YOU actually did the rebuild. Maybe then you can be assured......"Problem solved"! Personally, I think ya done GOOD. DD

Very well put "Coop"
The smartest decision made here was not to let kenct butcher his carb !!!

[wga]

Actuallyl, Ken CT, was a HUGE help to me on my 94. Sac Vintage Ford supplied a PV that was wrong - and no help after the sale. Ken sent me the correct parts.

[Cool Hand Lurker]

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Actually this had happened to me before, back in 1966, with a 54 Ford so I had an idea what might be wrong. That was on my trip home when I got out of the Army. I had just rebuilt not only the carb but also the engine and at highway speed the engine started stumbling and quit as it flooded out. As it slowed down I put the accelerator to the floor to clean it out and then it picked up speed again. I had to alternate foot pedal all the way down, speed up to 70, let up and coast down to 40 then repeat it again for about 15 miles until I came to a Ford Dealer right off the interstate. I coasted in to the service area and went in to talk to a mechanic for advice. I had no clue what was wrong, but having the skill and tools with me to fix whatever was wrong and only a few dollars in my pocket I couldn't pay them to do anything. The service manager came out and listened to the engine and said it needed a new power valve. I told him that I had just replaced that and he said "It's bad. It happens even to new ones." Nice guy, didn't even charge me! I went to the parts department, bought a new power valve and installed it, drove off with a smooth running engine. I wish I could remember who the dealer was, I just know it was somewhere on the interstate between Albuquerque, New Mexico and Minneapolis, Minnesota.

And it happened again to a brother-in-law up at their lake cabin. They had a 70's Torino that surged when it idled so I told him to go into town and buy a new power valve. He had no clue what that was but when we installed it the car ran fine again.

So I know power valves. It is one of the many things that over the years has lived in the black cloud over my head..... !

And it could even happen to KenCt.

[Russ/40]

Originally Posted by V8COOPMAN

Wow Cool Hand Lurker, seems like even though you have the "Problem solved", you probably need to consult an EXPERT to make certain that you put things back together correctly, make sure you didn't use junk foreign parts, along with making sure you didn't set the float level incorrectly, nor that you used the wrong inlet needle, and to verify that YOU actually did the rebuild. Maybe then you can be assured......"Problem solved"! Personally, I think ya done GOOD. DD

Being kind of hard on Ken aren't you? Clearly he just didn't read the post correctly. He was trying to be helpful, give him a break.

[Cool Hand Lurker]

Who the h3ll do you guys think you are anyway? This thread was all about a helpful tip on starting problems and nothing about KenCt at all. Go hijack somebody else's thread if you want to bash somebody! Jerks!

[ken ct]

PV have #'s on them or code #'s if you know how to read them.Most kits use a 7.5 and open too quick in the cycle,you need to use a 5.5 # to delay the opening to a lower vacume.2x2 setups can use a couple of 3.5 or 4.5 ones which i understand are no longer in production at least from my supplier.So i dont rebuild for multiple setups anymore. Stock 1 carb engines only. ken ct. I AM trying to help the fella out. ken ct.

[Cool Hand Lurker]

Ken, thanks for the info. I always just take the PV they give me and did not know there were different numbers. I do adjust the accelerator pump linkage for the best response, but do you think the altitude would change the PV requirement? We are at 810' above sea level so a richer mixture will work here where it wouldn't work in say Denver.

[ken ct]

As you go up in elevation you need smaller main jets [not bigger] 810 ft. is nothing Around 3-4000 ft will start to make a small diff. I would leave the link in the middle [normal] hole. Your just trying to put a bandaid on it. Put some .049 MJ in it and a 5.5 PV in it and if the rest of the stuff is good,steel needle and leather accel pump and you will be good to go.Never reuse gaskets off a carb even if only for 5 minutes if they were tightened up.They will have a set impression in them and will never seal again. ken ct.

[Cool Hand Lurker]

New gaskets come in the kit, but in the past when I had to get a repair done before the sun went down I have reused gaskets by soaking them in water and putting them in the freezer. That will re-expand them enough so they can be used as a last resort. Sometimes when you are 100 miles from a city and the local town parts store doesn't carry the parts on hand, you have to work with what you have. In today's economy so many small businesses are cutting down on inventory, especially slow moving stuff. Most people have no idea how much money even small retail operations have tied up in inventory. Like gaskets for 60 year-old Fords! But they "can get it Tuesday...."

[ken ct]

I have all fresh gaskets by the hundreds [new made not old stock] on hand today. ken ct.