'66 POLY FUEL PUMP QUESTION

[harold prentice]

Does anyone know if the fuel pump on the '66 318 Poly has some sort of check valve arrangement to prevent fuel from draining back over a period of time? My '66 runs like a champ but, the longer I leave it sit, the more I have to crank it to get fuel to the carb. If I drive the car every day or so, it starts as it should. However, I fired it up yesterday after a two week rest and it took forever to start - acting like I have to pump gas back up before it will fire. No indications of external leakage around the carb itself.

Anybody out there ever run into this?

Thanks!

[67r/t4speeder]

Ours has not had this problem, give her a couple pumps and fires right up.

Is yours a 2 bbl ? Might just need needle and seat cleaned, crappy gas isn't helping these old cars any.

[Hibbing_Coronet_500]

I'd say crappy gas. I siphoned two 5 gallon pails out of my coronet to do a sending unit replacement. I locked those pails in my shed because I had no lids for them. Stupid I know.
the next day the each pail of gas had evaporated down 6 inches. I hurried up my sending unit repair and got that gas back in the tank.

[lounct]

Mine does the same.. I have a 4 Barrel...and after a long nap, i have to pump it, and I actually flooded it once....,all summer starts on first turn. hot or cold with out even touching the gas.... and I have a manual choke.. .l like it much better. ......I also put in a electronic disptributor ,, little better spark...

[harold prentice]

It's a 2 barrel carb. I was kicking this around with my car buddies at coffee and the consensus was that it's likely the unleaded gas. I'm thinking of ordering a rebuild kit for the carb over the loonnggg winter here, I had good luck getting a new vacuum pull off for it from Mike's Carburetor parts in Washington State when I first put it on the road so I'll likely give them a try for a complete kit. I'm kind of lucky because the local independent gas station sells gas with no ethanol & that's all I'm using. Thanks for the answers, guys!

[ws27]

Both of my GTXs seem to drain all the way back to the tank every time they sit for more that 3 or 4 days. I'm just used to cranking t a bunch when I have to get them going. One or two days and they are fine.

[thebankerstoy]

Both the 440 in my 66 Coronet and the 318 in my sons 72 Dart Swinger run 4 barrel Holley carbs and both engines have this same starting issue after sitting for more than a couple of weeks. I will say that since I started adding Sta-Bil Fuel Stabilizer into both of the cars fuel tanks a couple of years ago every time I add fresh fuel, it has really helped to keep their fuel systems much cleaner and I've had no issues with fuel going stale after sitting for extended periods. I'd recommend using Sta-Bil in every older cars fuel system on a regular basis, as it's truly a high quality product indeed! I also agree that the poor fuels that most of us get these days also adds to these starting issues on older carbureted engines.

Richard

[harold prentice]

Glad to know I'm not alone guys!!

[harold prentice]

Here's an update. Had to move the car, yesterday, after sitting for about 2 1/2 weeks and decided to remove the air cleaner & give the carb a shot of gas from a spritzer bottle before I set the choke. It fired immediately, quit, then started right up after about 5 seconds cranking - much better than last time. Don't know if this is going to work every time & I guess I won't know 'til Spring 'cause I'm putting her to bed today for a long Winter's nap! Sad.....

[honcho]

Yea Richard,good idea, I use B-12 everytime I fill up,both products are good,B-12 little cheaper,with 93 octane and additive,almost smells like 107 octane we can get down here,AHHHHHH!!!!