[64tempestwagon]

I bought a used Performer (Edelbrock) series carb 1404 (500 cfm manual choke) for the 350 chevy in my 64 C10. Problem: no start in AMs unless I prime it with carb spray.

Then if I start it up all day thereafter I have no problem, no problem after taking it to work and starting it up 8 hours later. But let it sit overnight and it wont start (like there is no gas) unless I crank it for a long time after multiple attempts and really pumping the gas peddle , Disconnected the carb fuel line and cranked the starter and gas flows out the supply line well so I don't think its the fuel pump.

I replaced the accelerator pump in the carb and still no prime with kicking open the throttle in AMs. Still need to prime the carb with a can. Now what to do?

 

[jeff swisher]

Fuel evaporates ...fuel pump is weak and looses prime while sitting over night.
You park on a steep hill or steep driveway..That last one is my issue in the early mornings at the end of my driveway, unless i let it crank for a couple seconds to fill the bowls a little more so i can have a pump shot...

My drive way angle is 12 degrees at the end..

 

[Uppster]

I have had the same problem with those carbs. Although usually they run fine as long as they were driven daily, let them sit for a week and it is crank and crank until they fill, and I had 2 of them on my blown big block.

 

[68-bb]

May want to check the float levels.

 

[Alan F]

Does it have fuel in the carb after it sits overnight?

 

[64tempestwagon]

Solution: I had the manual choke open with a wire. In that configuration with the choke open there is no suction as the pistons pull in air to draw fuel into the carb so it runs lean.

I bought a $7 choke cable at the O Reily's HELP section, and tada!! Easy start in the AMs with the choke closed!

 

[novaderrik]

huh.. imagine that... hooking everything up makes things work...

 

[64tempestwagon]

huh.. imagine that... hooking everything up makes things work...

FWIW Here in Central valley of California many cars start up without the choke . It's supposed to be over 100 degrees here this week. My 468 Mark Jones Motor in my 66 Chevelle has a 850 DP Holley with NO choke....starts right up with no choke every time.

The Performer carb wouldn't even fire at all after sitting a long while as if there was no gas. Added carb spray and she started right up. I think with the Performer carb the motor NEEDS to initially PULL the gas in with vacuum from the pistons going down, and if the choke is closed vacuum will be achieved and fuel will be sucked into the carb. ,If the choke is left open, even a small bit, no vacuum from the open choke blades gas couldn't be drawn into the carb.

 

[70-SS454]

You can test Steve's theory by removing the air cleaner & having a friend hold the choke butterfly nearly closed while cranking tomorrow morning... That should tell you for sure if the choke is the solution...

 

[gman628]

I have an Eddy 1413 (800CFM) and is very hard to get going if it sits a week or two, it will finally start w/o the aid of starting fluid, but even with the electric choke working properly, it's crank, crank, crank for a good while. If I start it the next day or two, it fire's right up with a couple pumps of the pedal and the touch of the key. I hope you find a solution and post it, I sure would like to know why that gas diapears so fast.

Gary

 

[OLDED]

Sure solution - drive it every day! Or at least do a couple of burn outs in the driveway each morning before work.

 

[64tempestwagon]

Started it this morning with my new manual chock lever pulled out all the way (choke closed) and started right up!!!

So I think that these performer carbs NEED the choke closed all the way/nearly all the way to start up cold motors. (that's how the gas is sucked in). So for those with electric chokes that are hard to start maybe adjust the choke to be closed more while cold.

 

[novaderrik]

could be that you have a worn out motor that doesn't "suck" thru the carb good enough when it's cold to get the gas flowing without the choke closed... could also be a carb that needs some time spent on calibration..