carb trouble??

[Guest]

I'm needing help figuring out my latest problem. I've got a '66 Toronado with a 425 and a Quadrajet. When I got home from school and tried to start it this past weekend it decided it didn't want to fire. I could smell gas after trying to start it several times so I decided to test to make sure it was sparking. That wasn't the problem. My dad said he thought there might be something inside the carb that wasn't working right. The carb was rebuilt about 11 months ago so I'm really hoping that isn't the problem. Does anyone have any idea what it could be?

[rocketraider]

Is the choke working properly? If it's closing off like it should, the next thing I'd look at would be spark plugs to make sure they're not fouled- you may have spark at the wire, but the plug itself not firing. Also consider soured gasoline. How long since the car has been started or filled with fresh fuel?

I don't think gasoline has the shelf life it did even a few years ago. I've seen this with the lawnmowers this year. After a few weeks, the stuff starts smelling funny and the mowers don't start as easily.

And then El Toro could simply be having owner withdrawal symptoms! <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

BTW- welcome to the forum.

[Guest]

The owner withdrawl thing could have something to do with it <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />.

After I got up here I thought about the choke, but it will be a couple of weeks before I'm home again. So that will have to wait.

I put gas in it about 2 weeks ago and drove it for 4 or 5 days straight, so I don't think that's it.

Guess when I get home I'll look at the choke and plugs.

Thanks.

[Guest]

got it fixed. it wasn't the carb, i think the gas just ran back into the tank and it wasn't getting back to the fuel pump. we poured a little gas down the carb and it fired right up. it always seems to take a little while for it to start. i have to crank it and pump the gas pedal a few times. is this also due to the gas running back through the fuel lines? and, if so is there any way to take care of it and still keep everything original?

[rocketraider]

Two things to look for here. The fuel pump can under certain conditions allow the fuel to drain back to the tank, and replacing the pump is the fix. You might also try using a new-style fuel filter with a rollover check valve. It's designed to keep fuel from spilling back in a rollover crash, but could keep the carb from draining back too.

Q-Jets are also notorious for leaking fuel out the float bowl thru the main well plugs. Most kits now come with a sponge rubber plug to put under the plugs to help this problem, but the permanent fix is to epoxy over the metal plugs.