cranking but wont start...

[hammerbowler]

Anyone have any ideas what things i can double check on my 55 buick special. It has a new battery and its cranking but it won't start. The carter WCFB carburetor is rebuilt to specs so i dont want to adjust things that i shouldnt.The first couple times i cranked there was fuel flowing thru my see-thru filter but then it dissappeared and wont fill back up. Yes there is gas in the tank. let me know what you all think, thanks

[Guest imported_Thriller]

Sounds to me like either a bad fuel pump or a hole in the fuel line.

[The Old Guy]

Pour some gas in the carb. (I use a squirt bottle so I can control the flow.) Hit the starter, and if it runs, you know that as Derek stated, you have a fuel problem. If that does'nt work, then check to make dure you have spark

[Guest brh]

Sounds like a pump to me, I would suggest WD 40 sprayed in carb to see if she fires up. I have always used that so it won't strip oil away on the cylinders. It is very flameable!!!

[hammerbowler]

O.k so I had the fuel pump rebuilt but I still have to pour some gas in the carb to get it started. When its been running for a while, I actually can turn it off and she will start right up. Do you think there is a problem with the rebuilt carb, thats not sucking in enough fuel on original start up? What can I do???

[Jim Cannon]

Sounds to me like the choke and/or the fast idle cam is not properly adjusted. You also want to see if there is a small spray of gas into the carb (engine NOT running) when you look down with a flashlight while you move the throttle with your hand. That's the accelerator pump and it puts a bit of gas in there to help cold starting. If you see that, I'd check choke and fast idle speed.

[hammerbowler]

Thanks Jim, I figured it out... the wound spring that returns the choke flap is not tight enough to pull the choke fully closed on initial start, so there was too much air being mixed in that the fuel was not rich enough to start the engine. Now I just need to figure out how to fix it. What i did notice when was driving and then pulled over to check under the hood, is that the clear fuel filter right befor the carb that I added had very little fuel in it, but there was no problem with the engine. It didn't studder or give me any problems. Is this normal?

[Jim Cannon]

Good.

Before you adjust the choke coil, go through and make sure all of the choke linkage is moving very freely. If the choke mechanism is binding a bit, you have to really crank the coil up tight to close the flap and then it won't open fully when it warms up. Use spray carb cleaner on all the linkage and shafts. Get it all good and clean and moving with just a touch of a finger.

Once you have that, loosen the 3 hold down screws and rotate the choke coil body enough to just close the choke on a dead cold engine (car has not run all night). Have someone hold the throttle open while you make this adjustment (engine NOT running).

Find fast idle screw at this point and make sure it is touching the fast idle cam. Set fast idle speed according to the shop manual when engine is fully warmed up (not cold - a common error).

Don't worry about the air you see trapped in the glass fuel filter bowl. They just do that. Car will run fine.

Sounds like you've got it figured out!