Hard starting issues, Bad Gas? Warped Carb?

[jrhone]

My car has always just fired right up on the first turn. The other day it turned over and over and over and then started up...it was odd. The next day, after work it would not start. Called AAA, they jumped it and it started. I also smelled gas in the garage that day, so I thought maybe a stuck carb, sticky float, or something like that. Maybe its flooded. Next day, same issue...wouldnt start. Called AAA and after about 5 minutes of cranking it, finally started. Took it to the shop and he said the carb was warped. Letting in too much air. He said solution was to file down the carb and manifold, and try to reseat it. I was thinking...isnt that the job of gaskets??? This happened right after a 1000 mile trip where I put the cheapest gas I could find and the lowest octane gas I could find in the car. I figured why get the good stuff when I am just burning it up right then and there. I started thinking maybe I got some junk gas that has alot of water in it. I still have 1/4 tank of it. Normally I run Super in it. Could I have both problems? Bad gas and a warped carb? To start it now I MUST floor it, before was a light tap of the gas.

[C02]

Unless you experienced very high engine (and had no insulator spacer) temps I would be skeptical of a warped carb base. The bad gas sounds more plausible to me. I would drain the carb float bowls, fill them with known good gas, drain the tank and fuel lines, refill the tank, and check for prompt starting.

/Martin

[c.d.iesel]

if it only starts with a WIDE OPEN THROTTLE ?

then think.

By opening the throttle FULLY your adding MORE air than gas

mixture - the motor must be too rich to start so a WIDE OPEN

throttle over comes the overly rich mixture to get it to fire - yes?

so look at the choke for being stuck?, choke heating element

inop or unattached linkage? float level over flowing?

do you have an electric fuel pump ? know the pressure??

[Rocan]

I doubt warped carb as well. Vacuum leak because of worn gasket possibly. Start with good fuel.

Not sure about the weber 38/38, but the 32/36 sprays a good bit of fuel at wot, definitely richer then a idle. I would clean fuel filters and carb, replace fuel, adjust carb, timing, points, valves, and then try again. The more you fix, the less you have to consider.

[jrhone]

A bit more info....

Its a 38/38 electric choke and the choke has not worked in years. The carb was bought new 3 1/2 years ago. Its only hard to start the FIRST start. After that it fires up like normal. I replaced the gas yesterday and put in a bottle of carb cleaner just for good measure. Has started every time. I really dont want to do much with this carb as I have a set of DCOE 40s on the shelf that I want to install. I'd rather put the time, energy and money into that if possible.

[Rocan]

If your choke hasn't worked, than that is suspect. It isn't hard to adjust a carb and the choke; do it. No point troubleshooting if things are out of adjustment; you'll just be chasing your tail if you do. When you say you put in a can of carb cleaner, do you mean fuel injector cleaner? you don't want to be putting carb cleaner in your tank unless if it is the type meant to be mixed for fuel. if you did, you have just caused a lot of damage.

Before you start trying to mess around with the dcoe's, get whats on their running perfect. fix before you modify, otherwise your just opening a whole new can of worms. Did you check your fuel filters? Is there gunk in the bottom of your tank? Sure, it may be working fine now, but it's not working the way it should. Grab a manual and give it a tune up. It takes less than a day to adjust valves, replace/adjust plugs, adjust and tune carb and choke, set timing USING A TIMING LIGHT, etc. It's in your best interest; a well tuned 2002 SINGS, and will feel unbelievable. After adjusting just my valves and timing and giving the mixture a slight turn on my 2002, my car idles as low as 500rpm when cold (winter cold), even though my choke is out of adjustment.

[jrhone]

If your choke hasn't worked, than that is suspect. It isn't hard to adjust a carb and the choke; do it. No point troubleshooting if things are out of adjustment; you'll just be chasing your tail if you do. When you say you put in a can of carb cleaner, do you mean fuel injector cleaner? you don't want to be putting carb cleaner in your tank unless if it is the type meant to be mixed for fuel. if you did, you have just caused a lot of damage.

Before you start trying to mess around with the dcoe's, get whats on their running perfect. fix before you modify, otherwise your just opening a whole new can of worms. Did you check your fuel filters? Is there gunk in the bottom of your tank? Sure, it may be working fine now, but it's not working the way it should. Grab a manual and give it a tune up. It takes less than a day to adjust valves, replace/adjust plugs, adjust and tune carb and choke, set timing USING A TIMING LIGHT, etc. It's in your best interest; a well tuned 2002 SINGS, and will feel unbelievable. After adjusting just my valves and timing and giving the mixture a slight turn on my 2002, my car idles as low as 500rpm when cold (winter cold), even though my choke is out of adjustment.

Thx for the advice...but...yes It was the tank cleaner...mix with a full tank of gas...elec choke hasn't worked in years and didn't work well new. its not out of adjustment, its not working....again, not going to spend money on fixing something thats not going to be there. Yes I know how to adjust valves and tune the car...I do it and have been doing it for years.

[ndog]

at 500 rpm idle i think my dash would light up cold oil or not

[TobyB]

the carb was warped.

And the deep- dish pizza was plugging the intake.

Really? a warped CARB?

(can you tell I'm skeptical??)

If a 38/38's adjusted and jetted properly, it'll want some choke

to start the first time, even in Palos Verdes. Maybe only for a minute

but it'll want some choke.

Me, I'd take the time to troubleshoot and fix the carb. They're pretty

simple, and everything you learn about them applies in spades to a DCOE.

t