Hard to Start Carter AFB

[Smokin'Tires]

First off, Im new to the website. I have gathered so much info from you guys and finally decided to make an account. This is my second truck, my other is a '36 F@#D rat rod pick up I'm still working on. I always liked these trucks and picked one up and put the rat on the back burner to get this going.

Now to my problem,I put a carter AFB on my 350 with the edelbrock performer intake. The carb was on my truck when I bought it and had been sitting, so I had it rebuilt. Now the truck will not start after sitting for a day or even overnight. Once I pour some gas down the carb and get it warmed up I can turn it off and restart with no problem. It also stutters when I try to jump on it, but if I ease into the throttle there is no problems. Any ideas on what it could be? I was thinking accelerator pump but wanted some more opinions.

Thanks for any help.

[Ackattack]

What is your "procedure" for a cold start?

When I had a edelbrock carb on my trucks I wold close the choke (manual) and give it two quick pumps on the gas pedal, and then crank it up.

Your timing could also need some adjusting.

[bk2life]

Originally Posted by Smokin'Tires

I had it rebuilt. .

There are two needle and seats, one gasket, and one accelerator pump.

What was rebuilt on the carb?

Look down the carb, pump the throttle, is fuel coming out? if no, change accelerator pump, if yes, don’t.

also post up a pick of your jalopy.

[Smokin'Tires]

For a cold start I usally pump the throttle about 3 times and try to start it then choke it (manual also) but it just isnt working on this.. I bought a full rebuild kit from O'reilly's and had a friend rebuild it because he has rebuilt a lot of these carbs. I looked down the carb and pumped the gas and didnt see or hear anything. I was thinking of taking the carb off and pulling it apart and replacing the accelerator pump but didnt want to do any extra work

Ill try to get some pics this weekend when it stops raining. I dont have anything decent right now.

[69chevy lwb]

put a quadrajet on it way better easy to tune, small 2 barrel for decent mileage big 4 barrel for when you want to show off and they last forever i wouldnt run anything else other than maybe that Rochester 1 barrel on my 69 thats a great little carb other than the po broke the choke so occasionally it closes on its own

[Smokin'Tires]

I have a quadrajet for the truck and I couldnt get it to run at all.. I like the carter once its warmed up but I dont want to worry about it starting. And making me look bad infront of everyone

[Smokin'Tires]

Anyone else?

[RichardJ]

>>For a cold start I usally pump the throttle about 3 times and try to start it then choke it (manual also)<<

On manual chokes, all manual chokes you pull the choke ON, THEN step on the throttle. If you step on the throttle and don't pull the choke ON, the choke valve (butterfly) will not move and the throttle will not be pulled (turned) to set the high-speed idle screw on the step cam.


>>It also stutters when I try to jump on it, but if I ease into the throttle there is no problems.<<
Is this hot, cold or both?
>> I looked down the carb and pumped the gas and didnt see or hear anything.<<
Hot, cold or both?

The accel pump cup could be bad, but you said it was just rebuilt.
There is a check valve in the front, center of the carb under the body gasket. If it is missing or installed incorrectly, the gas will flow back down to the pump well. It will take several pumps to get fuel through the passage, past the check valve and out the discharge nozzles.
The early AFB and AVS Carter carbs had an extra check valve in the accelerator circuit that you won't find in the Weber AFB and cheap Edelbrock copies. The check valve allows more fuel to enter the pump well, much easier than past the pump cup.The check valve is at the bottom of the well and is removed from the bowl side. It looks like a metering jet, but has a ball and spring inside of it. If it is bad or has some debris stuck in it, the pump will push fuel back into the bowl instead of up to the discharge passages.

If you are pulling the carb off, leave the fuel in the bowl and check the pump operation after you remove the top
If the pump is working good, you may want eye protection.

[Smokin'Tires]

I have not looked down the carb when the truck was warm, I'm going to pull the truck out and try that tomorrow, and while I'm at it ill pull the carb and check those valves and the accel pump just to be safe... I'm questioning the rebuild job right now so nothing is off limits lol

I'll also try to get some pics for you guys while its out tomorrow
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[Smokin'Tires]

I pulled the top off the carb today and just gave everything a good cleaning.. I Took everything you guys mentioned apart and cleaned it up with some carb cleaner, put it all back together, and now I can see it squirting fuel when its cold thanks for all your guys' help with it.