Won't Start...Need Help

[Martin64]

I have a '70 C10 with a 350 ci motor. Has fuel, has spark, won't start.

In March while I was home on leave the truck started and ran fine. Went to take my son to school, truck started and ran for about 30 seconds and quit. Now that I'm home I checked spark. It has spark all the way to the plugs. Has a little under 1/2 tank of gas. Pulled fuel line off at carb, turn motor over and shot fuel about a foot out the end of the hose.

Any ideas?

Anyone in San Diego area wanna give 'er a look? I'm located in El Cajon just off I-8 and Hwy 67.

[mtdave2]

id start by dumpin a bit a gas down the carb. perhaps your needle is stuck.

[Longhorn Man]

I agree with dave. If it ran when you parked it, and it sat for a while, there is a good chance that the fuel in the carb is all gummed up.
What color was the spark, and did you crank it long enough to see more than one spark?

[Martin64]

The spark looked a good...... I'll run some gas through the top and see what happens. It has sat for quite a while....pretty close to 9 months while I was deployed. But it ran fine the day before it died in March, that's what has me baffled.

[Martin64]

Ok, it starts when I pour gas through the top but won't stay running. And, just to re-verify, I checked the fuel pump again and it's working just fine.

I checked Kragen for another 2 barrel it's about $120.00, but it's a manual choke (instock).

What are my options? I know it's probably hard to answer "sight unseen", but throw 'em out there and let's see what comes out. You guys have way more experience than I do. I'm pretty handy with motorcycles, but trucks, I'm just learning about this one.

[Longhorn Man]

myself...since I am too cheap to buy a new carb, and too scared to take one apart (onless there is fundage for a replacement) I'd remove the carf, and drain all the fuel out of it, then full it with berryman's B12 chem tool carb cleaner and let it sit overnight. Then empty it, and fill it again but only for a little while as you clean the outside with the cleaner and a toothbrush. Then reinstal on truck and crank it over a few times to fill, then it'll probably fire.
If this doesn't work, then you have no choice but to open it or replace it.

[Martin64]

I'll give that a "go" in the morning. I've had lots of motorcycle carbs apart so I'm not too shy about ripping into a carb but I'd just as soon not if I don't have to. I don't use too much carb cleaner on bike carbs because it tends to eat up any small rubber o-rings it comes in contact with and I wasn't too sure if there was anything that I would destroy by using carb cleaner.

[panhandler62]

Your float is probably stuck in place with gum. The truck ran until the bowl emptied, runs when you fill it up with a cup, but if the float is stuck at the top the bowl will never fill.

I would start there.

[Martin64]

Thank You gents. It was a stuck float.....runs like a charm...

[86SILVERADO]

You really should at least replace the needle and seat. When it dries up in there and the needle varnishes itself to the seat like that it usually has a little ring left around it even if you get it unstuck. it can prevent the needle from seating properly in a very unpredictable sort of way. This is not good when your float bowl overflows when you least expect it and dumps loads of fuel down the intake into the motor. 10 bucks for a carb kit and all you really need to replace is the needle and seat and the airhorn gasket. Cheap insurance against possible major engine damage.