Help, truck wont start

[68 P.O.S.]

Hey fellas. So as the title says, my truck wont start. I've noticed for the past week its hard to start first thing in the morning. After I get it started and warmed up, its good all day, till the next morning. Yesterday morning sprayed some carb cleaner in there after a min of trying to start it and it fired right up. This morning I did the same thing and no dice. The starter will go on and every few seconds you'll hear it try to start a little. Every now and again it will get a good kick, but it doesn't catch. Is there anyone local that would mind swinging by to lend a guy a hand? Any help is appreciated, this is my daily driver.

The truck has a stock 350. Its been running well the 2 years I've had it. Recent work (3 weeks ago); installed an Edelbrock performer eps intake, Edelbrock 1406 carb (I rebuilt it), new Edelbrock fuel pump, new fuel filter, and a new Skip White dist. Got the timing set at 12 initial, 36 total. Have not adjusted the vac advance yet, but have it connected to manifold vac.

[steelhorse]

May be a choke problem. Check it and make sure it is working properly. Also before you start it in the morning take off the air cleaner and while looking down the carb work the throttle and see if it squirts fuel. The carb may be leaking down overnight.

[68 P.O.S.]

The choke appears to be working. The butterfly is closed and I even wedged it open to see if that would help...nothing. I looked in the carb and confirmed it is squirting fuel. Any other ideas?

[67 chevelle]

check for spark

[68 P.O.S.]

The HEI and the choke are both getting 12.8 volts. I'm alone right now so whats the best way to check for spark?

[choctawchevyclassics]

Do you buy your gas in the same place? Ever had a problem with water in the gas?

[68 P.O.S.]

Yes, I always buy my gas at Costco and I always get 92. I've never had a problem with water in the gas before.

[GTSideSwipe]

How rich do you have the choke and your high idle screw set? My 69 it starts right up when 2 marks to the lean side and runs at 1,500 cold and goes up to 2,000 slowly till its warm. Any slower of a cold start rpm and it gets a little rough.

[68 P.O.S.]

My choke is set at the 3rd mark on the lean side. The high idle is set at 1700 rpm and does the same thing yours does.

It was wanting to start about an hour ago, but it just wouldn't. Still charging the battery.

[GTSideSwipe]

How many times do you pump it before turning the key? I only do it once because the electric choke will go off. What does it also idle at when running? I have mine idling at 650 in park.

[67 chevelle]

take your number one wire off the plug vice grip it lightly to the master cylinder hold down so you can see it while you crank the engine , I have heard of people having issues with skip white distributors , also if you put brake parts clean , or start fluid in the carb and it does not start , chances are its a distributor issue

[Motosharpley]

I believe the vacuum advance should be connected to the tuned port not full manifold at least thats how my holley is maybe different on yours but could be getting too much advance to soon?

[68 P.O.S.]

Just did a spark test and it is getting spark. Any other ideas?

[Gromit]

Try re-torqueing the carburetor to manifold nuts. (60-80 inch pounds)

If its a new gasket I have had to re tighten three times over several weeks as the gasket compresses. And nothing makes for hard starting like a giant vacuum leak at the carb base.

Actually same with your manifold to block bolts since you just did them..

[Gromit]

Could the distributor have moved? Factory says torque that hold-down bolt to something like 20-25 foot pounds - but with an aluminum manifold I would think it should be less...

but anyway 25 foot pounds seems like an awful lot there must either be a tendency for it to move or bad things that GM was worried about if it did move.

[68 P.O.S.]

I re-tightened the carb and intake bolts, but still no change. It also looks like the carb is not squirting fuel now. It was this morning. I took off the line from the carb, put it in a jar, and cranked it. It started filling the jar so the pump and filter are working. Where do I look on the carb to figure this out?

After I did the work I set the initial timing to 12. I finally got around to setting the total to 36 two days ago and made sure the dist clamp was nice and snug. It's been running better, smoother, but it still has had the hard starting problem.

[ElKotze]

You put a new intake on. I bet money, the distributor didn't get bolted down right and is slowly moving. It's getting harder and harder to start until it doesn't start anymore at all.

[68 P.O.S.]

GTSideSwipe: I only pump it 1 or 2 times before I turn the key. Normally it will fire right up, but die immediately. Then I hit the key again, without pumping the pedal anymore, and it fires back up and will stay running. My idle is about 775 rpm in park.

[68 P.O.S.]

ElKotze: I don't know, 2 days ago I set the the total and when I loosened the clamp it was still tight. When I finished, I specifically made sure I had the clamp nice and snug.

[swamp rat]

Maybe reaching a little but does the Skip White distributor require 12 Volts or does it tell you to keep the ballast resistor? My truck has that ballast resistor so wondering if you still had that ballast resistor or did you take it out of the system?

[68 P.O.S.]

I looked at the instruction sheet and it is hooked up correctly. The PO removed the ballast resistor when he originally installed the HEI.

Anyone else have any suggestions? I need to get this sorted out ASAP since this is my daily driver.

[GASoline71]

Too much fuel pressure for the Edelbrock carb. Anything over 5 psi and those goofy carbs don't want to run right.

Even a stock pump can push up to 7 psi. So you might need a fuel pressure regulator. Almost every Edlebrock carb installed needs one.

Gary

[68 P.O.S.]

Yes, I've read that about the fuel pressure on here. That's why I bought the Edelbrock fuel pump, to avoid pressure issues.

[68 P.O.S.]

Anyone else have suggestions?

[Ochre Ogre]

When I bought my truck it was very difficult to start, had to crank it for like 5 minutes, sometimes I'd have to prime it to get it to start. When I rebuilt my carb there was about 1/2 inch of rust in the float. I was surprised it would run at all. Rebuilt the carb, and a new tank and it now starts right up. So I guess i"m saying check your filter.