Inliners International Forums General Discussion Engines carb recommendations?

i am currently buiding up a 71 chevy truck with a 250 and automatic trans. here is my problem.
i want this thing to start at the flick of the ignition switch and i can never get that out of these old monojets with the spring type choke set up. can anyone recommend a good old carb with an electric choke that i could adapt to my engine?
i think ford has a water heated choke on some of their stuff but that ain't what i need. i want a carb that has an electric choke so i can get this thing to be a little less hassle. any ideas would be appreciated. thanks , tony

anything that has a choke.(even a elec.choke) normaly Always takes a pump or two before hitting the key Unless it is already warmed up. Even the new all elec.stuff takes a little cranking before it starts. but doesn't need the (pre pedal pump)

So i guess i'm not sure what the over all problem is.?? }[oooooo]

Hi,

Why don't you try an electronic ignition? I have a Pertronix's set up on my 292 and it pops off on the first turn of the swith.
I have 3x2 holly/webers. Be sure your fuel pump is pumping at it's optimal performance too.

Buy the way, what is your definition of "starting at the turn of a switch?"

RapRap
1940 ChoppedChevyCoupe

i do have an electronic ignition system, i have a gm hei setup with the coil in cap.
what i mean by crank at the flick of the switch is, i have to do the several pats on the accelerator, and then it cranks over for several seconds before it starts. once it starts it runs great. has plenty of pep and the gas milage is pretty good for a 250, about 20 mpg. 3:08 gears i guess. it does not hesitate or have any other problems. but it really means a lot to me to be able to hit the key and it fire right up.
i don't want to have to do the dance on the gas pedal thing. that takes away from the enjoyment of the old truck experience.
the goal on this truck is to have a really solid relyable vehicle. i want it to have a new vehicle feel. if you know what i mean.
and thanks for the response.
tony

The fact is, you're dealing with a truck from 1971. It has a carb on it. If everything is as great as you say it is, then why swap carbs and go through the hassle of retuning everything? I think the old truck experience also involves having to do the "dance on the gas pedal."

I know I probably sound like a jerk, but I don't see a problem. How many times are you pumping the pedal before you even try and crank it? How long does it spin over before it fires up? What exact goal are you trying to achieve? The second you bump the key it fires up? I'm just wondering exactley what you're looking for. John

Hi Tony,

My 2 cents worth - part of the old truck experience IS the little quirks that they have. I really believe that if you want the "new vehicle feel", the only practical way to get it is with a new vehicle. That being said - The only way you have a chance of getting the old six to fire up with out touching the gas is to convert to fuel injection. No quaranty that will work as well as you will like, but I don't see any other way you can start a carburated engine with out dancing on the gas pedal.

Hope this helps make a decision for you.

Jim

well, i gotta tell you, my dad had 72 with a 250
and a three on the tree that was bought new by my granddad, and i can remember that this thing didn't take pumping the gas pedal like six or seven times before you hit the switch to start it.
and yes it was not thirty years old at the time either, i understand.
my truck runs great, but, to get it to start up , cold or hot, you have to push the gas pedal 6 or 7 times, hold it down and start cranking, after about 10 secs of cranking ( i guess ) then it fires up. definatly uncool, i want it to start like it did when it was new. i understand what you guys are saying about that being a part of it, but for me, its having it look, run, and smell as good as it did when it was new. thats
the old truck experience that i want.
i am willing to do some trade offs in the originality department because i stink at setting points and the chokes on these old babies. i feel like i got it running right but this is the laast obstacle on getting the mechanicals sorted out. thanks, tony

I re-read your earlier statements and you did not mention a few things that will have an effect on starting.

Only 3 things start a car or truck. Gas, Air and electricity. If all of these things are new and fresh, it should pop right off. Along with an electronic ignition, good plug wires, new fuel pump, rebuilt carb, correct timing, fuel filter, good vacuum, all of these will make starting a no brainer. I believe that timing has a lot to do with fast starting. A fresh Carb rebuild with correct float adjustment will make a world of difference. My buddy just put a new "Crate" motor in his pickup and his new motor and carb would not start easily and ran rough. I told him to take the carb apart at look inside. This was a brand new Holly 650 from Speedway that was bad from the factory. He replaced it with another and it ran perfect. Don't get frustrated, get busy and you'll figure it out.

Raprap
1940 ChoppedChevyCoupe

Sounds like you are going in opposite directions with your starting sequence. 6 or 7 pumps on the gas pedal should be about enough to flood the engine if the accelerator pump in the carb is in good shape. Holding the pedal down(all the way) while cranking is what you do to clear out and start a flooded engine. So...it sounds like you are first flooding the engine, then starting the flooded engine. Try playing around with different starting sequences. Pump the gas two or three times and then hold the pedal down a third of the way.

I have an old '76 Harley and after owning it for more than ten years, I'm still trying to figure out the best sequence for kick starting it.

beauti,

If it were my truck I would install a manual choke.

Pull the choke out all the way, pull the hand throttle out a bit or hold the pedal down a small amount, and hit the starter.

I have about ten oldies and this works on most of them for me.

I agree with the other post that you are flooding the engine then clearing it with wide open throttle. This is not the way to start a cold inline six.

Another good thing is an electric fuel pump. Let it run a short time then start it. I have no idea why this works but it does. Theoretically the carb bowl should have enough fuel to start without any pump pressure but my '60 White dump truck with a 385 flathead six will not start any other way??

If your ignition is not set up right it will sure make it hard to start.

Before i had my 250 rebuilt, it had about 70k miles and it was very tired. Using the method that eric described is what worked best for me. I would pump the gas twice and press down a bit on the gas and crank it and it never took more than two turns before it started, unless it was dormant for months. Always as fast or faster than a brand new car, hopefully it will still be that easy with the engine all fresh now =)

my 250 starts up everytime...i pump it 2 or 3, hit the key, and if it doesn't fire right away, usual 1 or 2 more pumps gets the beast talking. is it slower then newer cars? (both starting and speed)...probably, but ya know...thats ok. lol
O, and manual choke is the way. i don't like tempermental little black boxes controlling my life..haha
SamWise

I put a 2bbl progressive from Tom Langdon and plumed the hotwater choke. It starts easily in my 78 250 PU.

You really shouldn't have to pump it at all. Auto chokes require one pump to release the cam and set the choke, and sometimes if the fuel level is low in the bowl the engine will have to crank a bit to fill it up, but the choked carb should provide all the gas you need without pumping.

I have the "B" on my 261 set up with an auto choke and I can start it right up in any weather, even after sitting, with a very short amount of cranking, and it doesn't stall once it starts.

My procedure is to pump the gas once, take my foot off the gas, turn the key on, step on the starter, and it fires right off. Even with points ignition.