Is there good gas in it? WITH THE ENGINE OFF, put some fresh gas in an oil
squirt can, and pump about five shots down the carb. With the choke and
throttle open wide, try starting it. It should run well for about 10 or 15
seconds until the gas is used up. This may shake things loose enough that
it will continue to run. While it is dying, try pulling the choke out to
keep it running just in case. If there is water in the gas, sometimes
pulling the choke out will let enough gas in with the water to keep the
engine running, especially if it is a little warm already.
A word of warning, DO NOT SHOOT GAS DOWN THE CARBURATOR THROAT THIS WAY
WHILE THE ENGINE IS RUNNING. Someone very very close to me got the hair
burned off my, er, his forearm this way. Lucky it was outside so that the
squirt can of burning gas wound up in the gravel on the driveway instead of
against the garage wall when he threw it. Can you say stop, drop, and roll?
Does the choke valve close? Sounds like the thing is very lean for a cold
start. Could be a bad choke or choke cable, or a gummed up jet inside the
carb, or a float valve that's stuck closed. I think the carb is pretty
much the same as your '54.
If it isn't the choke, I would unscrew the adjustment screws all the way,
clean them off, squirt in some carb cleaner, run them all the way in, and
back them out about 1 1/4 turn. This should be close enough to get it to
start.
If that doesn't work, it's time to rebuild the carb. It's not as hard as
it sounds and pages 6m-3 to 6m-8 in the '57 Factory Service Manual cover
the model B carb in great detail. Reprints are available from any good
truck parts source like Chevy Duty and are worth their weight in gold. The
rebuild kit you need is available from any good old trucks parts source,
and probably from NAPA.
>Hey guys I've been trying to help a neighbor start his '54 Chevy Truck. He's
>obviously desperate for mechanical assistance because he has asked me for
>help. Anyhow as best I can tell he seems to have a carburator problem.
>
>When he cranks the engine nothing happens, it doesn't fire. When I place my
>hand over the carb creating a strong vacuum the engine fires almost
>immediately, I remove my hand and the engine runs for 5-10 seconds then dies.
> It seems to be gas starved.
>
>I (and my neighbor) would appreciate any ideas you guys might have. I also
>noticed there seems to me slight gas leakage between the carb and the intake
>manifold. Could this leak cause the engine to suck air instead of draw gas
>throw the carb?
>
>Could the problem be something completely different?
>
>I would appreciate any and all thoughts. Thanks in advance for the help.
>
>Thanks a lot.
>
>Mike
>'56 Chevy Truck
>oletrucks is devoted to Chevy and GM trucks built between 1941 and 1959
oletrucks is devoted to Chevy and GM trucks built between 1941 and 1959
|