hard starting

[robert.humm]

when i attempt to start the bII, it is a real pain in the ass. idk if it's starvng for gas, or air or what the deal is but it does not want to start. i have to prop the butterfly open on the carb for it to get air. the choke pulloff only seems to work when the engine hits. but even when i prop the butterfly open it takes a while for it to hit. what could be some issues here? i havent pulled my plugs to check them yet.

 

[dangerranger83]

Check your plugs to see if they are worn out or if it is flooding. You can also turn it into a manual choke by hooking a cable to it.

 

[Twister]

adding a manual choke will make it easier to start, i have a hard time starting mine as well, i fixed my manual choke, all i have to do is pull it while pushing gas pedal and press the gas pedal 2 more times and it starts right up.

 

[Hotrodlincoln]

Your choke should open all the way if you push the throttle wide open. If it doesn't it needs adjustment.

When you start the truck do you ever prime the carburetor by pumping the throttle pedal two or three times before turning the key?

 

[Mudhound]

Are you running the stock carb. or a NON Electric? I ask because mine was hard to start and had a MONSTER vacumn leak because I used the wrong carb spacer plate when I tossed the factory junk out. I had to go hunt down the spacer for a NON elec. carb., as the factory one has a notch in it to clear the TPS, and the replacement carb ended up sucking air in through the notch. Very common thing to have happen when you convert backwards to a non elec. carb.

 

[kimcrwbr1]

carb spacer #60529 felpro for a 302 about $18 is the same height as the stock spacer and plugs the vacuum leaks make sure the carb base is flat I stuck a piece of 180 grit sand paper on a good flat surface and lightly surface the base of the carb before you bolt it down you will know when it is close enough with a strait edge and a light.

 

[robert.humm]

well.. i guess i dont have to worry about it anymore. i blew her up tonight lol. was trying to pass someone, & she took a shit. guess im gonna drop a fuel injected 302 in the bitch. haha!

 

[Hotrodlincoln]

I've been waiting on my 84 to blow up for two and a half years. The damn thing just wont quit. It still does 80 on the interstate if I want it to. It screams bloody hell, but it goes. Bad head gasket and all.

How bad did you blow it up? Rod through the block?

 

[robert.humm]

well.. actually it didnt blow. got it started today.. it was actaully my muffler that blew. huge backfire.. blew a hole in the muffler. i believe one of the baffles came apart & blocked off the outlet. but now it's getting hot, not quite "overheating" but stays at the high end of "normal" just a few minutes after startup. the intake starts backfiring around 50-55mph. so im not sure what the hell is going on now. my upper rad hose is getting a lot of pressure built up in it too.. bad therm? or something else?

 

[Big Jim M]

something else...

well.. actually it didnt blow. got it started today.. it was actaully my muffler that blew. huge backfire.. blew a hole in the muffler. i believe one of the baffles came apart & blocked off the outlet. but now it's getting hot, not quite "overheating" but stays at the high end of "normal" just a few minutes after startup. the intake starts backfiring around 50-55mph. so im not sure what the hell is going on now. my upper rad hose is getting a lot of pressure built up in it too.. bad therm? or something else?

Anywhere in the 'normal range is NORMAL! you have a 16 pound cap on the radiator.. The hoses have 16 pounds of pressure in them when the engine is up to normal temperature. So they "feel" tight and swollen.
Backfire out the back is from the engine igniting unburnt fuel in the tail pipe.
Backfiring out the front is from lean mixture, timing advanced way too much, or even a burnt valve.
Big JIm

 

[Hotrodlincoln]

You could do a block test to see if exhaust gases are getting in the coolant.

Cut the muffler off to clear obstructions and see how it does.

 

[robert.humm]

how do i conduct the test hotrod?

 

[Big Jim M]

Robert

how do i conduct the test hotrod?

The test you need to know is that if exhaust gasses are in the coolant passages and radiator the cap will blow and the coolant will puke out all over the street. I have never seen a use for that test. Any exhaust entering the coolant will build up pressure in just a couple of minutes and the extra pressure will overflow the coolant system..
Big JIm

 

[Hotrodlincoln]

Little writeup on it here. http://www.arrowheadradiator.com/head_gasket_or_combustion_leak_test.htm

There are plenty of reasons why a cooling system will "boil over" and push coolant out of the reservoir. A bad radiator cap, a stuck thermostat, a small leak creating an air pocket in the system, a cracked block, a bad head gasket, a clogged radiator, a broken or clogged water pump. The block test will tell you definitively if exhaust gases are present in the cooling system. It's generally left as the last step in the line of diagnosis of a cooling system problem. Check for leaks first, if none are found replace the radiator cap or/and the thermostat and refill with new coolant. Be sure to properly bleed the system before driving it and risking overheating which could cause damage the head gaskets or heads or block if there isn't already.