# Hard starting 66



## paly57 (Jul 27, 2008)

I only drive my 66 once a week. The problem is that it is very hard to start when I drive it this infrequently. It takes a lot of cranking to get it started. Needless to say that is not good on either my battery or starter. Any ideas on how to get it to start quicker under these conditions? Original carter 4bl carb.

Thanks


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## 05GTO (Oct 6, 2004)

Welcome to the forum, You could try adjusting and closing the choke on the Carter AFB, I had to do the same with my 66.


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## paly57 (Jul 27, 2008)

05GTO said:


> Welcome to the forum, You could try adjusting and closing the choke on the Carter AFB, I had to do the same with my 66.


Thanks, I'll try that.


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## 70455goat (Nov 5, 2007)

paly57 said:


> I only drive my 66 once a week. The problem is that it is very hard to start when I drive it this infrequently. It takes a lot of cranking to get it started. Needless to say that is not good on either my battery or starter. Any ideas on how to get it to start quicker under these conditions? Original carter 4bl carb.
> 
> Thanks


I have the same problem with my 70. I posted the same question in an earlier post and here is what someone told me. I am sure this is the problem too, I just haven't got around to fixing it.

"The rubber hoses in the line from the gas tank to the carb are old and have tiny cracks or the connections are not completely tight. Not bad enough to leak gas, but enough that over a week's period, the system will lose suction and the gas will leak back into the tank. So every time you go to start the car, it has to suck the gas all the way from the tank to the carb."

Makes perfect sense. My Goat will start right up, if I have started it recently. But if I don't start it for a few days, it takes about 10-15 seconds or longer to start.

Dale


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## Rukee (Feb 8, 2007)

It`s an old carburetor`d car, so you know to pump the gas pedal 4 or 5 times before hitting the starter, right?


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## ppurfield001 (Jan 21, 2008)

paly57 said:


> I only drive my 66 once a week. The problem is that it is very hard to start when I drive it this infrequently. It takes a lot of cranking to get it started. Needless to say that is not good on either my battery or starter. Any ideas on how to get it to start quicker under these conditions? Original carter 4bl carb.
> 
> Thanks


I drive my '67 once a week or less. My carb hoses look good and the engine only has 11,000 or so miles since being restored. I tried pumping the gas pedal and was successful starting the engine some times, but other times unsuccessful (i.e., flooded or battery starts to die). I now spray some starter fluid into the carb after setting the choke first. Starts up easily each time I've used it. Not sure if the gurus agree that this stuff is OK, but so far it works for me.


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## Rukee (Feb 8, 2007)

Both of you guys should check your accelerator pump and verify that there is fuel squirting into the carb when you ratchet the throttle open. Every time you step on the pedal it should pump some gas in.


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## geeteeohguy (Feb 2, 2008)

My '67 has the same problem if it sits for a couple of weeks. The gas simply evaporates and the carb is dry. I have one of those old, low pressure electric pinapple type fuel pumps mounted by the tank, and I just power it up for about 15 seconds and turn it off. Car fires right up. I run the stock pump while driving. (the electic pump was installed as an emergency repair on a long trip in 1988 and never removed!) The rubber hoses are new, and the well plugs on the carb don't leak. The gas just plain evaporates over time.
Jeff


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## wytnyt (May 17, 2008)

geeteeohguy said:


> My '67 has the same problem if it sits for a couple of weeks. The gas simply evaporates and the carb is dry. I have one of those old, low pressure electric pinapple type fuel pumps mounted by the tank, and I just power it up for about 15 seconds and turn it off. Car fires right up. I run the stock pump while driving. (the electic pump was installed as an emergency repair on a long trip in 1988 and never removed!) The rubber hoses are new, and the well plugs on the carb don't leak. The gas just plain evaporates over time.
> Jeff


it cant evaporate in a week tho
like said it co9uld be a cracked fuel line ,,,but also the seats in the float bowl could be letting the fuel drain to the engine.
also the fuel pump could be letting it flow back in the line.
but most likely it is a line
easy way to tell is block off the rubber line going to the fuel pump and wait a few days and see if it starts up


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## geeteeohguy (Feb 2, 2008)

Good advise on the fuel line, Whynyt. Yeah, a week is too little time. It would take 2 weeks or more for the gas to go away from evaporation alone. You could pinch the line with hose pliers and work your way back a little at a time to pinpoint the leak. Tedious, but you would find the problem for sure.
Jeff


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## wytnyt (May 17, 2008)

geeteeohguy said:


> Good advise on the fuel line, Whynyt. Yeah, a week is too little time. It would take 2 weeks or more for the gas to go away from evaporation alone. You could pinch the line with hose pliers and work your way back a little at a time to pinpoint the leak. Tedious, but you would find the problem for sure.
> Jeff


no offense but crimping can still allow fuel to seep by..as its hard to close it off completely.i tryed that and it cost me a mis-diagnosis and a couple more hours of work.
its like the cracked fuel line,,,it will supply the car but that little bit of opening will slowly let it seep.
of course if it were possible to "fold" and clamp the fuel line then that may work


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## SANDU002 (Oct 13, 2004)

The best way to cure this problem is drive the car more often!! I have no problem taking a nice drive in the evening a few times each week. These are not museum pieces guys, get'em out on the road and enjoy.


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## ppurfield001 (Jan 21, 2008)

SANDU002 said:


> The best way to cure this problem is drive the car more often!! I have no problem taking a nice drive in the evening a few times each week. These are not museum pieces guys, get'em out on the road and enjoy.


Good idea -- any excuse to drive the car more often.


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## 72GTORed (Jun 18, 2009)

When starting my 72, I have to keep pumping the gas the whole time I'm cranking, which takes 10 to 15 seconds to start. I start it once, I don't keep stopping the cranking, and it finally starts every time, then I keep my foot on the gas a little till it warms up, a couple minutes. They say not to crank any more than 15 seconds, and I think I'm just about there everytime, but I know how to start it this way, and it works. Anyone else that tries to start my car thinks something's wrong with it, or if fearful of flooding it, etc. Just keep pumping it, and keep the key in start till it does, and don't stop. I've had my car 11 years and haven't burned out a starter yet, so I think my method works. Sounds like all these GTO's start the same. :cheers


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## Three Deuces (Sep 22, 2009)

You can also take an empty eye dropper container (or something similiar) with gas in it and squirt it into all four venturi tubes, it will fire right up then. Do not just dump gas down the carb though.


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