The V8 Owners Forum -

Hi Guys,

The Moss project is coming along slowly but surely, I am now at the stage when I am just wanting to get the engine to fire up so I have a milestone under my belt.
I have spark at the points, spark at the plugs, but no firing up.
I have looked at the spark plugs and they are dry os I am assuming no fuel is getting through.
The engine came with a holley carb which I have cleaned externally but not internally...I am pretty sure I need to strip and rebuild it but just wanted some form of life out of the engine before thrwoing money at stuff !
I think the engine was not running for a good number of years before I got it.... Is this a common thing ?

Thanks
Stu

You should still be able to get it to fire - The accel pump of the Holley will dump in enough fuel to get it to run - albeit breifly even if the metering plates are gummed up with varnish or corrosion. If there is no fuel from the accel pump getting down the carb throat sounds like the needle valves are stuck fast - have you removed the float bowl height view bolts and adjusted the float levels?

Slosh a cap full of juice down the carb - soon tell if its fuel of sparks.

Andrew

I took the carb apart and cleaned alot of stuff, I now have managed to get fuel squirting from the discharge jets when the throttle is manually opened, got a flat battery now so waiting 'till tomorrow before my next attempt.
Is this what is meant to happen ?
Should there be fuel coming out of the main jets when the throttle is opened ?
These are clear when sprayed through when apart earlier.

Stu

Camo wrote:I took the carb apart and cleaned alot of stuff, I now have managed to get fuel squirting from the discharge jets when the throttle is manually opened, got a flat battery now so waiting 'till tomorrow before my next attempt.
Is this what is meant to happen ?
Should there be fuel coming out of the main jets when the throttle is opened ?
These are clear when sprayed through when apart earlier.

Stu

You wont see fuel coming out of the main jets while cranking, and i strongly recommend you dont look down the carb to check to look while cranking unless you disable the ignition just in case the carb spits back

Do you mean the squirter jets Stu. The double sided thing at the top of the primary barrels.

The main jets are buried way down the bores and the only way you would see fuel from them is at a good chunk of throttle with a good torch shining down into the venturi. Which I wouldnt advise a this time

Give it 3 full pumps so you can see the fuel coming out of the squirters and let it rest for 5 seconds. It should burst into life for a couple of seconds even if the mains are blocked

mgbv8 wrote:Do you mean the squirter jets Stu. The double sided thing at the top of the primary barrels

Yes, its held in place with a cross head screw, that seems to be the only place where fuel is coming from currently. couldn't see anywhere else that was blocked as it eemed pretty clean to be honest.... but it looked like the two inner most (smaller) primary air bleeds are either blocked or don't have a hole ?
I will see how it goes tomorrow....
Thanks,

Stu

On some Holley's, 2 of the air bleeds are not drilled.

If the squirters are working when you move the throttle then if should fire up at least for a few seconds.

Denis

Arrgghh, battery didn't seem to have taken enough charge overnight so wasn't at peak power this morning, didn't get her to fire ...
Should I be seeing fuel squirting from the main Venturi ? (if that what its called)
Starting to annoy me now as the water pump is now seeping, all I want is a little encouragement from the car to know its all going in the right direction !

Stu

Camo wrote:Arrgghh, battery didn't seem to have taken enough charge overnight so wasn't at peak power this morning, didn't get her to fire ...
Should I be seeing fuel squirting from the main Venturi ? (if that what its called)
Starting to annoy me now as the water pump is now seeping, all I want is a little encouragement from the car to know its all going in the right direction !

Stu

put some petrol down its neck IE the carb and turn the key, if need be get another car to give you a battery boost