My 1955 Mercury has a 292 and will not start unless I pour a bit of gas in the carb, once I do and it fires, she runs like a champ and will and drive all day unless I let it sit for more than 6 hours. If I let it sit for more than that, it will not start. It has a new fuel pump, full tank, clean lines, clean filter, clean tank... whiskey tango foxtrot, batman? Is it time for an electric fuel pump?



Loving my Y!

Kevin Walshe

Costa Mesa, California

It sounds like the fuel bowl on carb is draining if it sits.Have you tried cranking it enough to refill fuel bowl?If it starts and runs once you prime it with gas the fuel pump must be working correctly.You can add an electric as a short term fix to refill fuel bowl but if you are going to replace the carb anyway( I think you were?) I would save the money until then.Those Teapots would empty overnight because of the open bowl vents and require extra cranking time to refill  but not usually in 6-8 hours.Maybe the carb has a small crack in the bowl?

  

From what you have described this is more a carby problem than a fuel pump . Your carby fuel bowl is draining. An electric fuel pump won't necessarily cure your symptom but it will save having to crank the engine to fill the bowl back up.

Regards

Rick - West Australia
Do Y Blocks Downunder run upside down? Gravity Sucks!!

Hi Kevin,  Save the money that you were going to spend on an electric fuel pump, at least for now.  Rick is right, the carb is the problem.  I assume you are running an original teapot Holley.  Whatever you've got, it is the problem.  I've had two carbs over the years that behaved like you said, absolutely would not start (when cold) unless you primed them by pouring gas down the barrels.  Once running they were fine.  Would start fine until the car sat overnight.  The most recent one was an Edelbrock 1406/ 600CFM that a guy had installed on his Ford Bronco.  A top-rated local shop had the vehicle in because it wouldn't start when cold, they tried everything and finally put on a new Holley.  They gave me the carb for free and I installed it on my '57 T-Bird 312.  Drove it for several weeks and every morning I had to prime it to get it going, then it was fine.  Adjusting the choke, idle mixture screws, etc. didn't help.  I picked up a Carter AFB #9635 on Ebay and I'm still using it four years later.  By the way, the shop I mentioned has two guys with over 30 years of experience and they know carburetors.  If you know someone with the same carb, maybe you can borrow his and see what happens.  Good luck, Nick Brann - K.C., MO

I kind of figured that the old tea pot was the problem. I am getting a Holley 390 and new distributor so this should fix the problem. I am getting plenty of gas but just not enough to start it after a few hours. If the new carb does the same I may put an electric pump in but until then, I will wait. Thanks for all the help once again guys!

Kev



Loving my Y!

Kevin Walshe

Costa Mesa, California

Next time before you start it,take off the air cleaner and pump the acceterator a couple of times while looking in the carb.Is there any gas pumped out into the carb throat?When you crank the motor it can take up to a minute to refill the carb so it will start.Thats normal with the teapot carbs.I think you will find a BIG difference in starting when you change carbs.Most times the car can sit 4-5 days and start right up because fuel doesn't disappear from the float bowls.

  

I've never run a Teapot but I'm told that if the vents for the secondaries get plugged it will siphon the float bowl dry. There are small holes that act like air bleeds while the engine is running but also act as an anti-siphon when you shut it off. If they are plugged it can drain the float bowl.

http://ford-y-block.com 

20 miles east of San Diego, 20 miles north of Mexico

I had similar tea pot issue.  The car had the electric pump on when I bought it. (I guess to solve the problem) I went through a big hassle but ended up with the 390, new distributor, and FE motor mechanical pump.  The drivabiltiy is fantastic over the tea pot.  Go with the new carb and distibutor. Don't waste your money on other things trying to patch the problem.  You will not regret it.

Chemist64-Sounds like you have great driveability now to go with a terrific looking car!I bet the previous owner would not have sold it if he drove it now.