Car does not start after sitting a few days. Fuel pump?

Car runs perfect but if I let it sit for a few days it will not start no matter how much I crank it. A shot of starting fluid finally does the trick and I have to start it twice like that. Then it stays running and everything is fine unless I let it sit for a few days. Could this be the fuel pump getting tired?
Thanks
Gary

 

Most likely the open-to-the-atmosphere bowl is allowing the modern-fuel to evaporate (and I think the current formulation evaporates more readily than that of 40-sumpthin years ago). Next likely candidate is a leaky bowl plug.

Mine behaves exactly the same way. It will fire right up today since I drove it yesterday; not so easily tomorrow; and forget about Tuesday - 'cuz Buford wants his ether after sitting more than two days. Without ether it will eventually start but an engine is no fan of all that dry cranking.

I had my carb open last winter and found perfectly clean bowl plugs as I had sealed them 20 years before. So my bowl is venting hot fuel to the atmosphere where it becomes smog.

 

I find that evaporation is more common a problem than leaky well plugs. I find I am getting used to cranking a couple seconds, then pumping the pedal, then cranking for the start.

Another possible cause is poor sealing needle and seats that allow some drainback.

 

I echo the above. Modern gas readily evaporates compared to long ago, and the more corn in the gas the more readily it evaporates. There are a few places Q-jets can develop internal leaks, but is likely just fuel evap unless you are noticing other running issues.

 

I normally have the same problem, and cranking takes a long time to bring up fuel thru the 1/2" line. Most often, I pour a little gas into a small container, then take one of the plastic veterinary syringes I bought at Farm & Fleet and shoot about 60 CC into the carb bowl vent. Hit the accelerator a few times, wait 10 seconds for it to start to evaporate, turn the key and starts right up. The syringes don't last real long, maybe 5 or 6 starts, before the fuel starts to work on them, but they're cheap.

 

I epoxied the plugs when i rebuilt the carb so its probably not that. Could be evaporating but no matter how long I crank it will not get gas to the accelerator pump. Could the float needle be sticking in the seat and only gets unstuck when it simply cant hold back the pressure of a fuel pump energized by a running engine? Or the fuel pump is tired and cant get enough pressure with just cranking? If the bowl is empty from evaporation it shoud fill up quickly when cranking and pumping right?

 

My Skylark and Chevy pickup both with Q-Jets take less than 10 seconds of starter time to fire and run after weeks of sitting. No starter fluid or gas down the carburetor.

 

fuel pump should fill the empty bowl in a couple seconds but in my car it does not no matter how long I crank it. I dont know if I should replace the fuel pump or do exploratory surgery on the carb. Having to use starting fluid if I let it sit for a few days is not acceptable to me. Surely our Buicks can be more reliable than that right?

 

Be sure your choke is set right and operating properly. That will help pull fuel.

Check fuel filter too.

Otherwise, yes....fuel pump

 

thats what I thought too but then I checked the squirters and those bones were very dry. Hey I was getting inspired last night by one of your blogs from I think 2006 where you were detailing the engine compartment of some 71 lesabre 4 door sedan. You talked about mimicking anodizing with this duplicolor paint technique.. It was great! The engine was out and you had the whole radiator clip apart, you were on a mission.

 

Our '65 Skylark (300 2bbl) has the same issue. I have to pour a little gas down the carb after it sits for more than 2 days. I have replaced the fuel pump as well.

 

It never used to do this. I could leave it for a month and after cranking it a little it would fill the bowl and fire right up. Not any more!! Why?

 

I would check any rubber sections of the fuel line if you have not ever replaced it.

 

what am I checking for? I have been meaning to replace those rubber sections. I have several. The pump to tank line and the pump to carb line is rubber fuel hose. Then again there is a short rubber piece from the carb to the carb line.

Question: From the factory were the lines solid metal from carb to pump or did they always have a short piece of fuel line from the pump to the fuel lines?

 

If you have a inline fuel filter right at the carb, check it. It takes a 1in wrench. The paper filter comes in two lengths. short and long. See if it has the rubber back flow gasket. it is black in color. change the filter, but make sure the gasket is in the new one. That filter, if bad, or does not have that gasket, gas will flow back towards the fuel tank when not running . esp after a day or so - slow starting

 

What is your float height? Raise it to 9/32" to get as much fuel in the bowl as possible.
Remove clip from the needle. The clips original purpose was to raise the needle from the seat when fuel was evaporating. Old fuels left a varnish and needle would stick. New fuels don't have the varnish issue but it does evaporate sooner.

And you are correct. Just a little cranking should refill the bowl quickly.