I know there's lots of threads about this...and I think I've read them all. I installed my triples last year and decided to keep the stock mechanical fuel pump. It puts out quite adequate volume and pressure for the triples. I have a pressure gauge before the carbs and regulator on the tank return line which keeps the pressure at 3-4 psi. The car runs great even under heavy acceleration...no fuel starvation.

My question: why does it take so much cranking to get fuel to the carbs for the engine to fire when cold and the car has sat for a while? The pump is supposed to have a check valve to prevent draining of fuel back into the tank.....correct? It seems I'm pumping new fuel from way back at the tank. I do have the stock electric fuel pump at the tank, but that doesn't kick in till the engine cranks up to a certain rpm. When warm the engine cranks quickly. I had the same problem with stock SU's....lots of cranking when cold. I know most have gone the electric pump route with inertia switches and stuff. I know the carb bowls will eventually evaporate, but the mechanical pump volume can easily fill those. (I know the fuel evaporates as my garage stinks for a day after running the car...that's a question for another thread: Stinky Webers)

What simple, dumb thing am I over looking?

You could have fuel evaporating from the lines between the pump and the carbs, as well as from the float bowls. When you try to start the car the pump has to fill the lines, and the bowls. Oh, and the fuel pump operates off on an eccentric on the cam, which turns 1/2 the speed of the motor. More volume = more cranking.

I did complete valve adjustment. Before that it started very badly. Now it starts right up, even in cold days! Running SU's with only mechanical pump.

If you have a 260 it also has an electric pump by the tank, is that working? Do you have a heat shield for your triples? I live in GA and it gets so hot the car can stumble at idle if I'm sitting at a light for a long period of time but I only run a Carter electric at the tank. Sometimes I let it run for 10 seconds or so before cranking when it's hot but sometimes I just have to crank it until it starts.

Depending on the elevation I've had problems too, Yellowstone in the summer with only a mechanical fuel pump didn't work for me.

Edited August 9, 201311 yr by gogriz91

I did complete valve adjustment. Before that it started very badly. Now it starts right up, even in cold days! Running SU's with only mechanical pump.

Same thing with mine!

The fuel will evaportate right out of the fuel bowls. There is nothing ot stop it.

When I turn my key and let my electric pump prime the carbs, it runs for several seconds before you hear the pump load up indicating its pushing against a dead headed system. I do not currently run a flow through system, but it is in the plans.

It appears you are in Arizona so I would think evaporation is working against you and the mechanical pump takes a while at cranking speeds to fill every thing up...

Charles

I'm going to be the devils advocate here. Why don't all the SU carb guys in the hotter climates complaining of similiar symptoms? Should be real common to all "float bowl" users....

I have this issue too with my Mikuni 44's The time it takes to get it to start is directly propotional to length of time it sits. Mechanical pump or electric. 24 hours, no wait time at all. 48 hours, maybe 15 sec of cranking, 7 days, maybe 40 seconds of cranking. I have a check valve too.

How can something this pretty be so tempermental?

Maybe that answers my own question....

Edited August 10, 201311 yr by zKars