Hard Starts

[mojavered]

My engine wants to turn over and over before starting.  It is an RB with Proform Carb and a mechanical fuel pump.  I would think that after driving, it would start with just a touch of the key.  But it acts like it is flooded....I have to floor it to get it to start and it is very frustrating.  Any ideas or other info you might need to help?  Much appreciated.

[Super Blue 72]

When the car does start again, do you see smoke out the tailpipe?  There could be a few issues.  Is the fuel boiling over?  Need a carb spacer?

At least for my car, I think my hard start issue stems from a bad seal at the needle/seat in the carb.  I'll have to rebuild the carb to see if my hunch is right, someting I thought about recently.

When the engine is turned off, last fall I saw fuel dripping from the primary butterfly shaft.  Figure that is flooding my engine plus I noticed last summer I was about 1 quart over full on the crankcase oil and it smelled like gas and the oil was very thinned out.  That was partially to putting on a new gas cap that wasn't vented.

Hope you find the issue!

[Chryco Psycho]

is the heat crossover blocked ?
keeping the carb cool is a must

[mojavered]

I wish I had the room to put a carb spacer.  The carb is only a year old and has not sat long enough for anything to go terribly bad in it I hope.  I can look inside and see if fuel is dripping down.
The crossovers are blocked.  The heads are actually aluminum and do not have the crossover.  I am running a 195 t-stat, maybe by running a 180, could keep it a little cooler and see if that helps out?  Engine runs exactly 195, (laser thermometer) but have not checked up near the carb.

[Bullitt-]

  I can't say what your issue is but after I replaced the ballast resistor on the ignition many of my starting issues disappeared. 
  I have also read that low voltage due to poor connections through the wiring harness can make for hard starting, you can make a temporary jumper from the +battery to the ballast to check this & wire in a relay to solve if that's the issue.

[Chryco Psycho]

use a 180* T stat , alum heads pull a LOT of heat out of the engine & tend to heat soak the intake

[MEK-Dangerfield]

The only thoughts I have are the fuel dripping down into the carb, or you have a weak spark.   

But if you have to floor it to get it started, that would pretty much negate the gas dripping down into the carb I think. So the float levels are correct?

[Strawdawg]

Holding the carb wide open maximizes the amount of air and reduces the amount of fuel flow outside of the pump shot.  That helps lean out the fuel mixture.

When you look into the carb a few minutes after shutting it off, do you see wet throttle blades which would be the sign that the carb is leaking down....?

[mojavered]

The throttle blades are dry after running.  The float levels are just at the bottom of the site windows.  I wonder if it could be the starter?  It started making a couple noises before it would start to turn the engine over...like it had to get up to speed?  With that happening, the fuel could be getting dumped in there and the engine is not wanting to turn as it is supposed to so it starts to flood???   

[Strawdawg]

Have you tried reducing your initial timing a few degrees to see if it now spins over faster?

If the blades don't show signs of wetness, nor, do the plugs, I would not think it was too much fuel