Its been a while... maybe too long...

[dvdswan]

Ok, so I went out the start the truck yesterday and I'm pretty sure I flooded the dang thing.  lol  The last time I owned a vehicle with a carb was in 89 so I guess I've forgotten how to start it.

when its running its smooth and idles around 800, it does have a choke, when I started it 4 days ago it warmed up at around 1400-1600 rpms, tap the throttle and it dropped to normal. 

so I'm pretty sure I flooded it, battery was getting weak so I put it on rapid charge which allowed it to crank fine but it just wouldn't catch.  it tried twice but after that just turned over.

any tips?  It's a 350, 4bl carb(don't know if its original or aftermarket, Q-jet or holley, etc.), 4sp, no emissions,.   I was going to give it a tune up this weekend but want to make sure I know how to start it when its cold out. low 30s and below. 

thanks for any tips.

[rich weyand]

Mine LOVES gasoline, so it may not be flooding, but....

Best starting procedure for unknown carb vehicle is probably: push the pedal all the way to the floor, wait three seconds for the accelerator pump to run out, and release.  Without your foot on the pedal, try to start it.

Mine actually likes two pushes to the floor with the three-second wait, then fires on the first turn of the crank.

[darmentle]

Mine is 1 Pump always starts right up Unless its cold in the morning which then 2 pumps.

[dvdswan]

I did a couple pumps before I tried to start it.  but pretty sure I held it down after that.   

thanks for the replies.

[Irish_Alley]

you sure its getting fuel and spark?

[dvdswan]

I will be checking that.  I did a quick look yesterday and realized the pos and neg cables were really corroded.  after seeing that did a little more investigating and found things just are not how I like to see them.  old plug wires laying on top of each other, I'm sure the plugs are not in the best of shape as well.  I had planned on doing this anyway so it will give me some old training that I've long forgotten. lol   

[dvdswan]

so I did the tune-up and it seems that one was done within the last 10k I would guess.  cyl #5 is burning a little oil, nothing too severe.  tried to start, no go.  pulled the fuel line off at the carb and cranked about 3-5 seconds, which I think would be enough time to have fuel come out but nothing, its dry. 

am I correct in assuming the pump has gone south?  or should I have to crank longer?

[Irish_Alley]

if it sits for a while the fuel can drain back to the tank, you have to re-prime it. i usually get a can of starting fluid and run her off that for a couple seconds, by then fuel should be up to the carb. get a clear/glass fuel filter so you can see if its there or not

[dvdswan]

it runs with starting fluid.

well, I wasn't getting any fuel from the pump and it looked wet so I replaced it.  I'm still not getting fuel.  I have dual tanks and have heard that the selector can fail.  I'm puzzled by this as I'm not sure how the selector works.  it has one wire (yellow) going to it I've checked the connections at the selector and another one like 6" from the selector.  is the body the ground.  it looks original as do the fuel hoses as they have those spring clips and some type of undercoating on it. 

I am showing just over 3/4 full on the l/s tank and almost empty on the r/s tank.  it was on the l/s when I drove it home and I haven't tried to run in on the r/s as it looks empty.  I did find a ground very loose by the selector, it looks like it would be for the tank sender (I'm guessing) and I tightened it up with no change.  it also looks like new fuel caps.  I'm still puzzled how the selector could do this.

[rich weyand]

The selector has one wire to it from the switch.  This powers the solenoid inside the switch.  If the solenoid fails, the spring loaded switch will fall back to the rest position and whichever tank is connected to the rest position.

Also, the solenoid has a wire to ground.  This comes off the solenoid and connects to sheet metal ground.  No ground wire, the solenoid will fall back to the rest position and whichever tank is connected to the rest position.

Any bets the RHS tank is the rest position?

[dvdswan]

how do I find out which tank is in the rest position?  and what does rest position mean?  the dash switch seems to switch between the two tanks

[rich weyand]

OK, a solenoid has two positions, right?  When you put electricity through the solenoid, it goes into one position, the energized position.  When you don't put electricity through the solenoid, the spring pushes it back into the other position, the rest position, or default position.

The dash switch in one position energizes the solenoid.  In the other position it does nothing.

I think you have been running on the RHS tank all along, because the solenoid is not being energized, or has failed.

So, basically, you're out of gas.

Put a couple gallons in the RHS tank and see if the truck runs.

[dvdswan]

got it.  we'll try that.  if that's the case then I need a solenoid.  correct.

[rich weyand]

got it.  we'll try that.  if that's the case then I need a solenoid.  correct.

Well, you need to see if the existing solenoid is getting power, and has a good ground.  If it has power and ground, and does not switch, then either the solenoid coil is open-circuit, or the internal valve is jammed too tight for the solenoid to move it.  In either case that means a new valve.

First, though, is to make sure it has power and ground.

[Irish_Alley]

this might help you out
http://i333.photobucket.com/albums/m387/rebel_cowboy_83/Diagram/fuelvalve_zpse5885df3.jpg
the two ports on the top front side are the mains from your fuel tanks. the port thats closes to the solenoid is your main/rest tank. follow that line see which tank is your main/rest