cool thanks for all of the help. The car was not garaged and was sitting in the driveway in typical Oregon weather, which if you don't know is almost identical to english weather. I am trying to find a time between rain showers to try some of your sugestions. I'll let you all know what happens.
Thanks
Jeremy

By Al B (66.222.252.147) on Monday, May 10, 2004 - 09:15 pm:

Jeremy,

If the car is flooded, put your foot to the floor and hold it there, crank the engine until it starts, give the starter and the wires a break in between tho, you will heat up everything if you turn it over for a long period of time. When you pump the gas pedal, you are putting more gas in. When you hold it to the floor, it lets in more air. If the car is flooded, the plugs will be soaking wet. Take them out and dry them or replace. You can also turn the car over without the plugs in to push out any excess gas out of the cylinders. But DISCONNECT THE COIL WIRE, the spark from the wires will start the fumes on fire! Hope this helps.

By Keil Shepherd (Medicineman) (81.131.86.236) on Monday, May 10, 2004 - 12:44 pm:

Jeremy

When it was sitting, was it garaged? I had a similar problem with a Rover. Just dampness through sitting a fortnight on the drive in typical English weather stopped it from firing up.

By Chaffneue (Chaffneue) (64.180.112.150) on Monday, May 10, 2004 - 12:38 pm:

hehe yes.. leave it for 5 minutes! don't just spray it in and slam the cap back on that's a bad lesson to learn..

-Richard

By Keil Shepherd (Medicineman) (81.131.86.236) on Monday, May 10, 2004 - 12:36 pm:

Just a tiny note of caution...

My mate Derek once sprayed WD-40 into a dizzy cap and when he tried to fire up the engine it exploded. (The dizzy cap that is, not the engine!)

Mind, if it's dry when it goes back you could be okay.

By Chaffneue (Chaffneue) (64.180.112.150) on Monday, May 10, 2004 - 12:29 pm:

hmm. how are the plugs? is it backfiring when you attempt to start it? there could be condensation in the distributor, if there is, spray it with wd-40 and wait 5 minutes for it to evaporate, that should get all the water out and it's dialectric so it won't mess with the electrical parts. check the ignition system over before you redo the carb. also can you see gas or bubbles moving through the fuel line filters, that will give you an idea if your fuel pump is behaving.

-Richard

By Jonathan (66.252.173.251) on Monday, May 10, 2004 - 12:28 pm:

Jeremy, try a shot of starting ether. If the car starts and dies, it's fuel related, if it doesn't start at all it's spark related. Does it sound any different while cranking? Another thing to check is if the choke works when the knob is pulled. Has the car been tuned up recently? I had a similar thing happen to my Caprice once, that turned out to be fouled spark plugs. It wouldn't hurt to change the fuel filter either. If there is no fuel, take the fuel line off the carb and put it in a bottle. Have someone turn the engine over, see if fuel comes out.
If there's no spark, have someone turn the engine over while you check for voltage at the coil, and spark at the plugs.

By scholzj (128.193.24.85) on Monday, May 10, 2004 - 12:14 pm:

I tried to stomp on the gas, flutter the gas, not step on the gas, and nothing seemed to work. I guess I will take the carb off and rebuild it. Anyone have any more ideas of what could be my problem?
Jeremy

By Chaffneue (Chaffneue) (64.180.112.150) on Monday, May 10, 2004 - 12:47 am:

if it started once and died, it's just flooded.. pump the gas.. I've had that happen once. stupid carbs.. just turn the key, crank it and slam on the gas pedal a bunch of times.. eventually it will fire.. probably indicates the need for a carb rebuild..

-Richard

By scholzj (67.171.200.238) on Sunday, May 09, 2004 - 07:50 pm:

Ok so I went out to start my car today and it started up but when I steped on the gas pedal it died. So I started it again and it started after a while of cranking on the starter, I tried to give it gas a bit lighter but it still died. Now it won't even start. I did run the gas tank pretty dry but the filter does not seem cloged. The car seems like it is not getting gas into the cylinders but I can't figure out why. I was running fine till I let it sit for a few weeks and now I can't start it. Any ideas of what could be causing this?
Jeremy