Trying to help my brother out here.
Having trouble with the Holley 2bl on a Ford 302. Carb is freshly rebuilt, new fuel pump, fresh fuel lines and filter, stainless steel gas tank has been cleaned.
Hard to start unless you pour a little gas down the carb. Lights up right away and runs for a few moments then dies. Will not refire unless you let it set for a few minutes. Fires up, runs a few moments, dies. Plenty of fuel coming out of the pump, pop the bowl off, its full. Repeat the add gas, fire and die for a awhile and suddenly it starts to run great. It will idle perfect for 10 minutes or so then die. It acts like its out of gas, but fuel in the bowl etc.
Ideas? Trying to sell this thing but not running like this!
Did whoever rebuilt the carb know what they were doing?
jstand
HalfDork
6/12/17 9:19 p.m.
Some speculation and questions:
1) Why was the carb rebuilt?
2) When was the last time it ran well?
3) Did the rebuilder used the right kit? I don't know if there are different kits for marine vs automotive versions of a Holley 2BBL.
4) Were the vent and fuel fill lines replaced? Any chance the tank isn't venting and creating too much vacuum for the pump to overcome?
My 302 takes one pump of the throttle when im cold starting it, if i don't give it anything it wont want to start(no choke on my carb). If it has an accelerator pump give it a pump before you turn the key.
Cheack the tank vent. I would take the carb off and take it apart again. Something is wrong. There are usually three or. Four different gaskets in the kits for a range of carbs. Get it wrong and a single small orifice in the carb is blocked and you will not get gas where you need it or you block an air vent that causes vacuum in the carb preventing fuel flow.
Is the float bowl vent plugged up? Is the float OK? Is the needle valve working correctly and set to the right height?
Usually this symptom is a question of fuel lines plugged, fuel filter plugged or tank vent plugged, but you mention that the carb had been rebuilt which opens up a possibilities.
When you fix the problem be sure to post, I have a Holley two barrel on the shelf that needs a rebuild and would love to know what might go wrong.
If the float bowl is full and the engine only runs when fuel is splashed down the intake then there's an internal problem with the carb and it needs to come apart again.
