By trouble starting are you saying it doesn't turn over or it does but doesn't start?  Need more info.

If you have to use a manual choke, either it doesn't have the original Q-jet or the Q-jet is misadjusted  or needs an overhaul.




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1973 L-82 4 spd

|UPDATED|5/30/2016 6:21:31 PM (AZT)|/UPDATED|

When my 78 was hot it would have a starter solenoid problem.  Once cooled a little bit it would turn over.

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  You will need to check all of the battery connections to the starter and the grounds.

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1973 L-82 4 spd

|UPDATED|5/31/2016 5:01:58 AM (AZT)|/UPDATED|

before you try anything else for a cold start try putting the gas pedal to floor and then releasing and maybe a 2nd time then try cranking it over !! sounds like a choke problem with the carb but if that doesn't work it might be time to rebuild the carb or make sure choke is adjusted properly

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There's nothing better in life then a Vette

Turns over just won't fire up. AAA coming over to pick her up and take to Sears auto Hope then know enough to figure it out. When I give it gas via pulling the fuel ( pumping it in ) It attempts to start then right back to just the turning over noise With no results.

Maine

If I were to spray starting fluid in carb if it was a carb issue would it start so I can start ruling some stuff out such as plugs? It is at Sears auto now but to be honest I don't have much faith in Them when it comes to this car.

sounds like the carb for sure I wouldn't let sears touch it. i would search for someone in your area that knows about carbs !! You can try putting the pedal to floor and leave it there while you crank it (this is usually done when carb is flooded but should work in getting it started it might spudder for a little bit but only crank it for a few seconds. But my guess is defintely carb just sounds like it from what you are saying since once you get it going it's usually good for the day.

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There's nothing better in life then a Vette

On the advise of a friend, they already have it Going to replace the plugs distributor and something else? At $528.00 If that dose not do it I will need to find a Vette guy. Seems to have an electronic choke that last owner over rid And put in a manual one for whatever reason? I will know if they were at all successful in a few hours But I feel today's work will be a waiste of time.

I suspect you might have just thrown $528 away. Here's what I think is your problem.  Yousay it does not want to start after sitting for several days. What could be happening is the fuel in the float bowl is slowly leaking out and when you go to restart it after several days, the fuel pump needs to refill the bowl. You can check this by removing the air cleaner and pumping the accelerator while looking down the throat of the carburetor. If you do not see it spraying gas, then you know that it's has no fuel in the fuel bowl.  Personally I would get the car back from Sears before they do any of the above-mentioned work that you mentioned.

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1973 L-82 4 spd

I agree that I most likely just threw over $500. Away, but at least now I know those parts will now Be new at least, So, to your point, if I took starting fluid and sprayed it Down the carb, am I correct to say it should fire up then Until I can find a Vette guy to fix it correctly?

I agree with 73Shark. Definitely sounds like the float bowl is leaking/emptying and the fuel pump is filling the bowl before any fuel is being introduced to the combustion chamber. It also could be choke issue but certainly sounds like the engine is staving for fuel on initial cranking.

|UPDATED|5/31/2016 2:16:47 PM (AZT)|/UPDATED|


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1973 L-82 4 spd

Yep, Just gave me a small issue starting then stalled While in reverse. Had to keep my foot on the gas for a Few to prevent her from stalling. Dam it. Don't know where I am going to find a reliable Vette guy Here in Maine

there is all the guys right here on this site to walk you through it start with what carb you have then go to u tube and watch a video of it and you will have much better understanding of how things work then all the advice here will make sense to you. Great bunch here



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You just need to find someone who rebuilds carb's shouldn't be hard to find

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There's nothing better in life then a Vette

just google for a carb repair shop in your area. I don't know how close this place is to you

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There's nothing better in life then a Vette

Adding some photos of carb, hope they don't appear To big using my phone. Can someone look them over To tell me what type so I can start searching you tune videos on it, I do know it had the electric choke at one point but for Whatever reason prev owner over rid and added a manual One that tends to stick 

Pic 1

Pic 2

Pic 3

Pic 4

Pic 5

(modified life-size images to links-aapple)


|UPDATED|6/1/2016 7:16:05 PM (AZT)|/UPDATED|

Pull that puppy, and get it to someone who can do something with it. looks like it meeds some TLC. Looks like a Carter. Certainly isn't a spread bore. I had a shop in California do mine. When it came back, just bolted it on,and ran like a smooth well oiled clock. Not cheap, but WELL worth the cost and time. one week turn around once he got it. Drilled and bushed both shafts, and rebuilt it. VERY well done.

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Click on image for full view

agreed, looks like a carter/edlebrock style carb. while I've never actually rebuilt one, i'm sure some here have, or if you are a little 'tech savy' you can youtube it. no doubt someone has a video of rebuilding one .  Although I personally have had an issue with a carter on my vette, one of the venture started dripping gas flooding the engine out. rather than taking it apart, I replaced the carb with a holley I had laying around...  

This is not necessarily a "vette" issue, as far as the engine is concerned, as long as you can find someone reliable at working on carburetored engines. Would be great if you had a buddy with a spare carb laying around that you could swap out just to see if it works better. Usually just the 4 bolts, a gas line, few vacuum lines and the throttle cable  to take off to get the carb on, and then all back in reverse order.. 

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StingrayJim
NCM Lifetime Member #1936

Stingray's '76���������������������������� StingrayJr's '78���������������������������Lil Red '94

(click each one to see a bigger version)

Is that choke cable backwards?  Looks like if you pull on the cable, it opens the choke. 

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Speaking of solenoids. When it won't start tap the starter solenoid with a hammer or large screwdriver. Then try starting it. My '78 would do the same thing after sitting awhile.

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MARK
LIFETIME MEMBER #117

Click here to see my new friend P-Racer
"Keep up the Pace"

If you are thinking the carburetor is the problem, then you may want to verify which carb is on the car. Sometimes engines are changed and carbs are switched. That way when you know what you have to begin with.

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Don"t throw away anymore money!!! like Cinor said there is member that very experienced and can talk you thru everything. They have more experience than your local mechanics. When you hear there is a manual choke and starting problem a BRIGHT light goes off and says you need to start with the carb. The first question is what carb is on the car. Rochester quadrajet or a Holley or edelbrock. Sounds like carb problem and if doesn't have the original carb and it needs to be replaced you could have bought a brand new Edelbrock for less than $300. bolted it on yourself and run a wire to automatic choke. Edelbrock will run right out of the box and only need a minor turn of a screw to fine tune if needed. On the old carbs with new ethanol gas what happens when you park the car the gas evaporates from the heat. Sometimes just after a few hours. If you never had a carb car you have to learn how to start them. If the carb is junk now is a good time to decide if you want to change it over to electronic fuel injection for about $1500.00 and all your starting problems will go away!! Phew that was long winded.

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Sorry folks didn't see page 2. If you can't find a good carb guy in Maine all the NCRS guys use Hobbs Carb 108 pelham Rd. Pelham Nh. 03076. ph: 1-603-635-2415. Top notch. he is hour and half from you.

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I still think the manual choke is hooked up backwards...

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