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Engine Block Heater ? [message #76066] Tue, 09 March 2010 06:38 Go to next message
millstuffs is currently offline  millstuffs   United States
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Would an Engine Block Heater help with a COLD starting problem during the Summer months ? Even if it were say 70 -80 degrees outside. What do you guys think ?
Re: [GMCnet] Engine Block Heater ? [message #76067 is a reply to message #76066] Tue, 09 March 2010 06:49 Go to previous messageGo to next message
USAussie is currently offline  USAussie   United States
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Jim,

Are you saying that when you try to start the engine when IT is cold and the
ambient temperature is 70 - 80 degrees you have a problem?

Please describe what happens.

Regards,
Rob Mueller
Sydney, Australia
AUS '75 Avion-The Blue Streak TZE365V100428
USA '75 Avion-Double Trouble TZE365V100426


-----Original Message-----
From: gmclist-bounces@temp.gmcnet.org
[mailto:gmclist-bounces@temp.gmcnet.org] On Behalf Of Jim Smith
Sent: Tuesday, 9 March 2010 11:38 PM
To: gmclist@temp.gmcnet.org
Subject: [GMCnet] Engine Block Heater ?

Would an Engine Block Heater help with a COLD starting problem during the
Summer months? Even if it were say 70 -80 degrees outside. What do you guys
think ?
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Regards, Rob M. (USAussie) The Pedantic Mechanic Sydney, Australia '75 Avion - AUS - The Blue Streak TZE365V100428 '75 Avion - USA - Double Trouble TZE365V100426
Re: Engine Block Heater ? [message #76070 is a reply to message #76066] Tue, 09 March 2010 07:26 Go to previous messageGo to next message
millstuffs is currently offline  millstuffs   United States
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Rob I have the very common cold engine starting problem. It is very hard to start after having been parked for two weeks or more. I was just thinking that may be an Engine Block Heater might help.
Re: [GMCnet] Engine Block Heater ? [message #76076 is a reply to message #76070] Tue, 09 March 2010 08:22 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Steven Ferguson is currently offline  Steven Ferguson   United States
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Jim,
Ele fuel pump works very well. Make sure the carb well plugs are
epoxied too, the float bowl has a tendency to leak down through these.

On Tue, Mar 9, 2010 at 6:26 AM, Jim Smith <jsmith52697@roadrunner.com> wrote:
>
>
> Rob    I have the very common cold engine starting problem. It is very hard to start after having been parked for two weeks or more. I was just thinking that may be an Engine Block Heater might help.
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--
Steve Ferguson
'76 EII
Sierra Vista, AZ
Urethane bushing source
www.bdub.net/ferguson/
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Re: [GMCnet] Engine Block Heater ? [message #76078 is a reply to message #76070] Tue, 09 March 2010 08:24 Go to previous messageGo to next message
emerystora is currently offline  emerystora   United States
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I don't think a block heater will help. I suspect that the problem is
that you don't have any fuel in your float bowl. The GMC is known for
boiling out the fuel when you shut down or when shut down for a long
period.

If you want to do something put an electric fuel pump near the fuel
selector valve to prime your carb before trying to start up.

I am on a trip and don't have the part number with me but there is a
AC Delco one that works well or you can get a Master one from Autozone
for about half the price that seems to also work well. You want the
one that puts out about 6-8 psi and that allows your mechanical pump
to pull fuel through the electric pump when it is off. I assume that
someone will post the number for you.

This pump will help you start up and also works to overcome vapor lock
if you encounter it when traveling.

Emery Stora

On Mar 9, 2010, at 8:26 AM, Jim Smith <jsmith52697@roadrunner.com>
wrote:

>
>
> Rob I have the very common cold engine starting problem. It is
> very hard to start after having been parked for two weeks or more. I
> was just thinking that may be an Engine Block Heater might help.
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> List Information and Subscription Options:
> http://temp.gmcnet.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/gmclist
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Re: [GMCnet] Engine Block Heater ? [message #76085 is a reply to message #76066] Tue, 09 March 2010 09:28 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Terry Skinner is currently offline  Terry Skinner   United States
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Two questions come to my mind. First, do you have two mufflers? and
second, do you have the cross-over blocked??...........Terry
PS no, the block heater will not do a thing for this problem, no mater
what time of the year.

On Tue, Mar 9, 2010 at 4:38 AM, Jim Smith <jsmith52697@roadrunner.com> wrote:
>
>
> Would an Engine Block Heater help with a COLD starting problem during the Summer months ? Even if it were say 70 -80 degrees outside. What do you guys think ?
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> List Information and Subscription Options:
> http://temp.gmcnet.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/gmclist
>



--
Terry Skinner
253-686-2624
Roy. Washington
'76 GMC
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Re: [GMCnet] Engine Block Heater ? [message #76098 is a reply to message #76078] Tue, 09 March 2010 11:05 Go to previous messageGo to next message
millstuffs is currently offline  millstuffs   United States
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Terry I have two mufflers. I'm not sure if the cross over is blocked. I do like the idea of installing an electric fuel pump.
Re: [GMCnet] Engine Block Heater ? [message #76113 is a reply to message #76098] Tue, 09 March 2010 14:06 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Terry Skinner is currently offline  Terry Skinner   United States
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Next time you run your GMC upon stopping and turning the engine off
take the air cleaner off and look down the throat of the carb. There
is a good chance you will see gas percolating. I can understand you
wanting to add the fuel pump. That would be the easiest/cheapest, but
if it doesn't fix the base problem why bother...........Terry

On Tue, Mar 9, 2010 at 9:05 AM, Jim Smith <jsmith52697@roadrunner.com> wrote:
>
>
> Terry   I have two mufflers. I'm not sure if the cross over is blocked. I do like the idea of installing an electric fuel pump.
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Terry Skinner
253-686-2624
Roy. Washington
'76 GMC
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Re: Engine Block Heater ? [message #76128 is a reply to message #76066] Tue, 09 March 2010 15:46 Go to previous messageGo to next message
GeorgeRud is currently offline  GeorgeRud   United States
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When the quadrajet (as well as the rest of the fueling system)was designed, I don't think anyone was thinking that ethanol would be added to the gasoline. The main reason that we have a lot of percolating fuel is because the carb is sitting on a hot engine manifold. Even worse with the crossover heat source!

Carburated Porsches have a similar problem since the carbs are sitting directly on top of the cylinder heads, seperated only by a short, aluminum manifold. There are phenolic spacers that help the problem, but the best solution that most have found was to use a switched fuel pump that can be turned off a couple of blocks before you get to your destination. That pulls the fuel levels down in the float bowls so they don't percolate quite so much. Then simply turn the fuel pump on to refill the bowls with fresh gas before starting.

I think that the electric fuel pump is the easiest fix for this problem since we don't have a lot of other choices (other than converting to a closed system EFI, but that's another ball of wax).


George Rudawsky
Chicago, IL
75 Palm Beach

[Updated on: Tue, 09 March 2010 15:47]

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Re: [GMCnet] Engine Block Heater ? [message #76200 is a reply to message #76128] Tue, 09 March 2010 22:19 Go to previous message
Terry Skinner is currently offline  Terry Skinner   United States
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Registered: January 2004
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Senior Member
Why not reduce the temperature of the crossover?? that percolated fuel
is not just contaminating but a total waste of money, not to mention
it does not produce any power. I have blocked the cross-over and
removed the two forward mufflers and installed one muffler at the
back. There is no gas percolating out of my carburetor. It doesn't
smell like fuel in the cock pit on shut down. And that makes my wife
happy.
JTWIDI (just the way I did it)..............Terry

On Tue, Mar 9, 2010 at 1:46 PM, George Rudawsky <GeorgeRud@aol.com> wrote:
>
>
> When the quadrajet (as well as the rest of the fueling system)was designed, I don't think anyone was thinking that ethanol would be added to the gasoline.  The main reason that we have a lot of purculating fuel is because the carb is sitting on a hot engine manifold.  Even worse with the crossover heat source!
>
> Carburated Porsches have a similar problem since the carbs are sitting directly on top of the cylinder heads, seperated only by a short, aluminum manifold.  There are phenolic spacers that help the problem, but the best solution that most have found was to use a switched fuel pump that can be turned off a couple of blocks before you get to your destination.  That pulls the fuel levels down in the float bowls so they don't purculate quite so much.  Then simply turn the fuel pump on to refill the bowls with fresh gas before starting.
>
> I think that the electric fuel pump is the easiest fix for this problem since we don't have a lot of other choices (other than converting to a closed system EFI, but that's another ball of wax).
> --
> George Rudawsky
> Chicago, IL
> 75 Palm Beach
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Terry Skinner
253-686-2624
Roy. Washington
'76 GMC
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