slow starting, have to pump gas to carb. after sitting for a week

[DarkJester]

What stfarris61 said. I fixed a couple of Q-Jet carbs that way. I had the write up on how to do it out of either a tech bulletin or a magazine article. But I'll bet there's a YouTube video about it somewhere. I would also go with the electric fuel pump.
The Q-Jet is an excellent carb when set up properly.

 

[SCORPIO]

I just crank mine for two or three seconds, full stroke it twice and start it. No need to crank 15 seconds. Been doing it like that on two Q jet carbed. Boats for 15 years. My new Edlebrock carb on my new engine with electric fuel pump doesn't need any pumping. Your choice on what to do but if it runs fine,i would wait to do a carb rebuild or replacement until a performance issue dictates. BTW I have had my other Q jet rebuilt professionally twice over the years, including new well plugs, and it still needed priming after sitting fir a week or two.

 

[hottoddie]

When I rebuilt both my Crusader 1986 454/350's 2 years ago I considered installing electric fuel pumps but decided against it. I've seen too many newer boats with electric pumps have failures that have left the boat stranded. Instead I installed new mechanical pumps, rebuilt the Q-jets, epoxied the well plugs, removed the fast idle cam from the Q-jet and installed electric chokes. Now even when the boat sits for a week or more I never touch the throttles and turn the key. Takes 3-4 revolutions and starts almost like it's fuel injected. The electric chokes open far more quickly than the old spring type chokes and reduces fuel consumption during warm up. The Q-jets are great carbs if know what to do with them.

 

[AlohaSteve]

Thanks everyone for the VERY helpful info and recommendations. Once again this forum has saved me a TON of money, wasted time and grief. As with most other subjects, I should have just looked here first instead of spending all that time talking to others on my pier. I was even able to educate the PO yesterday afternoon about the advice in this thread. He struggled with it for all 3 years of his ownership but isn't much for computers so he has never found this forum.

The carbs are in pretty good shape and work fine once the engine starts so I'm hesitant to tear into them this early in our live aboard adventure. For now I'm considering a couple of add-on manual electric fuel pumps in the near future for getting some gas into the bowl after sitting, but maybe not to totally replace the mechanical ones. I envision running them BRIEFLY as part of the prep and startup ritual and then letting the mechanical ones do their thing. If there's a possible serious problem with this idea, please advise. I understand I would HAVE to make sure they are safely shut off to avoid having fuel spew everywhere. Because of that possible danger, I may just live with them they way they are until I can do as recommended and install new Holley carbs when the cost is justified.

But as of yesterday I have been successful in getting them to start (even though it has been almost a month) doing what Scorpio described. I'm learning that it only takes a little bit of cranking to get some fuel into the bowl. Then one or two partial strokes of the throttle and they fire up. A big relief, and the starters are a lot happier...

 

[PlayDate]

I would not be comfortable with the setup you proposed. What you would have to do is "y" fit the fuel line after the mechanical pump and before the mechanical pump to insert the marine grade electric pump and marine grade fuel lines. You are betting that the pressure of the mechanical pump doesn't force fuel back through the electric pump and bleed off pressure.

I know you have gotten a lot of feedback on the subject. You are better off with sticking with what you already have than trying to make this work. If you want to replace the mechanical pump with an electric pump ....great and don't forget the mandatory oil pressure switch that goes with it.

 

[AlohaSteve]

I would not be comfortable with the setup you proposed. What you would have to do is "y" fit the fuel line after the mechanical pump and before the mechanical pump to insert the marine grade electric pump and marine grade fuel lines. You are betting that the pressure of the mechanical pump doesn't force fuel back through the electric pump and bleed off pressure.

I know you have gotten a lot of feedback on the subject. You are better off with sticking with what you already have than trying to make this work. If you want to replace the mechanical pump with an electric pump ....great and don't forget the mandatory oil pressure switch that goes with it.

Agreed. And thanks again for the additional insight. Thanks to this thread I'm now comfortable with starting the engines as they are until the day comes for new carbs. Now on to the next mystery of figuring out why the manifolds on the port engine are heating up to about 215 degrees and creating some steam in the exhaust. But that will be a subject for another thread.