ok i have alot of questions
 

ok i just a 71 C10

the truck starts but its a pain in the ass to start cold..

and when i do get it started it will randomly shut off like its not getting enough fuel...and when i put it in drive it sputters if i giv it any mor than half throttle
and it will die when i put it in reverse

what wold cause it to die and sputter when im driving?

its got an edlebrock intake and carb i think 600

the guy i got it from gave me a procomp hei distributor how hard is it to install
and what will i need to modify to make it work?

Re: ok i have alot of questions
 

My first thought would be to check the timing. Make sure you're getting vacuum advance.


The HEI shouldn't be hard to install. You need to do a little re-wiring. I'm sure there is an FAQ to walk you through it.

Manual or electric choke? Are you pumping the gas once or twice before you're trying to start it? Is the accelerator pump actually squirting fuel into the front barrels (that's real easy to see if you take off the air cleaner, the accelerator jets are pretty much right on top in the middle and shoot into the front 2 barrels)

Good luck

Re: ok i have alot of questions
 

Good idea is to change the fuel filters.

HEI is real easy to install

Re: ok i have alot of questions
 

its an electric choke. i dont pump the gas. just turn the key..some times it takes like a good 15 mins of trying to start it

Re: ok i have alot of questions
 

yeah, give the gas pedal 1 or 2 quick pumps all the way to the floor

Re: ok i have alot of questions
 

ok il try that tomo morning

...any tips on starting the motor when its cold

Re: ok i have alot of questions
 

The hei install is super easy. bring your motor to TDC and pull your old distributor. drop your knew hei in. hopefully everything will line up or you will have to bring it to TDC again and retry installation. make sure it seats all the way down on the manifold. Then you need to run a power wire to your fuse box(just find an open terminal and plug your power wire in. then throw a timing light on and adjust your timing til it is in the optimal range for your engine. Make sure to regap your plugs as well. Try pumping it once completely to the floor and let off, this should set your electric choke and it should start right away. Do you have a fast idle?

Re: ok i have alot of questions
 

Make sure that wire is switched with the ignition.

Re: ok i have alot of questions
 

Giving your throttle one or two pumps right after you turn the ignition to "on" and before you try to start it will set the choke. It will help a lot with the cold start.

Re: ok i have alot of questions
 

if you still have the original points they need to b set for it to run properly// i'd suggest doing that to make sure of the overall running condition of the motor b4 getting any further into it

Re: ok i have alot of questions
 

ok.. i tried pumping the gas this morning and it still wouldnt start

its not even that cold

i think it was 48

Re: ok i have alot of questions
 

Have you checked your fuel filter and/or fuel pump? Sounds like a lack of gas is making it into the carburetor. If both of those check out, your carb may need to be rebuilt.

Re: ok i have alot of questions
 

i will check in a few hours when im off work

Re: ok i have alot of questions
 

ok...the truck has a EB 600 carb but idk how to get to the fuel filter

Re: ok i have alot of questions
 

Like CDOWNS said, start with the basics, make sure that the Ignition is set properly. Check the points dwell, and then timing. IF you have a carb with an electric choke, check to see if it is closing down when first started. Make sure that you see a squirt if fuel, and get the choke closed down. HTH

Re: ok i have alot of questions
 

yes you need to make sure your choke is set correctly and hooked up, cold starts is the reason it's there you can adjust it by turning the black plastic thing that the wires are going to;) and you should always pump the gas couple times when starting a cold carb engine.

Re: ok i have alot of questions
 

Sometimes i have to pump mine more than twice, so i'll pump the pedal about 3 times and turn it over a bit, stop then pump it 3 times again ect.

Re: ok i have alot of questions
 

If you're asking the questions that you are, you're definately not as old as I am.

The basics for getting these old trucks to run include getting a book that is applicable, and then reading it.

Edelbrock carburetors have a website and you can get technical info from that site, for free.

Setting the choke is done as folks have said, but you need to make sure it is set correctly. It's an electric choke, you said, but have you checked to be sure that it closes when you set it? Take the air cleaner off when the engine is cold...before you ever crank it. Then, press the accelerator pedal all the way to the floor, once or twice, but still don't try to start it. Look at the choke butterfly. Is it closed? If it isn't, it isn't choked and will be hard to start. To adjust the choke, there's a simple procedure. If you don't know how, I'm not going to try and mislead you. Look at the website. Again, get a manual that tells you how to tune and adjust these engines. If you have not installed the HEI, then it probably is running points/condensor. The easiest way to adjust them (for me) is with a dwell meter. You can set the points with a feeler guage, but I like the dwell meter. If you have one, set the dwell angle to 30 degrees at idle. This assumes that your points and condenser (it's a one-piece unit) is good. Also, check the inside of the distributor cap and the rotor....are they blackened and pitted? That'll make it hard to start/keep running. Vacuum has to be good, too. If you have vacuum hoses that are leaking, it'll be hard to keep running once the choke opens up. It'll open up when the engine is warmed up enough. There may be a choke pull-off that opens the choke. If it isn't working right, that can add to the hard-to-start issues.

One more thing: What about the plugs? Those Edelbrock carbs can run rich. If so, it's possible that the plugs get carbon-fouled with unburned gasoline. That was the case with my old Edelbrock with manual choke. My Q-Jet Edelbrock solved that issue.

Hope I haven't scared you.

Re: ok i have alot of questions
 

One thing no one has mentioned is--Do you have a yellow wire running from the starter to the coil on the plus side? This gives you a full 12 volts to the coil for starting.

Re: ok i have alot of questions
 

no actually it was a lot of help

im new to v8's

i started with little 4 bangers in VW's

but i will wait until saturday to do anywork

i dont have a garage anymore so i have to do all my work on base at the auto shop and that place is only open on the weekend

Re: ok i have alot of questions
 

Sounds like instead of trying to pin point the problem, I would just do a complete tune up. New points, plugs, wires, filters, choke, cap & rotor, and timing. If any one of those are fouled or mis adjusted it will run but not great. Since you just got this truck it would be a good idea to start fresh anyway, then you know the history of the components.

Re: ok i have alot of questions
 

well i got a new wiring harness for the engine and som lowering springs and i need to replace the gaskets on the pumpkin and the oil pan

so i will fix the timing replace the gaskets and rewire the motor

Re: ok i have alot of questions
 

i'd ferget about changing gaskets and wiring harness and lowering for now

just concentrate on learning how to do a tuneup like everybody has suggested// and find out weather you have a motor in that truck that will run properly

Re: ok i have alot of questions
 

One thing I haven't seen suggested (I think) is to check to see if the choke is hooked up to power and grounded. It should have 12V when the key is on, some hook it to the dizzy for power, but if you have a point-type dizzy that only gets about 8-9V in when running. Easiest spot to hook the choke power to is one of the IGN unfused terminals on the fuseblock, make sure it has a fuse inline too (small, like 5 amps). When you hook up your new HEI this is the same spot to hook up for power. Hope this helps out.

Re: ok i have alot of questions
 

If it is taking 15 minutes to start it. You could burn the starter up. Don't crank it to long , and let the starter cool off.