Only starts at WOT

[adamkat22]

I have a Volvo Penta with a 350 5.7. It’s a Rochester quadrajet carb. Hasn’t run in a year, and right now I can only get it to start when throttle is wide open (or close to wide open). I get one shot at it…if it doesn’t start that first time it won’t start at all without a little gas down the carb. Then, once I shut it off, it won’t start again until it has sat for a couple minutes. And even then, it’s the same scenario…the throttle has to be pretty wide open.

I did notice that when I pump the accelerator pump I’m not seeing or hearing gas squirt out. That’s not normal correct? I ordered a new accelerator pump and will swap that out.

Think the accelerator pump is my problem…or do I have compounding problems? I’m not sure if the fact that it doesn’t start when warm is related to the accelerator pump?

 

[Scott Danforth]

Being a Rochester on a VP, the motor is over 35 years old.

I would start with a carb teardown and cleaning, then rebuild

 

[adamkat22]

Yeah it’s old the carb was rebuilt about 6 years ago and I don’t put many hours on it each year. Was hoping I didn’t need to dig that deep into it but I guess it’s time…

 

[Fun Times]

Did it seem to do this after the rebuild 6 years ago or just seem to start doing this, 'this year?

Choke setting/adjustment having issues too maybe... < from rebuild maybe ?

 

[adamkat22]

With only intermittent use of the boat and a whole DIY engine swap that happened the first year, I feel like I spent the first 3 years “fine tuning everything”. There seemed to be lots of little issues that were slowly ironed out. Two years ago I seem to remember it finally running fairly well. I think maybe I would have to give a couple or six pumps of the throttle before turning the key in order to get it to start.

I’m not sure what the choke settings are so I don’t know if those were ever messed with.

Last year the boat wasn’t used at all, so I’m only just now discovering this current hard start situation

 

[Scott Danforth]

Last year the boat wasn’t used at all, so I’m only just now discovering this current hard start situation

Fuel lasts 12 months from date of distillation if it's stored in a closed container

My guess you need to clean out the goo that used to be fuel that is in your tank

 

[adamkat22]

::update:: it now seems that I can get it to start with the throttle at about half mast (2-3k rpm’s?). But only after engine has been sitting for a while. Once warm I can’t get it to start again.

I assume Scott Danforths advice about a rebuild still holds…but just adding in this update in the slim hopes there might be an easier path lol.

As for gas, it has always been stabilized and then tank has been drained at the end of each season..but that doesn’t speak for whatever sat in the carb. I usually do a good dose of seafoam in a fresh fuel filter each season to counter that but I have never known how much maintenance a carb like this should require

 

[adamkat22]

Ok one more update (as I fall into a googling rabbit hole) is that today when I was working on some other stuff, I touched the ignition coil (is that the correct name for the part in the attached pic?) and it was HOT to the touch. I realized that the ignition was in the key-on position. Turned it off and the ignition coil cooled down. Wondering if this could be related to my problem…

 

[Scott Danforth]

nope. its not the coil.

coils get warm to the touch if you leave the key on and not have the motor running. they get about 160F if you leave the key on.

 

[adamkat22]

In the end it seemed like it was the accelerator pump that had gone bad. Put a new one in and it seems to be running pretty great! (Even though I’m still only seeing one stream of fuel, as opposed to two, when I depress the pump).
Thanks for all the help!

 

[Scott Danforth]

In the end it seemed like it was the accelerator pump that had gone bad. Put a new one in and it seems to be running pretty great! (Even though I’m still only seeing one stream of fuel, as opposed to two, when I depress the pump).
Thanks for all the help!

pull the carb apart and clean it. with only one stream, one bank will run lean upon acceleration.