warm start issues and fuel line placement?

[Ewing]

Still getting used to my ebody and admittedly a total rookie. 2 questions for the experts please! I am in a 70 Cuda 383, Edelbrock Dp4b, Carter 750 cfm, mild cam (so I'm told..)

Car generally starts up quickly when engine is cold. On warm starts, turn the key and literally nothing happens, no crank, nada. It will start if I put the pedal to the floor then back it off when it engages. Talking w buddies etc they feel it might be fuel boiling out after shut off. So I ordered a coolcarb shield and the fel pro kit 1214 to block off the exhaust crossover (I live in Los Angeles so generally not cold). Have not put them in yet. Then last night I had a look and check out the fuel line – could this be part of the issue? It's resting on the intake. Is this correct or should it be moved, how are others doing this? No idea what my timing is. I've read the heat soak posts but thought this might also be related

Can someone tell me what the little silver nipple is in the bottom left of the image? It sure looks like it needs to be hooked up to something...

Thanks - Ewing.

[autoxcuda]

Id like to see a factory like hard line from fuel pump to carb. They are called fule pump to carb lines. You need one for a carter AVS carb (similar to your AFB) Those bend around so they don't hit the hot engine and are make of steel that doesn't melt.

Silver nipple open means the vacuum advance is disconnected. That's ok if everything is setup for it. Probably has lots of initial advance timing and setup

Judging by what you wrote, it might be a good idea for a knowledgeable Mopar mechanic to sort and check things out for drivability and safety. I'd recommend Restorations by Julius since he is close in Chatsworth www.rbyj.com

[Cuda Cody]

I would first look at Timing.    When an engine is hot the rings expand and it has more compression. When the engine is hot the starter can not turn the engine over with the timing set high. Check you timing and then back the full advance timing off and see if that solves it. I had the same thing happen to me on a 383. Backed the timing off 2 degrees and it starts perfectly now when it's warm.

[kawahonda]

If NOTHING happens when the car is warm it has nothing to do with carb or timing.

That's a sign of an electrical issue, and only an electrical issue. The starter is simply not getting power.

You should have a little relay on your driver's fender. When it happens again, have someone in the car and turn the key, and then "jiggle" the cables on the starter relay to see if it automatically starts to crank. Mine does this same thing. either the connection needs to be cleaned (which I've already done) or the relay needs to be replaced. If nothing happens, then you probably should adjust your shifter linkages...do you find you have to slap the shifter into park a few times to address this problem?

If it continuously just kicks over and over without starting then it could be timing, but it also could be a heat-soak issues which a wooden carb spacer helped me tremendously on. Looks like you have an aluminum intake, which probably blocks off any crossover ports you may have had, so probably not due to not having a carb spacer. What's your timing set at?

[73_Cuda_4_Me]

If no click or turning over with key to 'crank' after engine is warm, like Kawahonda says - it is electrical...

I had similar problem... when engine was warm, and I shut it off, then trying to start it there would be 'nothing'... it would take several tries (initially) to 'crank', then it would finally spin starter... if I twisted starter relay on the mounting screw, sometimes it would crank 1st try after that..

Eventually, even that didn't work... come to find out that the riveted connection on relay housing to mounting bracket was corroded and loose. NO GROUND

I put new relay on and added de-electric grease to screw/inner fender connection, and haven't had a problem in over 2 years...

[kawahonda]

Good info 73. I bet that's my issue too

[Ewing]

Thanks guys - will check it out and report back

[71-440]

Same problem here on my 440. The starter eventually died. Put a new starter in and same problem.
Niel told me to check my battery voltage and it was about 1.5 volts lower then it should be. New battery and no more problems.

Also wrapped my new starter with a heat shield.

Just another thing to check.