1982 Toyota mini carb/fuel issue

[toomanytoyzz]

I bought a 1982 Toyota 4x4 pickup earlier this summer and it's had the same issue since I purchased regarding the carb/fuel system. Whenever it sits for a day or so it will only start with a shot of ether down the carb. I'm wondering if the fuel could be slowly leaking out of the bowl causing me to shoot ether into the carb to get it to start.

The emissions equipment looks like it's been blessed with some hillbilly ingenuity from the PO's mechanic(s) which I'm sure could be some of the problem as well. I bought it from the original owner who was an old woman from AZ that loved the truck, but was about as handy as a foot when it came to working on it. She farmed the work out to a "guy" who called himself a mechanic, but I'd love to debate him on that title.

I'm sure a full rebuild will help leaps and bounds, but I don't want to do that to find out it's something else like maybe the fuel pump. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Prairie Swamp]

I too have an 82 and while I can't really help with your specific problem, I can tell you that a carb rebuild wasn't that bad and worked wonders. I don't think mine had ever been rebuilt, and as I rarely start it it eventually wouldn't start at all. Carb was basically gunked up - no real smoking gun.

If it runs indefinitely after starting with ether it's probably not the pump or filter but the carb. Rebuild kit is cheap from Rock Auto, a gallon of carb dip, couple cans of carb cleaner/brake cleaner, elbow grease = done.

Eric

 

[toomanytoyzz]

I too have an 82 and while I can't really help with your specific problem, I can tell you that a carb rebuild wasn't that bad and worked wonders. I don't think mine had ever been rebuilt, and as I rarely start it it eventually wouldn't start at all. Carb was basically gunked up - no real smoking gun.

If it runs indefinitely after starting with ether it's probably not the pump or filter but the carb. Rebuild kit is cheap from Rock Auto, a gallon of carb dip, couple cans of carb cleaner/brake cleaner, elbow grease = done.

Eric

Yeah, I'm convinced a rebuild will cure my issue.

Is the sight glass on your carb full when you go to start it? Mine is way below half full and takes a minute to fully fill up once I get it to idle correctly.

 

[Prairie Swamp]

You know I'll have to look. I just started it yesterday, and it takes about 10 seconds of cranking to fire it it hasn't been started for a month. This leads me to believe that the fuel in the bowl is going somewhere and the fuel pump takes some cranking to fill it up. So yeah good point I'm going to monitor the sight glass from now on when I start it. I really don't think the fuel should evaporate over time but this is my first experience with this type of carb. I have other things that can sit for a year and immediately fire.

Eric

 

[toomanytoyzz]

My buddy is rebuilding my carb now. He sent me pics and it's pretty much crudded up from this crappy ethanol gas. It's bathing in the parts washer and will get put back together with fresh gaskets etc. tonight.

I'll let you know if it solves my problem. I'm leaning towards a big "yes" considering how gummed up it looked in the pics.