[Phil Waterman]

Hi Rob

From your problem statement that you are having two problems with the float valve. One that they are sticking open other that they are sticking closed.

Agree the ethanol is probable cause.

Now to the diagnostic questions:

Do any of these vehicles have electric fuel pumps?

Are the vehicles in cold or heated storage?

Are you pulling the choke all the way out?

Even though the engines turn over have you tried hitching up a jump or charger?

Now to some observations on starting my three CHEVY CMPs. They all have different starting personalities even when sitting side by side in the shop for a couple of months.

All my trucks have either primary or secondary electric fuel pumps. All of these are on switches so that they can be turned on or off. When starting one of the trucks that has been sitting for a while I turn electric pump and you can hear a difference in the click of the pump as it fills the carb float bowel.

Concerning the choke, two of the trucks want full choke to start in the cold you can hear the "waa" sound of the choke. The HUP requires full choke then half inch in, it will flood and not start if cranked with the choke full out.

On the trucks with no mechanical pump if the engine floods then turning off the fuel pump and holding the throttle wide open and cranking clears its and then starts. On the one which retains it's mechanical once flooded only sitting will clear the flooded conditions.

I have removed all the viton tipped needle valves and replaced they with the old style all steel needle valve. Also have replaced all the pre-ethanol rated rubber parts fuel lines, pump diaphrams etc.

Now as I said in my New Years Day post all of this is not a guarentee that the trucks will start on demand. The all three trucks had been standing for four months the two in cold storage started the one in heated shop didn't.

One last extended parked start problem issue. The stale fuel needs a hot spark to fire and if the engine has to crank for an extended period to prime the carb. The spark may just not be hot enough to fire the fuel, simple trick is to put a battery charger on the battery the day before you want to fire the engine after a long sit. Even an hour before the you hit the starter will top up the battery.

Cheers Phil

PS Thanks for posing the question and thanks to all who respond, will make good Tech Tip topic for newsletter.