# Car starts when cold, when turned off it will only start again by priming carburator with gas..? **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [April 17, 2012, 5:33am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-starts-when-cold-when-turned-off-it-will-only-start-again-by-priming-carburator-with-gas/71955 "2012-04-17T05:33:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Geomen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b782af/32.png) [@Geomen](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Geomen)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2012, 5:33am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-starts-when-cold-when-turned-off-it-will-only-start-again-by-priming-carburator-with-gas/71955/1 "2012-04-17T05:33:07Z")
My ‘54 Olds’ recently only starts each moring when cold. After it’s warmed up and then turned off, it won’t start again unless the carburator is primed with gas. Done basic trobleshooting but can’t seem to find the problem. Fuel lines flushed from sending unit to fuel pump and fuel pump to carburator, fuel is flowing great. When cars first starts, it runs smoothly so their is proper flow of fuel at idle and at higher rpm’s. It’s only when it’s turned off and then I try to start it later that it won’t start unless I prime the carburator. The engine is a V8 5.3 L (324 cu in) Olds Rocket 88, carburator is a Rochester 4b quadrajet. Any thoughts on troubleshooting problem to find a solution…short of buying a new if that is the problem and can’t be fixed…? Need all the help I can get…! ---
**Author:** ![BustedKnuckles](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bustedknuckles/32/25_2.png) [@BustedKnuckles](https://community.cartalk.com/u/BustedKnuckles)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2012, 5:49am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-starts-when-cold-when-turned-off-it-will-only-start-again-by-priming-carburator-with-gas/71955/2 "2012-04-17T05:49:01Z")
Check the choke operation. By priming the carb, you’re doing what the choke should be, ie enriching the fuel mix. Is it still an older-style heat-riser choke, with a heat riser tube from the exhaust manifold, or a more modern electric choke with a single electrical wire? Either way, I think it is sticking or not operating correctly. ---
**Author:** ![Barkydog](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/barkydog/32/2470_2.png) [@Barkydog](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Barkydog)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2012, 5:53am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-starts-when-cold-when-turned-off-it-will-only-start-again-by-priming-carburator-with-gas/71955/3 "2012-04-17T05:53:32Z")
Are you pumping the petal at all when you try and start it? ---
**Author:** ![UncleTurbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e9a140/32.png) [@UncleTurbo](https://community.cartalk.com/u/UncleTurbo)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2012, 6:02am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-starts-when-cold-when-turned-off-it-will-only-start-again-by-priming-carburator-with-gas/71955/4 "2012-04-17T06:02:23Z")
Wrap the fuel lines with some insulating material, if this is a “vapor lock” problem then the insulation will solve it. Pay particular attention to the fuel line running from the fuel pump the up to the carb. ---
**Author:** ![Geomen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b782af/32.png) [@Geomen](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Geomen)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2012, 7:22pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-starts-when-cold-when-turned-off-it-will-only-start-again-by-priming-carburator-with-gas/71955/5 "2012-04-19T19:22:42Z")
Busted Knuckes, thanks for your suggeston…The choke is the old style and it’s not stuck and seems to be operating properly…? ---
**Author:** ![Geomen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b782af/32.png) [@Geomen](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Geomen)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2012, 7:29pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-starts-when-cold-when-turned-off-it-will-only-start-again-by-priming-carburator-with-gas/71955/6 "2012-04-19T19:29:26Z")
To Barkydog, Yes I pumped the petal a few times only after I attempted to start it first without pumping pedal. Thanks ---
**Author:** ![Geomen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b782af/32.png) [@Geomen](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Geomen)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2012, 7:38pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-starts-when-cold-when-turned-off-it-will-only-start-again-by-priming-carburator-with-gas/71955/7 "2012-04-19T19:38:07Z")
Uncle-Turbo, I appreciated your input… is there special type of fuel line insulating material…available at auto part stores…? Should the insulation go on fuel line within the engine compartment only or wrap the entire fuel lline from gas tank to fuel pump and fuel pump to carborator…? Thanks ---
**Author:** ![Caddyman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/caddyman/32/23_2.png) [@Caddyman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Caddyman)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2012, 8:40pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-starts-when-cold-when-turned-off-it-will-only-start-again-by-priming-carburator-with-gas/71955/8 "2012-04-19T20:40:00Z")
If it starts cold, the choke must be working properly…If it won’t start hot, check to see that the accelerator pump is working…Look down the carb throat and open and close the throttle several times. You should see fuel squirting into the carb. This should be enough to prime it for a start…Also on a hot start, try this. Don’t even touch the gas pedal. Just turn the key…If that doesn’t work, pump it a few times to squirt in some gas. Also, check for a fairly large vacuum leak which will disturb carburation…