Finicky starting

B-Rode

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Joined
Jan 19, 2018
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Location
Minnesota
70 Sport Fury
383
Holley 750 Street Demon
MSD-style distributor & wires
40k volt coil

Howdy,
Recently installed the above-listed items. While it generally runs and performs a lot better, starting the car is a bit more unpredictable and finicky at times. Seems I'm either turning it over and over after no pump or one pump, or flooded. no in-between.
The old Carter 2bbl, if anything, was very predictable upon starting and never flooded, whereas with this Holley I'm left guessing and paranoid of frying the starter.
I'm aware of how much more fuel this big boy dumps, which is why I don't pump it much unless it's been sitting, however even after having just run, it still doesn't turn over as instantaneously as it did before.
Maybe a dumb question, or maybe I just need to find the sweet spot :)
 
Were the prior parts (which worked) just removed and the new items installed? Any particular reason for the 750 rather than the smaller 650 version? Same 2bbl cam?

Initial timing with the new distributor and resultant advance curve? Spark plugs and plug wires?

40KV coil is just a bit warmer than stock, but only makes that additional voltage when needed, NOT all of the time, as many suspect.

Thickness of the base gasket supplied with the carb? Intake manifold it's sitting on?

As to "the pump", is that just "a touch", a 1/2 throttle "pump", or a "full-travel pump"?

Just curious as to where the real issue might be and how to fix it. I would also suspect that re-learning what works best with the new set-up will be operative, over time, but it sounds like some "customization" of the installation might also be needed. Usually, not nearly as "plug 'n play" as might be suspected.

Thanks,
CBODY67
 
I have the Holley street demon on a couple of engines, Electric choke? where did you wire it do?
My 383 with Demon fires right away, but if sitting over a few days then it gets finicky.
We are talking the Thermoquad copy, correct?
 
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