Car won't start, gets spark, gets gas, noticed the vacuum reservoir has collapsed, what would cause that?
Asked by Novice7825 Aug 31, 2013 at 01:04 AM about the 1981 Chevrolet El Camino RWD
Question type: Maintenance & Repair
Car turns over, but doesn't start. Everything checks out, but vacuum resevoir has
collapsed, do I just replace that or what could have caused that? Originally had a v-6, but
put a V-8, would that cause the problem?
7 Answers
migration_judge_roy answered 10 years ago
as long as your power brakes still will stop after the ignition is off...ignore it~ really good vacuum could cause that combined with inferior or worn manufacturing materials~
migration_judge_roy answered 10 years ago
if it's one of those plastic bubble types...and not leaking....ignore it....if it's one of those coffee can style ...ignore it~
migration_judge_roy answered 10 years ago
air, fuel, spark, valve timing. in your case for cold starts we've got the heat riser and robot-skin tube to the intake, a diverter for when it warms up to stop the air from the 'stove kit' and take ambient air in instead....combined with a little coily thermal spring on your choke (butterfly mech) and a ratcheting high-idle controlled by temperature...these things all must work for it to start properly~
Dump a little gas into the carb and see if it starts up. That will tell whether it's a fuel issue or not.
Just because you can smell gas in the carb doesn't mean anything.
Roy brought up a good point with the choke, if the choke isn't working and it hasn't run in awhile then it won't start but as long as you get It running it should be fine.
