56 series 62 cdv fuel tank question

[Tom Forsberg]

Hi all....any advice that folks may have would be most appreciated.  I just recently purchased a very well taken care of cdv that was actually owned by a CLC member who passed a few years ago named Herb Karow.  It’s a long story but thankfully the car is safe and sound with me now in Hawaii of all places, as it has had an interesting journey over the last couple years.  I feel honored to be the current custodian of this amazingly well preserved time capsule!!  So the car is all original with 40,000 miles.  My questions are related.   Herb had an electric fuel pump installed at one time.  To make matters more interesting the car has only had 1500 miles put on it in 9 years.   Needless to say you can most likely imagine the status of the fuel system.   I had the car shipped to Hawaii and picked it up.   Of course it started surging on the 17 mile drive home and completely died and I had to have it towed the last mile.   I decided to remove the electric pump which was by the tank and replace the existing mechanical pump.   When I took the electric pump off sediment came falling out of it as it had a small filter on the pump inlet which of course explains why it stalled out.   I placed a filter on the feed now prior to the factory mechanical pump and replaced the factory glass bowl filter as well.   I am not seeing any further sediment.  I tell you this whole back story so I can get to my real 2 questions:
1 is it normal for these 56’s to have to turn over a-lot when sitting for a week to get fuel to the carb, or is there some strainer in the tank?  This fuel feed is separate and not part of the sending unit.  The shop manual does not show anything.
2 do you all recommend supplementing the mechanical pump with an electric one?  I am assuming herb had the electric added for a reason ie if the answer to my question 1 is yes these old girls turn over for a long time after sitting to get fuel.
Sorry for the long winded story but appreciate any insight anyone can provide. 

[carguyblack]

Hi Tom,
I have the same car as you and have had several other 1956 Cadillacs. If your carb is in good shape with a fully functional choke, all your fuel lines are fresh and tight and your factory fuel pump has a good diaphragm ( one that is resistant to modern fuels, for example) my cars always started in less than 5 seconds even after sitting for a week or longer. After a really long sit, I turn the engine over for a bit and then kick the carb after I'm sure there is fuel in the bowls once again and then it fires right up.
Any small leak in the lines have always caused the longer turnover times for me that you are experiencing.
Now, if my car was started yesterday, one kick and and very short starter time and the thing is back to life.
Hope this helps a bit.
Chuck

[Big Fins]

Was the electric pump used in conjunction with the mechanical or was it stand alone?

Many incorporate an electric pump in the supply to make up for the drain back to the tank over that week of sitting. Also, in very hot weather when you may experience vapor lock, you click on the electric pump to supplement the mechanical.

[Tom Forsberg]

Thank you both for the reply.  It was in conjunction with the mechanical.  I am just trying to figure out if there is some strainer/sock in the tank like there normally is when the fuel is drawn through the sending unit.   In this case the feed line is separate and in the corner of the tank.   I can run it in the morning and it fires right off later in the day.   Even the next day.   It’s just if I let it sit for a week,  you have to run 3 good 10 second starter intervals to get fuel.   It’s got electronic ignition innplace of the points so it’s not an ignition issue.   When it’s got fuel it fires immediately. 

[Big Fins]

So, fire the electrical pump up 2-4 seconds before starting the car.  Two seconds of starter time, press the accelerator pedal twice to set the choke and it should fire at once. Note that I said SHOULD.

[Glen]

So 17 miles to home, would that be Kailua?  Or are you on a neighbor island? 

[Roger Zimmermann]

My own experience with 2 1956 cars and a 1957 one: when sitting more than one day, the fuel evaporates from the fuel pump. Maybe the fuel from the fifties was less prone to evaporate so quickly and at that time it was not a problem.

[Tom Forsberg]

Glen I live in Makakilo Just west of the airport I’m Oahu

[Glen]

Send me an email glen@planeteldorado.com

[Jay Friedman]

I suggest you use ethanol-free gasoline instead of the usual ethanol contaminated fuel you only get at most gas stations.  Ethanol tends to evaporate at lower temperatures than gasoline and only works well with fuel injection and not carburetors.  It's not sold at every gas station, but if you look on www.pure-gas.org you can see where it is sold in Hawaii. 

[carguyblack]

I concur with Jay on the pure gas. Have never had the problems that usually plague the 56's.