Packard Forum Index » V-8 (1955-56)

So normally I can spray some starting fluid in the air cleaner and get it started just fine. Today however, (of course it's when I scheduled oil+tires over a week in advance) it just ins't starting. I'm using starting fluid and it has fuel, I tested spark with a tester on a cylinder and that seems fine, engine sounds the same when I crank it over (I just drove it a couple weeks ago), so I'm really lost on what the issue could be. I've tried starting it on full choke, no choke, and the default one (temp controlled). One note is that the carb is not original and the choke is only on one side. You'd think with the various amounts of starting fluid I've used it would have fired sometime.

Is there anything I'm missing? Again I just drove it a couple weeks ago and it's never been hard to start as long as I had some starting fluid to spray in before I cranked it.

Picture is of my carb.

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Could be flooded. Could be the ballast resistor (that would make it fire on the 'start' key but shut off as soon as it moves to 'run'). Usually if you have air spark and fuel they run. Maybe someone else can offer more. Things like timing/rotor/points/condenser and such are not an area to look at if it ran 2 weeks ago (although I did have a condenser fail after driving my Mustang to a store and she would not start after coming back out). What about something using the tail pipe as a home? Back pressure would stop proper air flow. Let us know what it ends up being.
Bob J.

i would take a spark plug out and if its wet ,its probably flooded ,u will need take all out dry them off,

i saw in the picture car has a rubber hose from the fuel pump to carb, sooner or later that clamp will leak, could spray gas on a exhaust manifold cause a fire, its ok have rubber hose behind the fuel pump but not in front of it, u have pressure there

Good catch point, I'll take a look at that tomorrow.

Seems like the plug wires are a bit iffy, I'm ordering new ones of those also.

Yup that's definitely hose clamps on the fuel line! Can anyone advise the proper way to run that line instead of with rubber hose and a clamp? Would like to get things ordered and installed ASAP.

The line from the pump runs up to the fuel filter which is connected directly to the carburetor. No rubber involved other than the one from the chassis line to the pump’s inlet.

Although likely not in the online catalog, possibly Classic Tube makes the line. I have one for 4-barrel 1956 but the parts book shows that it’s different for 1955 but I’ve never owned a 1955 so not sure of the difference.

Otherwise, Max Merritt might have an NOS line and filter assembly.

Try gerry.
For a used one

They have a few bends which you could do.

5/16 tube. Brake line..

just put a aftermarket fuel filter before the pump, steel line after the pump,any local garage should beable make u a line up, its simple,, i seen a 1969 dodge super Bee catch fire with a hose after the pump to the carb look at the line on ur clipper ,should be close to being the same as far as bends

Another note on this is that it uses a it uses a fuel pump in the fuel tank, the one on the engine is bypassed.