My 1988 Corolla 2 WD wagon sits for long periods (airport car). After sitting for several weeks, I need to spray starting fluid down carb or it cranks forever before starting. Once started, it runs OK and if I restart it daily it starts easily (without fluid) and runs OK. I have had the dealer look at it but nothing changes. Last time the dealer said the choke was sticking some and they sprayed something on it. Is it a bad design? Do I need a new/different carb? I would prefer not to put a lot of money in it. Starting fluid is cheap and it works but is a bit of a hassle. Any suggestions?
My two '81 Corolla wagons (carburetted) do this too. I store them for 6 months and it takes a lot cranking (20 seconds+ total) but they eventually go. If I leave them for a few days it takes maybe 3 accelerator pumps and 4 seconds cranking. If I restart them within 24 hours a single pump and an immediate start. If within an hour or so, no pumps and an immediate start. To me your car sounds normal.
I'm really not an expert at car mechanics (and I'm sure somebody will sit on me if I'm wrong) but it probably takes a bit longer for fuel to actually make its way to the cylinders when the car's been sitting, especially in these older carburetted cars (vs. electronic fuel injection). My car has a mechanical fuel pump as well as just about everything else being mechanical and as far as I'm aware the fuel isn't progressing down the system unless the engine is turning over, either by cranking or running. If it's been sitting for ages then everything's probably evaporated out of the system and it takes time for fuel to make its way through the system and hence the long cranking time.
My only recommendation would be to make sure you have a good battery so if you have to start it after a few weeks sitting in cold weather you have enough umpfh! to do so.
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1981 Corolla Wagon, 5-speed, 159k miles-- my winter wheels
1981 Corolla Wagon, AT, 125k miles-- my summer wheels
The fuel pump has a check valve in it to keep the gas from flowing back down to the tank, NOW, if you let it set long enough, the gas will simply evaporate out of the carb and the pump has to refill it when you crank it, but if you have to crank it alot, your pump may be getting weak, both cases call for a new pump
Another solution would be an electric pump mounted near the tank area and bypass the mechanical. Then no matter how long the car sits simply turning the ignition on a few seconds before cranking would supply the carb with pressurized fuel.
The fuel pump has a check valve in it to keep the gas from flowing back down to the tank, NOW, if you let it set long enough, the gas will simply evaporate out of the carb and the pump has to refill it when you crank it, but if you have to crank it alot, your pump may be getting weak, both cases call for a new pump
The car has always been hard to start after sitting for awhile, even when new. I wonder if the check valve could have been defective from the start? Should I replace the fuel pump with a Toyota pump or is there a better one available?
Another solution would be an electric pump mounted near the tank area and bypass the mechanical. Then no matter how long the car sits simply turning the ignition on a few seconds before cranking would supply the carb with pressurized fuel.
but it would require lots of work, plus you'd need a fuel pressure regulator.
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1988 Corolla carburetor problems
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