Would old gas cause a hot-start problem?

[Hotwatermusic]

My car sat for 2 or 3 weeks at a time with very little gas in it this winter (which I only recently found out was a terrible idea with 10% ethanol gas). I'm trying to see if there's any correlation between that and the fact that I had my first hot start issue with the car a week or so ago. It started fine cold, but after driving around and then parking it to go into a store, it didn't start when I came back out. The car probably had half a tank of gas, but that half a tank had sat in it for about a month. It didn't start for probably 15 minutes, and I could hear the fuel pump making an odd sound the entire time while trying to start it.

Having done nothing else to the car whatsoever, would a 1/4 tank of gas that sat in the car for weeks at a time cause a hot start issue? If not, what would cause a hot start issue like this? It's an 83sc motor in a '74. Fuel filter changed in December. Thanks.

[ramonesfreak]

a faulty fuel accumulator will cause a hot start problem. mine started one day when i stopped at the store. came out, motor turned but didnt catch for about 15 minutes or until the system cooled down a bit

[Hotwatermusic]

Originally Posted by ramonesfreak

a faulty fuel accumulator will cause a hot start problem. mine started one day when i stopped at the store. came out, motor turned but didnt catch for about 15 minutes or until the system cooled down a bit

Yes, that's exactly what it was like for me as well. Had to wait for it to cool down. So that's a problem with the fuel accumulator?

[ramonesfreak]

yea do a search and youll find many threads on the issue. i changed mine and the problem went away. unfortunately the accumulators are fairly expensive but i would guess the one that went bad in my car had lasted for a good 25 years so....seems like a buy once type of part

i have heard of some people testing it by spraying the CIS lines and accumulator when hot with a can of compressed air to cool everything down and then try starting. have no idea if that works

[ramonesfreak]

i assumed you have CIS attached to your 3.0...if you have something different like carbs, disregard my suggestion

[Kevin Stewart]

when i had this problem it was a starter solenoid, Kevin

[ossiblue]

+1 on the accumulator as the likely suspect and yes, they are expensive but I would not jump to that conclusion without some testing. Since you have a 3.0 in your 74, you probably have the later type accumulator with three ports--two at the top and one at the bottom, connected to the fuel return line. If you have the original 74 accumulator, there is no bottom port but you may detect some fuel leakage.

Before you spend $$$, test your system using a fuel pressure gauge set. Your symptoms indicate loss of residual pressure which can be caused by a faulty accumulator or a faulty fuel pump check valve (as well as other possibilities.) If you find your system does not hold pressure after shut down, these are the two prime suspects.

If you connect the pressure gauge to the entry port of the accumulator, you can test the fuel pump check valve. Close the valve on the gauge set (which should be on the accumulator side of the gauge) and pressurize your system then shut it down. If the pressure holds, the check valve is good. If not, you have one culprit to fix.

Next, connect the pressure gauge set to the exit port of the accumulator and run the same test (after confirming/fixing the check valve). Again, the pressure should hold. If not, the accumulator is faulty.

If you don't have a CIS test gauge set, you really need to invest in one if you plan to DIY. In the meantime, you may try to borrow a set or ask your mechanic to run those specific test before you lay out money on a part you may not need.