Porsche 912 Solex Carburetors must be primed to start

[Greg Greer]

For years, I primed the carbs on my 1966 912 with a few sprays of gas into each of the four carb throats to get it started. Without this method, the starter would turn, turn, turn, and nothing. This priming worked fine, until recently when I had two minor fires, after my usual priming trick. I am spooked now. When I took off the carbs, the fuel lines to the carbs had gas coming out, and gas came out of the carbs as well. What is going on here? I thought I was not getting adequate gas to the carbs, but apparently so?

[JT912]

Gas evaporating out of the carbs is a very common occurance. Some have resorted to installing an electric fuel pump to eliminate long process of turning the motor over and over and over. Others have installed a fuel bulb to manually pump the gas. Others drive their cars every day.
There is a 912 Tech forum here also.