How to Start a Car by Pouring Gas in the Carburetor

Try starting your car without pouring gas in the carburetor. If you have not started your car for a long time, try changing the oil, oil filter and spark plugs and try to start the car again. Make sure that your battery is fully charged.

Test the dryness of the carburetor barrels by pushing on the accelerator pump lever, which is usually found directly in front of the carburetor. If you can depress the pump lever easily, there is no gas in the carburetor barrel. If the lever is hard to push down, there is gas in the carburetor and you do not need to add more.

Remove the fuel inlet line going to the carburetor. Sometimes, old lines and hoses will have dirt, grime, or other debris if the car has been sitting for some time, which can prevent initial starting. Old fuel from the gas lines can also hurt or ruin the carburetor.

Feed some gasoline into the carburetor bowl through the inlet line. Put the fuel inlet line back into place. Make sure you have gasoline in your fuel tank. Start the car and see if you can keep it running for a couple of minutes by depressing the gas pedal at intervals when the RPMs die down. You may be able to start your car more safely this way and avoid pouring gasoline directly into the carburetor.

Set up a small, external fuel tank such as a gasoline container and connect it to the fuel inlet line so that it feeds directly to the carburetor. Be sure that any gasoline runs through a filter before entering the carburetor so that fuel particles or debris will not damage the carburetor. Make sure the fuel tank is elevated above the carburetor, but separate from the engine in case of a fire. Place your fire extinguisher nearby and be sure to wear safety glasses and fire retardant material.

Pour a commercial fuel additive such as Marvel Mystery Oil into your external fuel tank and mix it well. You will want about 10% additive and 90% gasoline in your tank.

Start your car. It may be helpful to have someone working the fuel line, making sure that the carburetor is getting enough gas as you start your car. Keep the engine running for at least three minutes. Watch the temperature gauge or use a hand held laser temperature gauge to avoid overheating.