Re: do i rebuild or get a new carb
A Rochester 2bbl can be rebuilt in ones's sleep after doing it just once. They don't come any simpler (unless you are talking about the carb on your weed whip or chain saw). If the engine runs fine when once it is running, but is hard to start cold or hot, that says the carb is either misadjusted or there are other "engine" issues such as weak spark or other deteriorating ignition components. Start with the choke setting. On a stone cold engine open the throttle just a bit. The choke butterfly should be closed. Use your finger to try and open it. It should open easily. If the butterfly slams shut when you release it or if it is even partially open when the engine is cold, it is the cause of the cold start problem. With a warm engine, repeat the above process. If the choke plate is not standing perfectly vertical in the bore, it too means there is a choke problem and hence part of the hot start problem. If this is an electric choke, make sure it has power with the key on. If it is a "heat stove" type make sure the pipe is clean and the choke internals work freely. As for hot starts, are you opening the throttle while starting. That is just normal operating procedure.