How do I prime a carburetor safely?

Question

I have an old Falcon that's been sitting for six months and won't start. The battery is fine -- I'm pretty sure the issue is that the gas in the carb has evaporated. As I understand it, the solution is putting a few drops of gas down the carburetor vent. I'm a little nervous about the possibility of fire.

What can I do to make this operation safer?

Answer 1

Simply cranking the car for 10 - 15 seconds should prime the carb.

1. Crank the car for about 15 seconds
2. Stop for about 15 seconds
3. Pump the accelerator petal twice
4. Crank the car again, if it doesn't start immediately keep cranking the car for a maximum of 15 seconds.
5. Stop Wait at least 2 minutes, this is to prevent damage to the starter.
6. Then go back to step 3