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Location: Belgium, 40 miles south of Brussels | Guys, I need your help.
I'm fed up. I can't even enjoy my car without a great amount of stress.
It happened several times : the engine suddenly dies on me, either at idle at a red light, or even at low rpm. It usually happens after 10-15 minutes after the first startup.
There's a strong odor of gas in the engine compartment, and I can see gas dripping at the linkage, making puddles on the intake.
For it to start again, I need to wait about 15 minutes and then try several time with my foot pushing hard on the accelerator pedal.
She then starts with some smoke but it does not last long, the engine may die again a minute later.
To return to a normal situation, I need to wait several hours ...
Now for some technical data :
- 1958 poly 318 engine, originally a 2-bbl setup
- 2 x 4 bbl WCFB setup
- hotter camshaft (provided by Gary Pavlovich) to suit the 2 x 4 bbl WCFB setup
- the carbs were rebuilt professionally when I bought them several years ago
- after it happened to me the first time, I bought a full kit and rebuilt again the primary carb last year (but it happened again)
- the automatic mechanical choke was replaced by an electrical one (not sure it's properly adjusted I might add)
- my spark plugs were Champion RJ12, I replaced them with RJ14 (happened with both types). The RJ12 were blackened so it means I'm running too rich.
I don't know where to start and what to do.
I'm really fed up because I cannot take my car for a drive and enjoy it.
At first I thought it might have been a case of "vapor lock" because I had (on top of everything else) an overheating problem.
That overheating problem is solved now, but it's still happening.
Thanks for your help. |
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Location: northern germany | Chrome58 - 2019-05-04 2:08 PM
There's a strong odor of gas in the engine compartment, and I can see gas dripping at the linkage, making puddles on the intake.
For it to start again, I need to wait about 15 minutes and then try several time with my foot pushing hard on the accelerator pedal.
She then starts with some smoke but it does not last long, the engine may die again a minute later.
You mean you got a leaking/dripping carb that causes puddles of gasoline on the intake and you realy start it again? I'm not sure what to say/think about that................
Edited by 1960fury 2019-05-04 4:09 PM
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Board Moderator & Exner Expert 10K+
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Location: Southern Sweden - Sturkö island | Many plausible reasons, but wrong adjusted floats and/or needle/seat that don't like modern fuel (old car kit) |
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Location: Belgium, 40 miles south of Brussels | 1960fury - 2019-05-04 10:08 PM
You mean you got a leaking/dripping carb that causes puddles of gasoline on the intake and you realy start it again? I'm not sure what to say/think about that................
That really helps. Thank you ............
wizard - 2019-05-04 10:15 PM
Many plausible reasons, but wrong adjusted floats and/or needle/seat that don't like modern fuel (old car kit)
The kit I bought and used was a modern one.
But I don't know if that's what you mean. |
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Location: northern germany | Chrome58 - 2019-05-04 4:40 PM
1960fury - 2019-05-04 10:08 PM
You mean you got a leaking/dripping carb that causes puddles of gasoline on the intake and you realy start it again? I'm not sure what to say/think about that................
That really helps. Thank you ............
So you expected us to detect the leak in your fuel system via the internet based on "I can see gas dripping on the intake"? I see.
Yes, it should help you as it was supposed to make you THINK. If you run your car with a carb that is leaking puddles on the engine, you must be out of your mind or want to collect insurance money at the expense of a classic car.
What about not firing it up (literally) but disconnecting the battery instead immediately?
This happened last week 2 miles away from me to a new Porsche, supposedly a fuel leak. The owner got insured trying to save its belongings in the car:
https://celleheute.de/porsche-cabrio-faellt-flammen-zum-opfer/
Edited by 1960fury 2019-05-04 5:55 PM
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Location: northern germany | As it affected engine operation, it was likely what Wiz said, a leaking inlet valve or incorrect adjusted or leaking floats. Anyway, do not run an engine with a leaking/flooding carb, even if its only leaking into the engine. |
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Location: Southern Sweden - Sturkö island | Is the fuel pump a standard mechanical one, or an electric one?
If electric, it might have too high pressure |
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Expert
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Location: Belgium, 40 miles south of Brussels | Standard mechanical one. |
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Location: So. Cal | Your symptoms are coming from the carb dripping fuel into your intake. It is flooding it while sitting and making it run rich while running. If you continue to drive it like this, it will dump a lot of fuel into your oil (while the car is off) and could cause bearing issues eventually. I had something similar happen to my Coronet. So once you get it fixed, check & change your oil too. It sounds like the leak is from the inside of the carb, probably coming out at the throttle rod. Is that correct? If so, I agree with Wizard that either your float is not adjusted properly, or it is sunk - meaning it has a leak in the float causing it to always be low. Take the float out and submerge it in hot water and look for bubbles. This is the most likely cause, but a bad or bent needle/seat could also be the problem. |
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Expert
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Location: Belgium, 40 miles south of Brussels | I checked the floats for leaks and they're leak proof.
And the kit I used to rebuilt the carb last year was ethanol ready.
I may (or may not) have found something at the floats adjustment.
Do the floats have to clear the minimal height on their whole length or is it just at a specific points ?
The FSM states that "Both floats shoud just clear horizontal part of gauge".
But the pictures mentions that they should just touch at certain points (see pic).
If the floats have indeed to clear the minimal height on their whole length, then they are wrongly adjusted.
They're too high, which might provoke the flooding.
PS : I found out that I have 2631/2632 carbs (1957) whereas I should have 2761/2762 (1958).
PS2 : I ordered on eBay the 2 CARTER tools necessary to check the float adjustment on primaries (7/32") and secondaries (11/32").
Edited by Chrome58 2019-05-05 12:12 PM
(Floats.jpg)
Attachments ---------------- Floats.jpg (104KB - 146 downloads)
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Board Moderator & Exner Expert 10K+
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Location: Southern Sweden - Sturkö island | Vincent, the primary float level measure shall be touching only on the edge as shown in Fig 75 |
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Expert
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Location: Connecticut | Vincent - There are two float settings: float level and float drop. Both have to be dead on or you will have problems. Ron |
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Location: Belgium, 40 miles south of Brussels | wizard - 2019-05-05 7:45 PM
Vincent, the primary float level measure shall be touching only on the edge as shown in Fig 75
OK thanks Sven.
ronbo97 - 2019-05-06 5:06 AM
Vincent - There are two float settings: float level and float drop. Both have to be dead on or you will have problems.
Yes I know Ron, and I'm going to check it also, but a wrong float drop is less likely to be responsible for flooding the carb, if I'm not mistaken.
Anyway, carb flooding can only be caused by 3 things :
- the gas pump (too much pressure)
- the floats (adjustment, leak or stuck) : they're leak proof, but do need adjustment
- the valves (adjustment or stuck) : new valves ("Daytona" style) were fitted last year, and everything is still in place
In order to check for gas pump pressure, I'm going to make a test with the carb as it is, and feed it with gas coming from a can by gravity.
If the carb does not leak when both tanks are full, then the pump pressure might be the culprit.
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Location: Connecticut | Chrome58 - 2019-05-06 5:33 AM In order to check for gas pump pressure, I'm going to make a test with the carb as it is, and feed it with gas coming from a can by gravity. If the carb does not leak when both tanks are full, then the pump pressure might be the culprit. The correct way to check fuel pump pressure is with a pressure gauge. You attach rubber fuel line to the output port on the fuel pump. Then attach the gauge to that end. Pull the distributor to coil wire so the car won't start. Then have an assistant crank the engine for about 5 seconds. The gauge will register the pressure. Note: Pressure should be 7 pounds maximum. If it's more than 10% higher, you have a problem. Ron |
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Location: Belgium, 40 miles south of Brussels | Thanks Ron, I'll try to do that.
I'll have to find a pressure gauge.
I just thought about something : the OEM 2x4 fuel line goes from the pump to a glass bowl filter, and then to the carburetors.
As I have a fuel filter before the pump (which I think is safer anyway), I did NOT put that glass bowl filter.
But that means that there's a drop of pressure missing from the line, which should be generated by that filter.
Edited by Chrome58 2019-05-06 3:09 PM
(bowl.jpg)
Attachments ---------------- bowl.jpg (235KB - 138 downloads)
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Location: So. Cal | I don't run the filter at all, with just a paper filter before the pump and I don't have issues like yours on my Dodge. |
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Location: northern germany | The only filter I run is the OE Nylon one in the tank. Never had any issues. Of course the Holleys have a fine metal screen in the inlets but I never found anything in there. |
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Location: Connecticut | So you have the glass bowl filter at the carb, but no filter inside the bowl ? That's just silly.
But either way, it should not affect fuel pump pressure. Buy a gauge and test at the pump. Let us know. Ron |
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Expert
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Location: Belgium, 40 miles south of Brussels | ronbo97 - 2019-05-07 12:56 AM
So you have the glass bowl filter at the carb, but no filter inside the bowl ? That's just silly.
No Ron, you misunderstood : I meant I have no glass bowl filter at all.
But either way, it should not affect fuel pump pressure.
Buy a gauge and test at the pump. Let us know.
I'm indeed buying a pressure gauge and making the test.
Edited by Chrome58 2019-05-07 12:53 AM
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Location: Connecticut | It would be a good idea to install one. Some added benefits to having one are that you can see it fill (or not fill) as you crank the engine. Also, it lets you see if sediment is getting into the fuel lines and into the carb. Ron |
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Location: Belgium, 40 miles south of Brussels | I do have one glass bowl filter lying around, but it came from the original 2-bbl setup.
Was it the same that was used on the 2x4 setup ?
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Expert
Posts: 4044
Location: Connecticut | Yes. They are all the same. But that's further down the road. Focus on the current problem for now. Ron |
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Location: Southern Sweden - Sturkö island | ronbo97 - 2019-05-08 10:18 PM Yes. They are all the same. But that's further down the road. Focus on the current problem for now. Ron
That's what I thought as well Ron, and it's usually the best method to pinpoint a problem to just do one thing a the time for to not confuse and complicate the trubleshooting. But the problem might be foregin particles in the fuel/tank.
Installing a filter would rule out that possibility. |
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Location: Belgium, 40 miles south of Brussels | Well, it's not the pressure of the pump.
I bought a tester gauge, and upon 3 different attempts, the higher pressure measured was 6.5 psi.
(pressure.JPG)
Attachments ---------------- pressure.JPG (241KB - 142 downloads)
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Board Moderator & Exner Expert 10K+
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Location: Southern Sweden - Sturkö island | Good Vincent, next step is to check the inlet nozzle valves for foregin particles and double-check the float adjustments. Then install a filter and all should be good. |
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Location: Connecticut | Good Job, Vincent ! You will be able to diagnose and tune your engine with that tool as well. !00% agree with Wiz as to the next steps. Ron |
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Member
Posts: 49
Location: Chuckanut Mountain, Washington | Interesting reading this thread as I just had problem with flooding dual AFBs. Fresh rebuilds. Pressure was 7psi so I put in a pressure regulator. (I think that's a temporary fix). Carbs aren't flooding inside but the body/top gaskets are wet.
Not dripping, but weeping. Changed oil but engine has developed an occasional squeak in the top end. |
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Location: Belgium, 40 miles south of Brussels | Allright, I made the adjustments on the floats using the CARTER tools I found on eBay.
The only thing left to do is to adjust the float drop ... BUT I'm asking myself one question.
The secondary floats on my carburetor are different than the primaries. They are smaller. And the manual show they should be the same. I checked the WCFB parts vendors, and indeed there are 2 different models. The smaller ones (which I have) should put less force on the valve (Archimede's law).
Which float model should I have ?
(beware that I have '57 WCFB so the illustration might be incorrect)
Edited by Chrome58 2019-05-20 6:08 AM
(floats_2.jpg)
(floats_3.jpg)
(tools.jpg)
Attachments ---------------- floats_2.jpg (185KB - 146 downloads) floats_3.jpg (84KB - 144 downloads) tools.jpg (245KB - 139 downloads)
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Location: Belgium, 40 miles south of Brussels | Anyone ? |
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Location: So. Cal | I would assume that they should be like the ones in the picture....like yours on the left side of the picture. And I agree with you that the ones on the right will remain lower than the ones on the left. Therefore, you may still be able to use them, but you may need to calibrate the others to sit lower in the carb (i.e. higher from the lid) so that they shut off at the same time. |
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Location: Perth Australia | I don't think it would matter, but what might matter is, looking at your picture, it looks like the float on the left has a pin hole in the solder in the middle of it
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Location: Belgium, 40 miles south of Brussels | One more question ...
It does not appear clearly on the picture, but my floats upper edges are not parallel to the carb cover (see red arrows).
And it seems to me that every illustration I've looked at show that they are parallel to the carb cover.
Does it matter ?
Edited by Chrome58 2019-06-07 2:49 PM
(floats_2b.jpg)
Attachments ---------------- floats_2b.jpg (152KB - 151 downloads)
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Location: Belgium, 40 miles south of Brussels | No one ? |
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Board Moderator & Exner Expert 10K+
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Location: Southern Sweden - Sturkö island | Not really Vincent, you could straighten them by bending close to the floats and then bend close to the fulcrum point. Bending close to the floats is always more risky due to breakage or leaks |
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