Well, we got Crazyjoe12a's motor back in his car and hooked everything up, and guess what? It started! Took it for a drive to let it sort itself out, and it ran very well.... Until....

The car stalled at highway speeds and wouldn't relight. Get it on the side of the road, and the secondaries are full. Like a swimming pool. Bad. Pull fuel pump fuse, grab MMO, and proceed with unflooding ritual. It worked, car starts, put fuel pump fuse back in, Swimming pools again. Secondaries are continually dumping fuel. We have checked all the vacuum lines, and throttle linkage and find no problems. Floats? I dunno. Anyone have any suggestions?

Thanks,
James

 

Check floats! They like to get hung open when the carb's handled.

 

Ok, this may be a dumb question....But how do you unstick the floats??

Thanks,
Joe

 

It's a blocked return line, I've seen it many times.

 

Best way is to pull the top of the carb off and make sure the floats seat properly and that they don't hang up on anything.

Before doing that though you could try just smacking the carb a coupla times with a small soft-faced hammer. Works for me.

 

I doubt it.... I used to run my car with the return line blocked (stock and aftermarket pumps) and it won't overpressure the carb.

 

I agree with peejay. Either float are too high, or stuck open, or trash in needle and seat. Or fuel pressure too high.

BradP

 

Joe should have no problem with this advice. He founded BFH Racing. (Big F***ing Hammer) His car has seen the hammer many times. Just show it to Silvie, Joe! That will set her straight.

Also, what is the record for most times to have the fire department called on your 7 when unflooding it? Joe might be up for an award soon!!

 

once again proving that a Big F'n Hammer is one of my most useful tools

And I tried to explain to the firemen that "its just a rotary" but I dont think they understood Hell, the even brought out the BIG truck the 2nd time around

 

You didn't rebuild the carb and use the infamous Grose jets, did you? Just curious...

 

My 85 had this very same problem, thats why i got it for $250 I took the carb off the car, poped the spring back on the back (one with the T in it) checked and reset the floats and drove it home, they were so mad

They had put countless work into this car, not to mention dollars and a ton of new parts

 

Nope, not rebuilt, although I'm sure it needs it. Trying to save up enough so I can just send it off to Paul Yaw

 

sounds like the floats to me, did that solve it.

 

Damn. I would have been Pissed too!!
It goes to show you though. Get Paid for what you know, Not what you do.

 

going tonight to try again.....but this time, I'll be sure to call the Fire Dept. and tell them to ignore calls of a car fire on I-65

Also, would spraying alittle carb cleaner into the fuel inlet hurt anything?? And is the tube closest to the firewall the inlet, or return line??

I'll let everyone know how it turns out......

 

larger is the inlet, smaller is the return line. carb cleaner shouldn't hurt anything, especially since you're not dumping buckets down it. the best way to check the return line is disconnect it at the carb and blow through it into the tank. if you have trouble use compressed air and try to force through. also you might want to check the valve in the return line and make sure its facing the right way.

 

Well we went back to the car last night. But not before stopping by the Okalona Fire Dept. to tell them to ignore any reports of car fires on I-65

Tapped the carb some with a hammer and tried some carb cleaner. Mananged to get the car running, but it would only take a couple minutes before the secondaries would start flowing again and kill the engine. It also won't hold an idle without keeping your foot on the gas.

But I did manage to get it home!!!!!!!!........on the back of a AAA tow truck Oh well, gonna try and get my spare carb to work on it so I can atleast make the AutoX this weekend....

 

did you check the return line?

 

I took off the return line and blew through it. It was kinda hard, but I did the same on James' car and the resistance was the same. Don't know how much resistance there should be.

I did get my spare carb put on. It ran great for several minutes while sitting in the parking space. If it was revved past 4k, the secondaries kicked in as usual. Held a very steady idle. Everything seemed fine. Went to take it for a test drive, stalled out. Started it again, started to drive, stalls......this time it wouldn't fire again. Try some MMO. Starts then stalls. Try again, guess what......secondaries filling AGAIN!!!!

So I don't know if I just have bad luck with carbs, and it's coincidence, or if something else is wrong and causing it to happen

Anything else I should try??

 

What fuel pump are you running? If it's not the stock pump then you might have too much fuel pressure.

Another possiblity is that you have debris in the fuel system and it keeps getting caught in the needle and seat.

*edit* Just remembered something. Do you have the float vent solenoid hooked up? If you don't have it hooked up or at least vented to atmosphere it can cause the carb to flood.

 

Sounds like the needle and seat need some attention. I would pull them out spray some carb cleaner where the seat sits, reset the floats and reinstall. Also run a magnet in the float bowls this helps get those little pieces of rust that could be the problem. Also a can of gum out in the tank don't hurt either