Nikki bowl not filling up?
 

I just installed my nikki carb. rebuilt by previous owner. I stripped it last night of all the useless stuff. I followed the online manual. At first start up, for the first few minutes it was running fine. I was getting ready to start tunning the idle, but it turned off and would not turn back on.
I have a fuel pressure regulator set at 3.5 psi. Return line is plugged. Viewing glass next to firewall is full. Viewing glass radiator is empty. Must be primary bowl?

Any suggestions?

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What goes in that open pipe?

I was told to leave that little pipe open when I stripped I'm Nikki.On a side note why did you take off the rb Holley set up you had?

I bought the street port RB holley, because I was planning on porting my spare engine when I rebuild it. I have since, changed my mind and want to leave the engine unported. I called RB and asked if the could make my Holley to work with a stock block, but they said they could not go backwards. If I had bought a holley for a stock engine, then I could of modified it for a SP. My RB will be for sale soon :) The car ran just fine with the holley, but just bit too rich on my stock block. and I was getting only 13mpg:(

I got my car home tonight with the Nikki. I had to turn up the psi on the regulator, to keep it from turning off on me and to keep fuel in the bowl. The car wants to shut off sometimes at idle on red lights. I might have a small vacuum leak. I will check tomorrow with brake cleaner.

There is no "primary" bowl on the Nikki; front bowl serves pri and sec of front rotor, rear bowl serves pri and sec for rear rotor (and also the accel pump for both.)

But running on one rotor at idle will usually result in a stall.

Most probable cause for an empty bowl on a freshly rebuilt Nikki is a sticky needle stuck closed. They can hang up open (flood) or closed (starve) until they seat in if you don't burnish the contact edges before installing them.

Second-most common cause is debris blocking the needle seat opening due to missing fuel screens.

A vacuum leak doesn't help maters, but it would not cause a bowl to go dry.

You really should run both tank lines (feed and return) & a proper one-way valve on the return line - - you'll likely have problems otherwise. Nikkis are sensitive regarding fuel pressure.

The "open pipe" is fuel bowl vent line connection; normally connects to the vapor recovery system. Leaving it open is only a problem if you should happen to have a bad flood (like a needle stuck open) - - fuel can shoot out of it all over your engine.

Thanks for the advice. I was thinking of getting rid of my mallory FP and regulator and buying a new factory FP and run the return line. Sound like a good idea? Or, can you please post a link to the valve I would need, if I keep my Mallory FP and regulator?

you should definitely hook up the return line, but why lose the Mallory pump?

I figured if I run a stock fuel pump, and return line like a stock rx7 with no regulator, it's less things I have to worry about going wrong lol.

I do love my mallory though. Its nice and quiet and cost me a few bucks ;)

Im also not sure if my regulator is working properly or the gauge is faulty. With the ign off, it does not return to 0. It stays at 1psi. Right now with the nikki I have it set at 4.5psi = 3.5psi since the gauge is 1psi off?

I need a link to this one way valve like Driver said so I can run my return line. Anyone?

Will this do?

http://m.advanceautoparts.com/mt/shop.advanceautoparts.com/p/dorman-oe-solutions-fuel-check-valve-3-8-800-196/10611310-P

the gauge itself is likely to be the culprit. what kind of gauge do you have?

my last Nikki was quite happy with my Carter pump once the pressure got adjusted. it actually wanted more pressure than the Dell.

for the fuel check valve, you'll want to get a 0.25-inch (double check this, but i think that's the size for the return line) valve. they should be fairly easy to find, while they may not look like the factory one, the function should be the same. outside of that, maybe check in the SE Regional forum and see if you can find someone that will donate/sell you one from a parts car or a stash of extras.

EDIT -

oops. you posted your link before i sent my post. :)

was THIS it?

3/8 is too big. the 5/16 would probably still be a little big, but closer to what you need.

That open pipe is for the fuel bowl float solenoid. I see a wire there in your picture. The fuel bowl float solenoid should be getting 12V w the ignition on. Without that my nikki gave me all sorts of weird problems. Running like total crap for a few min and then all of the sudden smoothing out without warning and vise versa. Sometimes it would go days w no change at all... Run like total crap for two three days, then run good for two three min and again vice versa.. Totally random weirdness. It drove me soooo nuts I wanted to drive her off the bulkhead out back into the bay. Sterling saved me once I posted a picture. I have a Mallory FPR & Holley Blue FP on my Nikki and it works fine along w a return. It might be holding at 1 psi bc u have no return. Just uncap the return and route it temporarily into a can see if that changes anything. Also make sure the vent to your fuel system is working.

I have the Float Bowl Solenoid wired to a 12v ign. First thing in the morning, I will try and find a 5/16 check valve and run the return line. I will post my results.

Thanks

Advance auto does not have the check valve in stock, so I have to order it. Could I just hook up the return line and drive the car without the check-valve until it arrives?

Dorman - OE Solutions Fuel Check Valve 5/16 800-195: Search no more for the best Fuel Line Connector at Advance Auto Parts

Thats total bullshit, the differences between the 2 carbs are nominal at best. You could literally jet the SP carb and it be EXACTLY the same carb as the "Stock port" carb.

The SP 465 and stockport 465 share the same high speed air bleed sizes, and exact same secondary jetting sizes. They change the emulsions restriction size and remove the power valve with a slight increase in main jet size to compensate.

They changed to a smaller emulsions restriction to keep the engine richer at higher RPM's. The 13 mpg is normal, theres almost no difference in how the 2 run below 5k RPM.

That RB trying to make another sale by selling you a whole new carb. Of course thats their solution.

Ive been running my street nikki with no power hooked up to that valve for 1 year with no issues. Just remove the piston inside and it functions like an open vent.

If you keep having trouble it looks like there is a fresh modded Nikki on fleabay right now. Might be a Yaw from the looks of it.

Thanks, but I'm done buying carbs lol. I'm hoping running the return line will help it run better.

you have my number, my de-emissioned nikki worked fine before I took it off. if you drive by we can just slap it on and see if it runs, should take 30 minutes.

other than that, I heard the return line SHOULDN'T be plugged.

My problem with my nikki was that the jets were so tiny the thin grains of rust (if any) would clog it up.

I also have a free aftermarket fuel pump, that probably won't be able to sell with the fuel tank.

Run the return line. Give the banjo bolts on the air horn a good tap with a mallet. Should free the needles up. Make sure your float levels are correct.

If I would of know you had a Nikki, I would of bought it off you instead :(

On a side note, I realized yesterday my car does not have the factory return hard line LOL. Now I have to run a new one all the way back.

how much rust do you have? you might as well run a NEW line TO the carb, and use your old line as the return line.

P.S. I have a spare nikki that I already took one solenoid and the float lever for my current one, you can always use it to scavenge parts from.
the floats don't look re-usable, they're a peeling brown color by now.

Thanks, I will jeep that in mind. I plan on working on the car Tue evening. I'll let you knownif I need any parts.

So I finally got the Nikki working, but I just got a great deal on car 4cyl totoya that I'm going to use as a daily driver so I'm back to porting the 12a and keeping my RB Holley :)

Should I keep the return line and Check valve on the holley?

Good to hear; what was the solution?