The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Carter W1 setup?

1947 Chevrolet 1.5ton - original 216 motor.

Hi - When I bought my truck a few months ago, the PO had removed the carb to rebuild it, so the truck was neither together nor running. I purchased a W1 rebuild kit from classic truck parts and put everything together. However, there didn't seem to be much direction outside of setting float height. Can anyone offer any other advice as to initial setup, as in # of turns out on idle screws, or any other "hey, you really want to make sure X is set to Y specification", etc? She'll fire off ether but doesn't want to run otherwise. I've verified valve tappet clearances, points gap and timing. It just doesn't seem to be getting go-juice.

I've had the head off to unstick valves and replace a broken rocker and several bent pushrods. Plugs and wires are new, but haven't replaced points and button yet because I have good spark. The original glass-top-globe mechanical fuel pump was shot so I replaced it with a new non-filtered model specified for this application (not a generic). At this time I'm running it off of a test bottle of fuel to the mechanical fuel pump (truck doesn't have a proper fuel tank yet), and am priming with an electric fuel pump, which I then pull out of the way when I see it's got fuel at the carb (with the hard line off the bowl).


What should I be doing differently?

Idle mixture screw is 1 1/2 turns from lightly seated, turn the idle speed stop screw enough that you can see the throttle lever move to the open position, 800 + rpm, and use the choke. As for the electric fuel pump, just keep it inline, 99% of them will let the mechanical pump draw fuel through them.

Thanks! I'll give that shot. I grabbed the only electric pump that FLAPS had on shelf - and it absolutely blows fuel - as in, 7gpm overpowers the float.

Did you blow compressed air through the idle circuit when you rebuilt the carb?

About 75 percent are plugged, and have to be rodded out, if the vehicle has been sitting unstarted for some time.

Jon.

Captain Oblivious You might just fill your float bowl with gasoline till you see it trickle down the carb bore,it should then run at idle for a little bit ,then connect your fuel system and adjust.

I set the idle mix at 1.5 turns out like Joe said, and made sure to prefill the bowl like fixite said, ( there has got to be an easier way than taking the top off -don't laugh😂) and it fired up and ran right away... until it ran the bowl out. So Ive still got some fuel delivery issues to sort out. I had the fhard fuel line fitting off at the bowl yesterday while cranking and I dunno... I guess I just expected to see a little more out if that mechanical fuel pump.

For testing purposes, you fill the float bowl through the bowl vent (3/16 brass tube sticking up at an angle in the air horn). Use an eyedropper, or a ketchup or mustard squeeze bottle that has been emptied and cleaned.

Jon.

Thanks Jon. That's what I figured but wasn't sure. I've been using a disposable water bottle with a hole poked in the cap.
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Side note: anyone got the line on a between the rails fuel tank? I understand old mustang tanks work... but which years?

Skipper --You aren't skeered to sit in the cab with all your gas, are you???

@John - the 47s originally had underbed tanks anyway (so no filler hole in the cab), and this is a big bolt - so it had a saddle tank outside the frame rail.

And as much as I bathe in gas... naw I ain't skeered 🤣

Ok - so progress has been made, but we're not quite there yet. I installed a new 25 gallon Spectre tank meant for a 76 C30 at the rear of the frame behind the axle. I am using the Spectre sending unit specified for that tank, and then an inline Airtex E8251 pump just forward of the tank mounted to the frame rail (I picked that pump after googling and finding it recommended for use in these old trucks). I still have the mechanical fuel pump (new) installed. I have the fuel pump running off a fuse panel - basically it turns on when I turn the key on - there is no low oil pressure or high fuel pressure switch installed (I didn't think it was going to be necessary). Unfortunately - the electric fuel pump is overpowering the float and blowing fuel everywhere. Now why did I install an electric pump? Well - it seems that my mechanical pump is not pumping enough at all. I can prime the bowl with the electric pump, yank the fuse when I see it flooding, and then start the engine, and it will seem to run only long enough to drain the carb bowl, then it dies. I can then verify the bowl is empty by looking down the throat and lifting the throttle rod - and seeing that I do NOT get a squirt of fuel.

So what's the matter with my setup? I was sure the electric fuel pump was going to solve my low fuel pressure woes, but now I have the opposite problem.

The only problem is you forgot the fuel pressure regulator. Get one from Speedway, Jegs etc. I believe you need only about 3 psi for these old trucks so make sure to check the ratings so you get the appropriate piece.

Steve

The problem is the mechanical pump is bad or the lobe on the cam is worn off enough the pump arm is not moving. As for the electric pump, put a momentary push button in line, use it only for priming the carburetor, there's no reason to run it full time. See if fuel will siphon from the tank to a pan lower then the tank. If it does, your mechanical should be able to pull fuel through it and work as normal.

Joe - I guess it could be a worn off cam lobe, but the engine's top end didn't really lend itself to that level of wear. The mechanical pump is brand new. I now have a 1-6psi regulator and gauge to put in and will report back.

Welp, installed a Mr Gasket adjustable regulator and gauge, can confirm <2psi going into mechanical fuel pump (engine off, key on), and it's still blowing fuel out of the carb.

Pulled the carb down again. Removed and reset the seat, reset the float height ( i had set it when I rebuilt it about a month ago, but it was way off) to 1/2". Started right up, no flooding. Now I get to fix everything else that's wrong with this... water hoses, alternator mount and wiring, etc etc 🤣