The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop 235 flooding

I been driving my truck quite a bit lately.
In the afternoons when I leave work and it over 100 degrees out I can really smell the gas, the other day it flooded and shut down.

I dont smell the gas in the morning when I drive to work in cooler temps.


I pulled this quote from another thread so not to hijack.

Can someone explain...moving the float down...for me?

I have a carter and have 2 float settings.
...click...
I have a 1/2 inch adjustment, and a 1-1/4 drop adjustment.
would moving the float down mean increase or decrease the 1/2 setting or 1-1/4.

Carb is in the cleaner right now.


Thank you

Increase the 1/2" dimension slightly, maybe to 17/32" or so. When the carb is in the normal position, that makes the gas level in the carburetor bowl a bit lower. It's like bending the float arm down in a toilet tank to keep the water from overflowing into the bowl as it fills.
Jerry

Got it Sir

Thank you
I will make the adjustment when it goes back together.

QUESTION


The new needle and spring shaft from the new kit have more spring travel to it than the old one did.

do I set the float 17/32 with the float depressed or as it sit on the spring.

...here is a video to help explain...

In the past i just set it as it rested but the float was not setting on the spring.

Thanks

I am only familiar with the Rochester but I am surprised to see a spring under the float.

Thank you for your response

I set the float with the spring/float depressed, and used the 17/32 HRL recommended

I'm sorry I didn't answer your question sooner but I am sure the set dimension should be with just the weight of the float assembly pressing the valve shut.
The spring will have very slight compression--not fully compressed(stacked solid).
Sometimes I choose to lift the float lightly manually and feel/look for the valve to touch the seat.

Thanks for your response.

I had the carb back on the truck before I read it.

This may relate to my next question/problem.


I reinstalled the carb, set the fast idle and mixture screw and have pretty good readings

....after carb rebuild VIDEO....

Went for a test drive and the truck shuts down when I coast to a stop.

Is this a symptom of an improper float setting?

Did you have the carter carburetor and this problem last year?

Just curious. Thanks

Yes it’s a Carter
I did not have this problem last year.

My current issue is the new float and spring kit and float setting.

Initial problem was flooding
decided to put a new kit and adjust the float as recommended in this thread.

My guess is I adjusted the float wrong.

Answer YES

I had the float set wrong.

...I readjusted the float...
Whet for a drive and it didnt shut down when I coast to stop.

I put the old spring and needle back in.

Hopefully the new 17/32 float setting will help with the flooding that happens on the real hot days.

Drove the truck to work today. First time since I rebuilt the carb and reset the float.

It's 20 miles one way.

Just as I turned on my street to get home this afternoon the carb flooded and shut down.

I was able to coast to my house.

I pulled the lid off my carter carb. Did not see any thing stuck at the needle.

I have a new spectra fuel tank, filter at the bottom.

Any ideas?
This is getting frustrating

Thank you

If it is flooding enough, the engine can't handle the extra gas when you let it idle. That is what happens when "you turn the corner and it shuts down". You can probably avoid that by pulling out the throttle some to make the idle higher in order to get you home. Sometimes the symptom may not be there when it first starts. This is because a cold engine can hamdle the extra gas and it is similar to using the choke on a cold engine.

I know with the Rochester, a float can hang up or the needle can malfunction to cause flooding. The float level is just one item that can cause the problem.

Have you checked your fuel pump to see how much pressure it is putting out? I've seen some pumps that are putting out way more than they should be. Good Luck Don

Dads, I didn't see you mention a filter other than the in-tank-filter.A filter in the line is a necessity to catch the "where did that come froms?".I would have a large, transparent filter mounted AFTER the pump , in the coolest place.
The float valve finds the smallest particles to keep it from seating because it runs in a nearly closed tight position when the engine is not working hard and when it leaks because of a particle under the needle, it just clamps down harder on the particle.
A method I routinely use to clear an overflowing bowl ("float sticking")is to STOP the flow from the pump.Clamp tight or disconnect the pump inlet line, usually a pair of pliers will do it, while the engine is running until the bowl runs dry and the engine stalls or nearly stalls, then restore the flow to the pump and the tiny offending particle will be flushed from the now open float valve into the bowl where it usually settles into one of the bottom-of-the-bowl cavities and 10 times out of 9 is there until the next cleanup/rebuild while the float valve has been purged and a normal bowl level is restored.

Rochester loved to put the small filter behind the fitting where where the fuel line connects to the carburetor, and because of it's small capacity before it started to restrict flow it became a replacement part for the periodical "tune up".
Many times when it was disturbed an unseen particle was dislodged and found it's way to the float valve and caused an overflowing condition.
Now we have the need to pull the carburetor top to clear the valve OR use my method of flushing the valve.
It works. Put that in your bag of tricks and it will work for you too--and the audience will think you can perform magic.

Truckernix:
Thank you I will modify my driving with a little more throttle at the stops. The last two times it flooded was at idle.

I have been driving the truck to work since april. Kinda of a daily driver, its getting more use now than it has since the early 80's. It flodded once last summer on a hot day and again these last two times, hot days.

Don Stocker:
I have not check the fuel pressure. I will do that soon and report the reading. Im in the middle of painting my garage floors right now.

enginenut:
my 50's gas tank outlets at the bottom
I use to have a clear filter under the tank ...pic... and I could see it was picking up junk.

That filter started to leak so I went back to a canister
...pic...

I have no filter after the fump.
Maybe I should add one?

My fuel lines are all hard lined from the pump to the carb ...pic... so the only way I can clear is to disconnect the lines. I had to do that on the side of the road last time.


My idle is set at 450-500 rpm. Would increasing that help?

Could my mixture screw be off.

I did drive the truck to work again today.

Thanks All

Here is a little trick that saved the day for me. When I had some flooding problems, it stopped on me when I was a few miles from home. Holding my foor to the floor didn't even allow it to start and my battery was started to fade. I had my passenger squeeze shut the rubber hose on the fuel filter while I started the engine and pulled on the throttle to raise the idle up quite a bit. I then shut the hood and drove home. Now I carry a pair of vice grips in case I have the same problem again. By the way I fixed my flooding problem two years and 9K miles ago and haven't had a problem since.

Dad, I like your style filter-lots of room for filter area.the reason we might prefer clear is to be able to observe the sediment.
The reason after the pump is preferred is because the fuel is more positively pushed through the filter than drawn through it by the suction side of the pump.As long as the pump is good, lines are air tight and filter is not very restricted-no big difference.
On another thought.What if the carb is not flooding but being overheated to the point of boiling the fuel?
Flooding should be able to clear by cranking with the throttle open and after restarting will run with black smoke like when choke is on.Looking down the carb throat gas will be pouring into the throat and may be overflowing externally the carburetor.
I see lots of room under the carb for stacked gaskets as an insulator for heat being transmitted from the manifold.
Is the heat valve free to move as designed or not stuck closed? This will raise the operating temperature of the manifold/carburetor.
The idle mixture setting should only affect the smoothness of idle and not the mixture in any other range of the carburetor although it does slightly affect the mixture during the slight transition to the off idle situation.
Slightly higher idle speed could help drivability through this battle toward "normal" operation.

Thank you, I will keep that trick in mind. Since I have put the truck on the raod again a few years ago I thave put 3600 miles. This is the 3rd time it flooded on me. I drive around with my 4 year old son with me so I would like to see if I can fix this problem.




When It floods I do see gas in the engine compartment around the heat riser box and comming down the block just under the intake ports.
Here is a video I took yesterday after I got it cleared.
...video...

you can see on the side of the block where the gas was dripping down just under the port.(SCARY)

The heat riser is working, and I do have a few spare gaskets I can add.

I will look into a fuel filter at the carb. I did see a thread where there is a spin on filter that will thread right into the carb. I just have to modify my hard line with the inverted flare fitting.

Thank you all
I really appreciate all the advise and suggestions
Is the inverted flare fitting required at the carb?

What Temp thermostat are you using? I solved some goofy fuel related problems by switching from a 195 degree to a 180 degree. Ethanol is a friend but also is NOT a friend,

I have been using a 160 degree thermostat for 2 years in winter and summer.

thank you

kind of an update on this issue.

On my way home from work today the truck flooded at the exact same stop as it did yesterday. Just as turned on my street to get to my house. Coasted home. Very odd 2 days in a row flooding right before I get home.

its 20 miles from work to my house. I have a 5 mile streach on the freeway also.

It flooded just as I turned at the street in this pic. 1/2 block from my house.
...pic...

Went in and had dinner then had my wife try to start it while I looked
...video...
(yes she did grind the starter. She just learned how to start it.)

I didnt have the throttle stop installed on the throttle cable so I couldnt use it when I slowed down to make that turn. But there were a few other stops and turns on my way home.

I took the carb off again. didnt see any objects. I was not very hot outside today.

I changed the needle, reinstalled carb and added a second gasket to the insulator

...video...

I dont think heat is an issue.

I will take a pressure reading on my next day off from work.

Look into adding a filter after the pump.

Thanks again

Carter specified the spring loaded needle and seat for most of the YF carburetors used as aftermarket on Chevrolet.

When adjusting the float level with a Carter spring-loaded needle and seat, ALWAYS set the specified dimension with the float resting on the valve with its own weight only. DO NOT COMPRESS THE SPRING. Compressing the spring will give a false setting.

Jon.

Thank you

I did correct my float setting and set it with just the float resting

the flooding issue still occured with it set this way.

I increased the 1/2 dimension to 17/32 as suggested earlier in the thread.

I use a Fram G3596 filter. Screws right into carb and has provision for a hard line attachment.

Thanks Ed
I was not able to find the fram locally but did find a ...WIX 33081...

Ill add the filter soon as I pic up a flairing kit to modify the hard line.

its going to be a tight fit with the horn
...pic...

Im going to have to make a tight bend right at the filter.

thanks

Two suggestions:
1) use a 45 degree fitting out of the carb into the filter
2) easier way is use 1/2-1" round steel spacers between horn bracket and manifold to move the horn forward. You may then be able to bend the gas line slightly without cutting and re-flaring to fit the filter. I have a Rochester B on my 216 and haven't experienced the flooding, even during summer. My driving is mostly local 10-15mi at speed under 45. Possible you need to drop float in 1/32 increments until flooding stops. I'm sure you checked that your float wasn't leaking or hanging up. Could your gas brand be the trouble? Maybe it expands more in hot weather than other brands...just a thought.

UPDATE:

Today I installed the filter at the carb and ran a new fuel line to it.

I discovered something that may have been an issue. when I removed the fuel line adapter from the Carter I saw something in the threads.
...pic...

...pic...

That is old pipe dope in the threads and as you see some of it was loose.

...I cleaned the threads with a brush...

...pic...

installed the new filter and ran the new fuel line.
...pic...

...pic...

This time I did not use any pipe dope on the pipe fitting at the carb.

I did use a spacer at the horn as suggested to move the horn forward.

I hope that the loose thread dope was the issue. Ill find out next week when I take the truck to work.

These trucks are just fun! Sure looked like a lot of sealant in that hole. Install looks great...good luck on your next trip.