The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The HiPo Shop Gas smell I am stumped

First off I am not an engine guy so bare with me.
1977 Chevy c 10 with 1978 corvette 350. I had the engine rebuilt. I had edelbrock proformer intake and a Holley 800 plus 4 bbl. every time I turned off the engine and pulled in my garage all I smelled was gas. I talked with Summit Racing and they said I had way to much carb for a 350. I bought a 650 edelbrock and performance is way up and Idle is much better but gas smell is still there.
I am thinking The intake has issues?? please offer any advice.
Paul

fuel pump leaking?

Are you using ethanol gas?

I had leaks with my Mustang causing rubber hoses and gaskets in the carb to deteriorate.

x3, look carefully everywhere for small leaks, and check the exhaust for evidence of still running rich

Bill

You need to run a vent hose from the carb bowl to a charcoal cannister. Then run a hose from the cannister to ported vacuum on the carb. I have had this problem on all my old trucks when I bring one home. After it cools down its OK. You can throw a damp towel over the air cleaner. You can leave it outside till it cools off & then put it in.

Please state if you have found any leaks??? If you are running a mechanical or electric fuel pump that delivers more than 6 PSI, that very well could be your problem.

On the 73-87 trucks there is a vapor line that runs from the fuel tank out to the radiator support which connects to the vapor canister, make sure that is connected. Gas fumes will com out of that line if it is open.
Also Check the float level on your carb. Holly's arent always ajusted out of the box. Some times the float level on the secondarys are a little too high, while at an idle gas will drip into the secondarys & you will get a gas smell from that.

Pull the sight plugs out each float bowl & check the fuel level.
If gas pours out of the hole, then the fuel level is too high.
The fuel level should be level with the bottom of the hole.

If you do need to adjust them, there is a 5/8 lock nut with a screw in the middle on the top of each float bowl. Undo the screw & turn the nut to raise or lower the fuel level.
But like everyone else says first check for leaks. Also check any rubber fuel lines. Ethanol raises hell with the older rubber fuel line material. Any new rubber fuel line that is sold today, supposedly is compatible with Ethanol.
Good luck, let us know what you find.

I misread your post, I just realized the you now have an Edelbrock carb. Im not sure about the floats on those carbs, but it is possible that may be your problem.
With the engine running, look inside the secondarys & see if any gas is dripping in there. There should be no gas in there at all, until you stomp on it.

How stock is your engine? The 650 carb may be a tad too much. I was always told to go with a 600 on a stock 350, even with a little bit of cam. But it all depends on what you have. Just a thought.

The size of the carb has nothing to do with it. You will first have to determine if anything is leaking, Fuel lines, fuel pump, carb, fittings, hoses, filter, manifold, gas tank, wrong gas cap, vapor lines or internal dripping, as mentioned... need to find out where the "smell" is coming from, may not be carb. 800 smelled, 650 smelled. Be sure that there is no more than 6PSI pressure, as I said. Too big of a carb does not cause leaks (if there is a leak), just bad gas mileage and performance.

May not be carb, may not be leak, but "all" of the above should be taken into consideration.
Start with the leaks first, then go from there.