Help!! This carb is driving me nutty

[rpickle]

I still don't have this car on the road yet.... Quick synopsis, bought car a few months ago, had sat for 3 + years. Owner had attempted carb work, carb was pulled. He had a kit but didn't open it. Anyway, I soaked the carb in Berrymans, installed and it would only run if I poured gas down the throat. I have checked the jets in the bottom of the bowl, they are clear. I can put the fuel line in the carb throat and it will run until it floods out. I have checked and triple checked the float heights. The float valve is clear. I need an expert to help me out, please.....

Thanks

Rick
1988 Festiva L
129,xxx miles
4 speed

[mechanicaldj]

and have you replaced the fuel pump yet?

[rpickle]

Hi. Thanks for the suggestion. I'm getting fuel. Is there a way to measure how much from the mechanical fuel pumps? I haven't looked, are they expensive? Maybe I'll just replace it for the sake of replacing it.

Rick

[Dave G]

Re: Help!! This carb is driving me nutty

I soaked the carb in Berrymans

Did you take it apart first? Blow out all the passages in everything with compressed air? Put it back together with all new gaskets?

[quaddawg]

Can you take the carb top off while still on the car?

After cranking, make sure there is fuel in the bowl, if you can.

If there IS fuel in the bowl, then the jets are plugged, I know you said you cleaned them, but it can be deceiving.

Since you are getting it to run while manually pouring fuel.. you know you have found the problem.

Is there a fuel filter at the carb? A sintered brass deally?

You just have to verify that the bowl IS filling up. If so, jets is all that is left.

Check the bowl vent. Check the needle valve, the fuel pump. Line restrictions, jets, air passages.. that is about all there is to it.

[rpickle]

Dave G. : Yes, I field stripped the carb and replaced all gaskets that were supplied in the kit. I did use a small wire to gently probe out small holes (the ones I could see) and then blew the carb dry with my air compressor. It was clean.

quaddog: I am getting good at taking the carb top off while on the car. (Unfortunately!!) I don't think there is enough fuel in the bowl. I don't see it in the site gage. How do you check a mechanical fuel pump? I don't think there is a fuel filter at the carb. The in-line filter was changed shortly after getting the car. I'll have to check the bowl vent, because that doesn't ring a bell.

Can someone please post what the float level is supposed to be, both hangin upside down and right-side up? Just want to verify that I am setting it to the right specs.

Thanks for the help. I really appreciate it.

Rick

[quaddawg]

Well, checking a mechanical pump is a bit risky, but I usually pull the fuel line to the carb, and put it into a clear gas safe container, and crank the engine quickly, and measure/observe the volume output in a few seconds. Common sense will let you know if it is flowing freely.

I am not sure of the correct float setting on your car, sorry.


I am betting on the fact that the bowl vent, or jets, or fuel line is clogged, or a combination.

I know it's maddening, but you are homing in on it.

[rpickle]

Thanks quaddog. I assumed the way it would run with the fuel line stuck down the carb throat was a good sign the fuel pump was working. It would run that way for 10-15 seconds before "flooding". I will try it in a container.

Getting close to bedtime. Will have a full afternoon tomorrow to work on it. Hope I get some headway.

Thanks again.

Rick

[quaddawg]

Thanks quaddog. I assumed the way it would run with the fuel line stuck down the carb throat was a good sign the fuel pump was working. It would run that way for 10-15 seconds before "flooding". I will try it in a container.

Getting close to bedtime. Will have a full afternoon tomorrow to work on it. Hope I get some headway.

Thanks again.

Rick

ah yes... I missed that detail in your post.

Yeah, that sounds OK..

Needle valve, bowl vent, air/fuel passages, Float level.


Keep on, you'll get it.

[Tom]

When you throttle with your hand where the foot feed connects to the carburetor that is the pump in the carb, pump it while looking into the carb with the key off. You should hear and see gas and feel it pumping.

[rpickle]

Tom, I'm not an expert, but the fuel that is seen squirting comes from the fuel all ready in the carb bowl. It does squirt. The mechanical fuel pump that feeds the carb requires engine rotation to pump. I think that my float height may not be right and/or the bowl vent is plugged.

Thanks


Rick

[rpickle]

Well, I puled the air horn off again and rechecked the float height 1/4" one way and 49mm the other. I made a significant change to the float height. Before I put it back together, I filled up the fuel bowl. Cranked it over and it started right up and purred like a kitten. Ran for 5 minutes easily. Walked away with it idling and when I returned it had conked out. Would not restart. Checked float view window and couldn't see any fuel. Took the air horn off again and this time I replaced the float needle and seat with the original set. Checked heights again. Filled the bowl up and reassembled. Started and ran, then conked out. Guess what, no fuel visible in the float view finder..... I checked bowl vent, there is a solenoid there that energizes when the key is on. I don't have detailed enough documentation that tells me how to check that. I then decided to verify what kind of fuel flow I have coming in. I know I had some, just never measured it. Stuck the fuel line in a large vitamin bottle and cranked 3 separate times for about 15 seconds each time. Looked inside the bottle and there was barely enough to cover the bottom. Is that right? Could that be my problem?

Thanks

Rick

[quaddawg]

I would say the pump is bad. I would sure think it would be a good bet to just go ahead and replace it. Not sure how much they are, but it doesn't seem to be putting out nearly enough.

[rpickle]

quaddog, eureka!!!! She runs now!!! New fuel pump from Autozone (35.00)! Thanks so much for your help. I will no doubt need more down the line. Now that it is running, I need to address other issues, rattle noise from alternator, no brakes, electric choke doesn't get its 7 volts.... Hope I can get it road worthy before the snow fly!

By the way, your Festy looks cool as hec. Have you had it at the track?

Thanks again.

Rick

[quaddawg]

quaddog, eureka!!!! She runs now!!! New fuel pump from Autozone (35.00)! Thanks so much for your help. I will no doubt need more down the line. Now that it is running, I need to address other issues, rattle noise from alternator, no brakes, electric choke doesn't get its 7 volts.... Hope I can get it road worthy before the snow fly!

By the way, your Festy looks cool as hec. Have you had it at the track?

Thanks again.

Rick

No, I haven't but the fellow that built it, race SCCA Solo II Autocross... he did pretty well.

I intend to do some racing in the spring.

Glad to help.