It could be flooding the car. Once you kill the engine, pull the top off the air cleaner and look through the carb. If the barrels are wet, fuel is boiling over out of the bowls. Lower the floats a little and recheck. Had to do it to mine when it was having the same issues.

Agree with Josh, get a spacer if you don’t have one to help keep the intake from transferring heat to the carb. I like the phenolic spacers. The plastic one I got was supposed to be gas resistant, but the heat was doing it any favors.

Bolted to Floor wrote:

It could be flooding the car. Once you kill the engine, pull the top off the air cleaner and look through the carb. If the barrels are wet, fuel is boiling over out of the bowls. Lower the floats a little and recheck. Had to do it to mine when it was having the same issues.

Agree with Josh, get a spacer if you don’t have one to help keep the intake from transferring heat to the carb. I like the phenolic spacers. The plastic one I got was supposed to be gas resistant, but the heat was doing it any favors.

I went and reset the floats yesterday and they are a fraction lower than  what the recommended Ford specs say.
The spacer is the original Ford alloy one. I never had this flooding issue before the rebuild. I wonder why it's happening now. Maybe I should get the phenolic spacer? Do you have a link?
The car has been sitting about an hour and a half now. I took off the air filter and took a look. Still looks a bit wet. The smell of raw fuel is present too. No leaks onto the manifold that I can see.

Last edited by Toploader (9/04/2021 7:10 PM)

MS wrote:

Lower the float level a bit.  Did you correctly put that little snap-in-place clip in the needle that holds the float pivot shaft in place?  Not sure if my description is correct, but it can let the float setting change if not correctly snapped in place when assembling the float and needle.

You did not touch the timing?

I lowered the floats yesterday and they are a bit lower than spec. I checked everything twice and it looked good. Do you think lower some more? If I do, it will definitely be outside the specifications, but am willing to give that a try if that's what you recommend.
I adjusted timing by retarding it a little. There was "pinging" under acceleration and retarding the timing just a bit fixed it. It's timed within Ford specs.

MS wrote:

What about the metal clip that holds the float pivot in place?

A proper “ measurement” is not what determines a properly running car.  A properly running car determines the proper measurement.

The clip was secured in place ok.
I will take the top off the carburettor now and have another go. This time I will lower the floats and try 21/32" to see how it goes.

Float level I found depends on what spec you use.  I rebuilt my Autolite years after I had it rebuilt by Pony Carburetors.  I noticed that the float level was WAY lower than the instructions in the rebuild kit stated.  I set it per the instructions and had nothing but problems when I reinstalled the carb.  I reset the level back to where it was when I took it apart and the problems completely went away.  I think either the instructions were simply wrong, or the guys at Pony just knew more.  Shame that place is gone. 

Glad it’s all looking better.
Are the instructions wrong? Not necessarily, they probably followed Fords specs.
Is the fuel still the same as in the 1960’s? Don’t think so.

Here is a link to what I have for a spacer.
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/sum-g1405-1

Last edited by Bolted to Floor (9/05/2021 8:36 AM)

It still seems to be flooding.
I've popped the top of the carburettor a bunch of times now and checked things.
The float needles appear to be seating ok. When I press the floats, fuel sprays out.
When I run the car with the top of the carburettor removed, I see the fuel entering ok and the fuel levels in the bowls stay around .91".
When I shut the engine off and let it sit a few minutes, this is when it appears to flood.
Has me beat on what's happening. I even went back to the plastic floats that Pony Carbs put in. Still flooding.

Last edited by Toploader (9/06/2021 6:08 AM)

TKOPerformance wrote:

Where is the fuel coming from when it floods?  Is it coming up through the vent tube?  Is it dripping out of the main jets?  Track that down ad you'll be able to solve it. 

It appears to be coming up through the needles that the floats control. I took a video of it happening with the engine shut off. I shut the engine off and watched the fuel filling up the bowls. I checked the floats and they were up and the needles should have been seated, but the fuel was hissing in. Not dramatically,  but enough for me to know something was wrong.
When engine is running, the fuel seems to be flowing well and the fuel levels seem ok.
The flooding only seems to be a problem when I shut the engine off and want to restart it within 3 hrs or so. When I get it started, the car stinks from unburned fuel and then after a few moments it's all good. I can then drive like normal after that.

Last edited by Toploader (9/06/2021 6:11 AM)

I have the old needle valves.
I refurbished the carb because it seemed a bit tired and it was about 12 years since I put the carburettor on the car.
When the carburettor was stripped down, it was clear that some of the seals and gaskets were really needing attention.

Last edited by Toploader (9/06/2021 6:14 AM)

If you're seeing the fuel 'hissing' through the needle & seat when the engine is first turned off, I'd try the old needle and seat and see if the same is happening, or get a new set and replace.

I agree with others that say needles and seats may be the issue. Be sure the metal tab on the float properly engages the top of the needle so it positively closes it. Also that seat is completely threaded in place

It's a good feeling to "fix" a problem...