When I try and set the float level on my Holley 4160 it just sprays fuel when i losen the screw to adjust the float level. I assume this is not normal since the instruction I have say to adjust the level with the engine running. What needs to be dont to correct this. I recently rebuilt the carb and am trying ot get it tuned now. Thanks.

 

Good luck getting it set up correctly. I tried to get mine setup over the course of 2-3 weeks and finally gave up. After rebuilding mine, I couldn't ever even get mine close to running correctly. I had never rebuilt a carburator but it didn't seem that hard to do, while doing it. The tuning was a different story, it seemed that by adjusting the float level would cause enormous differences in the gas level and it was constantly eating the felt gasket between the nut and the screw. I bought a sheet of gasket material and made about 15 replacement gaskets and when all of those were gone, I put my original carb back on. That was about 6 months ago, this week I will be trying again to get it running. The thing that I think will help me get it a bit closer is to take the bowl off and adjust that float with the bowl upside down. That was a recommendation by some of the people on the forum. I hope it works! The other recommendation I have is to spend a few dollars and get the see through bowl gauge screws. GOOD LUCK!!

 

yes gas will come out of the nut on the needle and seat while its runing when you adjust it, i always use a rag over it to do it ,do little adjutments at a time to get it right..

 

The nut adjusts the float height so just loosen the screw a little bit, The fuel should just seep out not spray. So like I said just loosen it slightly and with a 5/8th wrench turn the nut until the fuel is just slightly sloching out of the front bowl. Just seeping over the lower threads. The rear is usually adjusted slightly higher so the fuel is running out not sloching? or seeping. I have done this alot and only get seeping. If it is spraying you are loosening the screw too much.

 

Norval is right on. Only loosed the 5/8" lock nut enough that the adjusting screw can be turned. I get a very mild seep when I am adjusting the carb. You shouldn't have to loosen the nut too much.
Gary

 

I suspect you are running a mechanical fuel pump and the fuel pressure is less than 7 PSI. If not, you need to get it there. You should have the levels close already. You probably already have the fuel bowl full, so, unscrewing the fuel site hole cover will tell you where the fuel level is. If you can rock the car with your thigh and the fuel comes out, you're close. If you open it up and fuel runs out, you're too high. Setting the carb level while running can be dangerous. Caution must be taken. Make sure you have a fire extinguisher around and some wet towels. Like the gentleman said earlier, put some small rags around the area, but don't let them get in your way.

Take a box end 5/8" wrench, put it around the adjusting nut, then take a good size screwdriver and crack open the hold down screw, keeping a slight amount of pressure downward on it, then turn the wrench the appropriate way. Do this quickly and hardly any gas will squirt out. I suggest turning it about 1/8 turn, then tighten the nut back down enough to stop fuel from leaking. Don't overtighten. Do this until you get close, then less turns until you get the gas to just dribble out. Tighten the lock screw snuggly. If you start off close, then this should take you about 5 minutes or less.

If you need to raise the level of fuel in the bowl, turn the wrench clockwise. To lower the level, counterclockwise. Remember the nut doesn't go up or down, the seat assembly does, so clockwise raises the seat, giving you more fuel in the bowl. Good luck, try to do this with a cold motor and be careful of the fan blade.

 

The method of inverting the fuel bowl and adjusting until the top to the float is even with the bottom edge of the sight hole threads is an inital adjustment for getting the car to start when your rebuild carb is reinstalled. It goes along with initial idle screw adjustment, (1 1/2 turns out from lightly seating). Naturally you readjust idle screws when the engine is warmed-up.

The same goes for the float level with engine running. The above thead describes the correct procedure, but to reiterate: on primary side, fuel is slightly seeps out of bottom of sight hole. Sometimes I rock the car a little to vertify correct adjustment.

jersey68l36

 

In addition to the above advise, get yourself a set of the clear fuel bowl plugs.
The less fuel drippin' on your motor the better... :cheers:

 

the screw is the lock and the 5/8 nut is the adjuster. if the bowl is over full you must get the fuel out before trying to adjust the float. the best way is to take out the sight plugs with the engine not running,use a rag to catch the excess fuel,then crank down the adjustment nut to lower the float,this will push out more fuel from the sight plug hole. keep lowing the floats till the fuel level is below the sight plug hole,tighten up the lock screw and start the engine. the fuel level should now be below the sight plug hole. now use your adjustment to bring up the fuel level till it just reaches the bottom of the hole. :chevy