carb floods easily!
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 1,912
Likes: 12
From: Schaumburg (Chicago) Illinois
carb floods easily!
327 Rochester carb. on my 383
When I start the car it barely turns over and starts. It runs just fine once started.
BUT
But if I even think about hitting the gas pedal at the wrong time it floods and I cannot start it or it takes almost the whole battery to start. Yes, if I know it is flooded I push the pedal to the floor and hold it there to open the butterfly till it starts. It is so worrysome to the point that I cannot go anywhere and turn the engine off for fear that I will not get it started. FYI, This carb was rebuil by LARS a number of years ago. I smell a distinct odor of gas in the garage many times. When I pull the air cleaner off I see gas in a hole when looking at the carb from the top. Amother clue is my gas mileage is bad. I expect that to be true but I do not think I get 100 miles on a tank full of gas of city driving. So, what am I doing wrong? I drove carb cars like this for many years and do not remember such sensitivity to flooding. What can I check or do to understand this?
When I start the car it barely turns over and starts. It runs just fine once started.
BUT
But if I even think about hitting the gas pedal at the wrong time it floods and I cannot start it or it takes almost the whole battery to start. Yes, if I know it is flooded I push the pedal to the floor and hold it there to open the butterfly till it starts. It is so worrysome to the point that I cannot go anywhere and turn the engine off for fear that I will not get it started. FYI, This carb was rebuil by LARS a number of years ago. I smell a distinct odor of gas in the garage many times. When I pull the air cleaner off I see gas in a hole when looking at the carb from the top. Amother clue is my gas mileage is bad. I expect that to be true but I do not think I get 100 miles on a tank full of gas of city driving. So, what am I doing wrong? I drove carb cars like this for many years and do not remember such sensitivity to flooding. What can I check or do to understand this?
Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 3,652
Likes: 49
From: Bridgewater nj
Sounds like a stuck float or the needle and seat isn't sealing when the float rises to the top. So all that extra fuel just dumps into the engine.
The good news is it's a cheap fix. The bad news, it has to come apart.
The good news is it's a cheap fix. The bad news, it has to come apart.
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
Likes: 3,118
From: Crossville TN
If you know that the battery is good and the car is still hard to start (doesn't really crank over well), you may have a bad positive battery cable/terminal and/or a bad (or missing) main ground wire between frame and right-side motor mount. A bad terminal, rotted-out wiring (inside the insulation), and poor ground connection to the starter will make it very difficult to start...especially when either HOT or COLD.
Otherwise, take Lars up on the offer to check out your carb.
Otherwise, take Lars up on the offer to check out your carb.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 1,912
Likes: 12
From: Schaumburg (Chicago) Illinois
If you know that the battery is good and the car is still hard to start (doesn't really crank over well), you may have a bad positive battery cable/terminal and/or a bad (or missing) main ground wire between frame and right-side motor mount. A bad terminal, rotted-out wiring (inside the insulation), and poor ground connection to the starter will make it very difficult to start...especially when either HOT or COLD.
Otherwise, take Lars up on the offer to check out your carb.
Otherwise, take Lars up on the offer to check out your carb.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 1,912
Likes: 12
From: Schaumburg (Chicago) Illinois
Thanks Lars, can you PM me your address. And for the record folks, in NO WAY am I saying LARS made any kind of error. I was just giving facts so that people don't say it was rebuilt incorrectly or something like that. Actually I still think Im doing something wrong but if Lars helps me I will take his information at face value and do as i'm told!
Other facts:
Exhaust does not smoke.
kinda rough idle at 900 rpm but I figure thats my semi aggressive cam.
Also I am told that mathematically anyway I should be about 380-400 HP on my 383. I have close ratio gear trans and a 3.73 rear end. cam is for low end torque. The car goes pretty good but I am disappointed. I cant even spin the tires too much and some days barely at all. And it will not go over 75 MPH! I guess I will learn something either way.
Other facts:
Exhaust does not smoke.
kinda rough idle at 900 rpm but I figure thats my semi aggressive cam.
Also I am told that mathematically anyway I should be about 380-400 HP on my 383. I have close ratio gear trans and a 3.73 rear end. cam is for low end torque. The car goes pretty good but I am disappointed. I cant even spin the tires too much and some days barely at all. And it will not go over 75 MPH! I guess I will learn something either way.
Last edited by AWilson; Dec 24, 2014 at 08:18 AM.
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Tech Contributor
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 14,380
Likes: 6,391
From: At my Bar drinking and wrenching in Lafayette Colorado
Just send me an e-mail request for the services info sheet. You can disregard the pricing, but it has all the shipping info and address. Since it's been a few years since the rebuild, I'll charge you return shipping costs, but otherwise check it, correct it, and test it at no cost.
Lars
V8FastCars@msn.com
Be glad to write up the findings once I take a look at the carb.
Lars
Lars
V8FastCars@msn.com
Lars
Last edited by lars; May 22, 2014 at 12:46 PM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 3,487
Likes: 83
From: Titusville Florida
Just send me an e-mail request for the services info sheet. You can disregard the pricing, but it has all the shipping info and address. Since it's been a few years since the rebuild, I'll charge you return shipping costs, bit otherwise check it, correct it, and test it at no cost.
Lars
V8FastCars@msn.com
Be glad to write up the findings once I take a look at the carb.
Lars
Lars
V8FastCars@msn.com
Be glad to write up the findings once I take a look at the carb.
Lars
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 1,912
Likes: 12
From: Schaumburg (Chicago) Illinois
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 1,912
Likes: 12
From: Schaumburg (Chicago) Illinois
When I turn the key it might turn a revolution then if starts and I immediately give it gas to keep it going. But if I miss that split second accelerator pedal push by pushing too soon then it floods and it then cranks and cranks. Hope that clears it up.
Last edited by AWilson; May 24, 2014 at 10:20 AM.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 1,912
Likes: 12
From: Schaumburg (Chicago) Illinois
Just send me an e-mail request for the services info sheet. You can disregard the pricing, but it has all the shipping info and address. Since it's been a few years since the rebuild, I'll charge you return shipping costs, but otherwise check it, correct it, and test it at no cost.
Lars
V8FastCars@msn.com
Be glad to write up the findings once I take a look at the carb.
Lars
Lars
V8FastCars@msn.com
Be glad to write up the findings once I take a look at the carb.
Lars
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 2,317
Likes: 111
From: St Louis MO
If it's a stock fuel pump, the output pressure is probably ok, but if it's an aftermarket performance type like an Edelbrock #1721 which I used one time, the pump put out about 8 psi on my pressure gauge which overpowered the high flow needle and seat in my Quadrajet. This caused flooding like you described. My solution, which retained the larger diameter orifice in the needle & seat, was to substitute a weaker fuel pump spring, lowering the pressure to 5.5 psi. (This did not hurt performance either as this '78 Vette ran mid to high 11s in the 1/4).
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 1,912
Likes: 12
From: Schaumburg (Chicago) Illinois
Carb on way to Lars
Ok carb is on its way to Lars! I drove the car over the summer and am now just getting around to sending it in. While Lars has it I am buying new heads and intake!
2 pics attached.
cold engine, choke partially open
possible leak. Note gasoline on SS
2 pics attached.
cold engine, choke partially open
possible leak. Note gasoline on SS
Last edited by AWilson; Dec 25, 2014 at 01:50 PM.