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Old 03-06-2020, 09:05 PM
scottydl scottydl is offline
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Default Gas in air cleaner, spewing from carb

I'm sure (hoping) this is something simple... trying to start my '69 Executive today after its winter garage nap. It cranked like a champ but wouldn't fire up and run, even with starting fluid which is my usual M.O. when it's been sitting for awhile.

After a fair amount of cranking, I checked out the air cleaner (which was black) and the housing had several fluid ounces of gasoline in it. When cranking some more with the housing removed, I spotted gasoline spewing upward (like a small geyser) out of the carb. Stuck float inside? What's the best way to free this up?

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Old 03-06-2020, 09:24 PM
tom s tom s is offline
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Stuck Foote.Tom

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Old 03-06-2020, 11:00 PM
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float ...

tom is french

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Old 03-06-2020, 11:05 PM
tom s tom s is offline
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Hate when my cell phone corrects me WRONG!Tom

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Old 03-06-2020, 11:17 PM
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tom is NOT french my bad

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Old 03-07-2020, 12:06 AM
Goatracer1 Goatracer1 is offline
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Try tapping the fuel inlet Gently while someone else cranks the engine and holds the gas pedal to the floor. If that doesn't work clamp off the flexible fuel line and crank it until it starts and then run the carb dry. Release the fuel line and try running the engine again. It will usually will stay running.

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Old 03-08-2020, 05:11 PM
scottydl scottydl is offline
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I can't get this figured out and feel like a bit of an idiot for (A) not running the engine regularly over the winter to prevent this, and (B) not being able to figure this simple thing out!

Carb photo is attached. I assume by "fuel inlet" you are talking about the metal line & housing I have circled in red? Tapping on that during cranking didn't help (tried both light taps with metal hammer, and harder ones with rubber mallet), fuel still squirting out. Which rubber line at the carb carries fuel? I clamped off the one circled in green, but that didn't change anything and seems to be vacuum. Can you point me toward which rubber line to clamp?
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Old 03-09-2020, 03:55 PM
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He meant the rubber line that feeds fuel into the fuel pump. You pinched off a vacuum line.

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Old 04-01-2020, 09:42 PM
scottydl scottydl is offline
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Alright, found the rubber fuel line under the front of the engine and did this...

Quote:
Originally Posted by Goatracer1 View Post
Try tapping the fuel inlet Gently while someone else cranks the engine and holds the gas pedal to the floor. If that doesn't work clamp off the flexible fuel line and crank it until it starts and then run the carb dry. Release the fuel line and try running the engine again. It will usually will stay running.
My son and I followed those instructions (everything worked as described) and tried all sorts of combinations of tapping/cranking. Once I unclamped the fuel line and started the engine... it fired up but out spewed the fuel again. Float is still stuck / open apparently. Anything else I can do prior to taking the carb apart? And is that a DIY job for someone with no carb experience?

I know this Rochester 2-bbl is pretty simple design, so I'll be glad to give it a shot as long as I have some good instruction up front.

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Old 04-02-2020, 10:32 AM
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Buy a good rebuild kit. It is pretty easy, just keep parts in order and follow the directions. You may also need a new float. I know where to get for Quadrajets but not sure for 2bbls but I would think they are available.

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Old 04-02-2020, 01:16 PM
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Try to open up the carb right after you had the engine running (still fuel in the bowl). See if the float is filled with gas or water logged (some are metal, others are plastic) or if it was just sticking from dirt or corrosion on the pivot arm that holds it.

I don't recommend smoking during this operation.

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Old 04-02-2020, 01:40 PM
Joe's Garage Joe's Garage is offline
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Thumbs up Just finished 3rd carb overhaul this past month due to this. Anticipate 2 or 3 more..

Only two were on Pontiacs - one a quadrajet and the other a 2bbl like yours. The third was a one barrel Rochester on an old Chevy 6cyl truck.

It's that crappy fuel they sell us labeled as 'gasoline'. When you let it sit it turns to frigging super-glue and sticks the needle and seat, gums up the check balls and power valves and metering rods and dissolves the accelerator pump cups......

The Rochester two barrels are especially known for the accelerator pump check ball getting stuck and not allowing the pump to work - even if the pump cup is still good.

You can handle the rebuild, just take your time, take pictures and/or notes as you take things off and disassemble.

Take particular care to note how far out each idle mixture screw is when to start and return the screws to that EXACT spot when you reassemble. They are REALLY sensitive to those being correct.

Good luck!

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Old 04-05-2020, 06:45 PM
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The frustrating part is that I just had this rebuilt maybe 2-3 years ago, and I maybe put a few hundred miles on it a year just cruising around. I also rarely use anything but 100% pure gas (no ethanol) so I know that ethanol isn't to blame, and I always treat the fuel with Stabil before parking it each winter. I'll fiddle around with it some more, maybe we can get it shook loose if something is just stuck, before I rebuilt it again. I know the kits are available, but finding anything except the plastic floats is/was a problem for the 2-bbl.

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Old 04-06-2020, 01:13 AM
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We got the carb off, one step further than I've ever been before. Might as well try it myself. My 15yo son is interested in the challenge too so it'll be a good experience. This is becoming such a regular thing (although I've paid shops in the past), if someone has a recommendation on a carb kit + float that will LAST... I'm all ears!

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Old 04-06-2020, 10:09 AM
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Mike Wassen who is on this site sells kits and also just needle and seats.Great source.Tom

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Old 04-06-2020, 09:20 PM
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And put some fuel stabilizer in your tank (Seafoam, Stabil, etc) before you store it again. Let it run for a while to get it in the fuel lines and up to the carb.

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Old 04-06-2020, 09:50 PM
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Yep always do and did that. It's non-ethanol fuel that is fully treated with Stabil so it seems like I shouldn't have gummy fuel residue that caused the problem. ??

I sent a message at PontiacTriPower.com and it was forwarded to Mike so I'll see what he says. Thanks for that suggestion Tom.

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Old 04-07-2020, 12:24 PM
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I have friends in the marina business and apparently a lot of fuel stabilizers seem to be causing more problems than they solve.

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Old 04-07-2020, 02:32 PM
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While I don't have marine experience I can definitely say that the one car I used fuel stabilizer in some years back has had fuel issues that required rebuilding the carburetor and replacing hoses. I only put 100% non-ethanol gas in everything that has a carburetor (3 vintage cars, 4 small engines) and I'll leave that gas in over the winter or 6+ months without firing it. As soon as I take it out and choke it, the engines fire right up and have no problem. I've been doing this for 6 years in an environment with some of the worst humidity in the south outside of the coastal areas. I would not use a stabilizer if I used non-ethanol gas.

While you have the carb open, put the float in a cup of gasoline and see if it actually floats. If it isn't, replace it. If it's anything but a nitrophyl float (black rubber material) replace it.

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Old 04-26-2020, 09:48 PM
scottydl scottydl is offline
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Update for anyone interested... I'm sure nobody lost any sleep!

Quote:
Originally Posted by tom s View Post
Mike Wassen who is on this site sells kits and also just needle and seats.Great source.Tom
A few weeks ago I sent an email through PontiacTriPower.com (website for Mike's business) and lo and behold, he called me back the next day! I just figured I could buy some parts from him, but an awesome series of events happened.

First, Mike walked me through the entire float adjustment process, explaining every part and giving me the "float hang" measurements (my term) in both directions. My son and I tinkered around and got it adjusted... wasn't that far off. Put the carb back on and *geyser gas* same problem.

I called Mike back, we realized he is only 45 miles from me in central Illinois, and a week or so later my son and I drove over there and he fixed my carb himself! Sure enough, the float had gas in it that I hadn't detected. It was a China-made brass model (2 years old?) that had developed a leak. Mike explained they are smaller than original, and installed a correct sized black plastic replacement, correct accelerator pump, and correct gasket. He wasn't going to charge me a dime and I demanded he at least let me pay for parts.

Mike has an awesome shop with a '69 Firebird and a '40 Studebaker that he completely restored. Class act guy all the way, so thanks for the referral! Today was a great day to get everything back together and take the Executive out for a cruise.
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