Cascade Crew

townaj · Posted: Sat Apr 24, 2010 6:53 pm Post subject: Fuel being used when parked??

Ok so I have a carbed 383 and the damn thing uses up to a quarter tank of gas when its sitting in the parking lot at school. In other words not running! It loses more gas when the tank has more gas in it. Also when I turn it off the smell of gas slowly surrounds the car, and is the worst under the hood. I have a mechanical fuel pump. Also when I was still futzing with the carb, gas would run out of the fuel line forever. I always had to plug it to stop the flow. Is this normal? Its also hard to start if it is shut off for more than 15 to 20 minutes so this leads me to believe that fuel pools in the manifold and floods it, cus it smells rich when it finally starts. Theres been no gas leaking into the oil either so WTF?!

. Anybody have any ideas whatsoever? This thing has me stumped. Thanks in advance!

aaron_sK · Posted: Sat Apr 24, 2010 6:56 pm Post subject:

Holley? Sounds like you need the Brandon pliers on the fuel line trick. Wink

Oh and take the gas cap off when you work on the carb and it should stop siphoning. (I actually think that's another one Brandon told me).

townaj · Posted: Sat Apr 24, 2010 7:11 pm Post subject:

Oh yeah its a Holley. Forgot to mention that lol. That'll work for the mean time but people already think my car is ghetto lol. So know of any permanent fixes I can do later?

aaron_sK · Posted: Sat Apr 24, 2010 7:18 pm Post subject:

That is the fix.

You clamp the line with it running till it stalls, or nearly stalls, then release it to flush the crud out of the needle valves.

Then you get a better fuel filter.

townaj · Posted: Sun Apr 25, 2010 8:09 am Post subject:

Oh ok gotcha. Sorry bout that Embarassed

. That is a cool trick. So basically the sudden rush of fuel just purges the valves? I'll try that when I feel a little better. Could my floats not be adjusted right? Seems like that might cause it too, but I don't know much about carbs. I'm fixing to redo my fuel line so I'll do the filter then.

chevymad · Posted: Sun Apr 25, 2010 8:26 am Post subject:

The rush of fuel and the fact that when you run the carb out of gas the floats drop all the way opening the needles as far as they'll go. Unless its some huge junk its usually enough to clear the debris.

aaron_sK · Posted: Sun Apr 25, 2010 8:54 am Post subject:

IROCDave · Posted: Sun Apr 25, 2010 9:14 am Post subject:

I'm sure you have already done it, but look under the car and make sure there isnt a leak at the fuel pump. I had mechanical pump go bad in highschool, it covered the bottom of my 74 camaro with gas.

townaj · Posted: Sun Apr 25, 2010 9:45 am Post subject:

Yeah there aren't any puddles or stains under the car, it just reeks of gas when you walk up to it. My carb doesn't seem to have sight plugs. They aren't clear or removable. At least they don't look like it...wtf?

aaron_sK · Posted: Sun Apr 25, 2010 9:51 am Post subject:

chevymad · Posted: Sun Apr 25, 2010 9:58 am Post subject:

There's a few holleys that have no plugs. If it doesnt look like aarons pic then it doesnt have them. You just set the floats with the bowls off.

townaj · Posted: Sun Apr 25, 2010 11:08 am Post subject:

Apparently mine is one of those few. It has permanent plugs in the casting it looks like. Theres no slot for a screwdriver and they aren't clear. Damn. I'll try the fuel line trick first, but if that doesn't work, what's the process for setting the floats correctly with the bowl off?

chevymad · Posted: Sun Apr 25, 2010 11:29 am Post subject:

Turn float bowl upside down, adjust float til it rests parallel with the edge of the float bowl.

aaron_sK · Posted: Sun Apr 25, 2010 8:24 pm Post subject:

townaj · Posted: Mon Apr 26, 2010 12:51 pm Post subject:

Ok cool guys. Thanks. Maybe tomorrow I can go out and try that pliers trick. I had to go to the e.r. today so I should feel better tomorrow. Thanks for the help I'll let ya'll know if it works.