1957 thunderbird, fuel bowl

bobioknight

bobioknight

Member
Should the fuel bowl on the filter stay full. I notice it is often idling with only 1/8 of fuel on the bottom. Fuel pump is running at 3-5lbs of pressure.
 
I'd expect to see a bit more in the filter but if it performs fine otherwise and
'ain't broke, don't fix it'.
 
So I fixed my vacuum leaks and the bowl is staying full. Not sure it's the reason but maybe it helped. Also ran sea foam so the floats could have loosened up as well.
 
If the check valves in the fuel pump aren't 100% the fuel line up to the carb can drain down to fuel tank level. I'd expect it to be most obvious after the car has been sitting for a little while. The sea foam might have taken care of it.
 
So far my bowl is staying full as well, Maybe fixing the vacuum leaks did something.

Yesterday, I was driving around and when I pulled into a parking spot the engine died so I coasted into the spot, I popped the hood and looked into the carb and fuel was pouring into the throttle throats. Like the floats were stuck open. I gave the carb a couple wraps with a screwdriver and checked the bowl level screw hole and it flooded out for a second then went back to its normal trickle. The fuel filter bowl was bubbling (boiling I guess). So I guess flooding is why the engine stalled.

i just stated running seafoam in the fuel, could this have loosened up the crap in the carb and caused the float needle to stick, or is this a boiling fuel problem. With the engine off and fuel pouring out of the bowl seems more like a boiling problem.

Not sure what do do at this point?
 
Besides carry a big fire extinguisher? :eek:

Yes there might be crud in the fuel bowls.
Heat under the hood can be a problem too. A solution to a bubbling fuel filter is 'above my pay grade'. It may be possible that a float valve being open reduces the pressure in the fuel line enough to allow the fuel to bubble. just guessing, it works for the water in the radiator

Does your carb have a heat isolator spacer between it and the intake manifold?
They're 1/2 in. thick and come in aluminum or hard fiber plastic.
 

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I decided to rebuild the carbeutator, figured I fixed everything else and if many f you are running today's fuel and not having the trouble then what else could there be. Actually everything within the carb looked pretty clean.

So it started right up, Good sign! I adjusted the floats just a little under the dribble test. I ran it for a while and hit the throttle a few times, no bogging or delays. Ran a test drive, for an hour or so, lots of stop and go, and some wide open throttle. Ran stopped waited and started up easy each time. (No cranking and cranking) Smooth smooth smooth. Got back to the garage, popped the hood, the glass bowl was bubbling fuel, but within the carb no leaks, no overflowing.... Perfect.

So I must conclude the carbeurator needed rebuilding and floats needed adjusting.
 
By the way, yes I do have a spacer, it is aluminum and does help cool the carb. When the rest of the engine is hot, I can hold the carb with my hand and it's just warm. My guess is that The metal fuel line run right up next to the engine and the fuel pump is connected to the engine, these stay very hot.
 
If your T-bird has power steering that probably blocks some of the air from the fan that could help cool the fuel line & filter, oh well.
 
dmsfrr said:
If your T-bird has power steering that probably blocks some of the air from the fan that could help cool the fuel line & filter, oh well.
Click to expand...

Yes I do, and I am sure it does.

Today, I took her on the freeway. Cruised around 55/60 hitting around 2400rpm. The temp never moved, traveled about 20 minutes and everything was great. Stopped for lunch and it started right up and we headed back home. During our ride back I could feel some hesitations and still the temp did not change, HOWEVER the temp outside was getting hotter and was just about 90+ degrees, A few stop lights, I felt I needed to keep the idle up and it was starting to stammer during take off... when I got home it was a bit of a chore to pull up the hill and park, I had to move quickly. I jumped out, popped the hood to see if the carb was being flooded. NO it was not flooding so I was happy the rebuild worked BUT, the fuel filter/glass bowl was Literally boiling and was nearly empty, the metal hose coming up from the pump was very hot and the glass was very hot as well.

I think this is an obvious problem, but not sure what to do about it.

Should I:

1. reroute the fuel line further from the engine and exhaust.
2. reroute the fuel line and add an electric fuel pump.
2. reroute the fuel line and add an electric fuel pump and bypass the mechanical pump.
3. only drive her on cool days.
4. go back to rubber hoses.
5. remove the fuel filter assembly.
6. install a fuel return line to the tank.
 
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