flooding

1

123finboy

Member
I have a 58 Retractable with a new Holley 4160 carb that tends to flood when restarting the car when warm. It seems the pressure in the mechanical fuel pump is forcing fuel past the needle valve when the car is off. We've adjusted the floats to a below normal setting to compensate, but it doesn't help. The pump only puts out about 5 pounds. Is there any way to vent the pressure in the pump when the car is turned off? Or add a fuel return line to the tank? I'm trying to avoid going to an electric pump. Thanks for any help you can give.
 
Thanks billwill. Do you mean 2 and 1/2 pounds, using a fuel pressure regulator? And will fuel pressure that low effect performance?
 
A good quality fuel pressure regulator will allow full volume but at a lower pressure. The gas we get here now seems prone to boiling at a lower tempurature. Do you have a spacer under the carb to help keep it cool? That may help.
 
billwill is right 2/12# pressure is all you need, the new crap fuel pumps are over pressure causing all kinds of problems, mostly flooding, the good usa pumps will only deliver the amount of fuel pressure that the carb was designed for, when buying a fuel pump check where it was made, if made in china you might as well pour gas down the carb out of a coke bottle, you will have about the same amount of problem
 
OLe Don: I do have a spacer, and have no problem with vapor lock. Do you, or anyone else have a recommendation for a good brand of regulator. Holly makes one that can be adjusted between 2 and 4 pounds. It does not have a return, but do you need one with a mechanical pump?

ford3: I got the fuel pump from Concours, and presume they all come from China. There was no other branding on it. Thanks again.
 
I bought my fuel pump from a reputable family operation here in a small town. They said the pump they sold me fits a 292 car, truck, 390's and is the same number for a 427! I used fittings to cut the size down to 5/16. I use a one inch four hole phenolic spacer for my Edelbrock carb, and a one inch aluminum spacer for my Holley. They both work great, no flooding, and our summer cruise nights here can be over 100 degrees.
 
a phenolic spacer(fiber one) is what is needed, a metal one wont do any good, all they do is transmit the heat, use the tallest one you can get to get as much space between the carb and manifold, make sure it doesnt hit the hood when air cleaner is installed
 
I'm installing a 1" phenolic spacer and a fuel pressure regulator. I'll report back how it works. Thanks to all for the advice.
 
Final report: We added a 1 inch phenolic spacer and a fuel pressure regulator, and still, no improvement. The brand new Holley flooded every time the engine was turned off. Restarting always required flooring the accelerator and cranking until it fired in a puff of white smoke. In desperation, we went to a lower power valve, lowered the floats, reduced the jets and replaced the needle valve, and still no improvement. We finally gave up on the Holley, and replaced it with a new Edelbrock, and voila, the problem is solved!!! No flooding, no gas smell, easy hot starts.
There is a deep flaw within this Holley somewhere, and I'll never buy this brand for anything again. I'm past the 90 day window to return this Holley piece of junk for a refund, but I'm gonna' call Summit and see what they'll do. Thanks for all your help. I'll report back.
 
I sent the Holley back to Summit, and received a full refund under their warranty program even though I was past the 90 day limit. Way to go Summit. I'll be back as a customer. The Edelbrock is still running great. I enjoy driving my '58 again.
 
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