I just installed a New bowl gasket on the carburetor and put it back together. Then installed it on the car, when I turned the gas valve on, the gas started coming out between the two halves. Is the float the problem , any suggestions ? I thought about buying the book by Gordon Biggar Restoring Model A & B Carburetor The 'Rex' Reheis Way. Any feedback on this book, is it worth purchasing ?
Model B Carburetor
- Thread starter Jamie86
- Start date
FL&WVMIKE
Well-known member
Jamie86 ...................
If you had a float problem, gas still should not come out, between the halves of your carburetor. Perhaps your gasket slipped out of place, etc. That would be the first thing to check. Just take it off and "eyeball" the whole thing and you might find your problem.
MIKE
If you had a float problem, gas still should not come out, between the halves of your carburetor. Perhaps your gasket slipped out of place, etc. That would be the first thing to check. Just take it off and "eyeball" the whole thing and you might find your problem.
MIKE
Ed in Maine
Well-known member
Hello Jamie, yes, the float level is too high. I have a 1932 5 Window Coupe Model B and I never could get the B carb to work good. My main problem is that it would run way to rich. Black tailpipe and too much carbon in the combustion chamber when I took the head off. Your best bet is to separate the carb and get a clear plastic cup and set the top half on top of the cup. Then turn on the gas and see just how high the gas gets in the clear plastic cup. You need to make a little test stand so that you can mount the carb level, have a small tank for the gas and a shutoff valve. If I remember correctly, the easiest way to set the level was to install more or less washers or gaskets under the float valve where it screws into the upper carb body.
Note that the Model B Carb is very different than a Model A carb. The Model A carb uses the dash adjustment to get the car running perfect at speed. The Model B carb uses this adjustment only to enrich the mixture on a cold start and then it is closed tightly. The Model B carb uses a jet to hopefully get the correct running mixture. If the dash adjustment does not shutoff tight the car will run very rich which is the problem I had.
I hope I didn't get too windy over this topic but I guess I have an axe to grind over B carbs!! Ed
Note that the Model B Carb is very different than a Model A carb. The Model A carb uses the dash adjustment to get the car running perfect at speed. The Model B carb uses this adjustment only to enrich the mixture on a cold start and then it is closed tightly. The Model B carb uses a jet to hopefully get the correct running mixture. If the dash adjustment does not shutoff tight the car will run very rich which is the problem I had.
I hope I didn't get too windy over this topic but I guess I have an axe to grind over B carbs!! Ed
modela-carb
Member
Jamie,
The only way the gas can get high enough in the bowl to leak through the bowl gasket is if the float is bad or has come loose in the bowl, or if the float valve is really bad.
Generally speaking, if it's just a case of the float valve not set right, gas will leak through the main & cap jets before it rises to the level of the top of the bowl. The float valve should be set at 5/8-3/4" from the lip of the casting.
Open the carb again. If the float is still in place, take it out & shake it to see if you can hear gas sloshing. Check the float setting. Put it back together, tightening the main bolt until the lock washer just flattens. If it still leaks when you turn the gas on, it is almost certainly the float valve.
Why did you decide to replace the bowl gasket? Was it leaking before?
The only way the gas can get high enough in the bowl to leak through the bowl gasket is if the float is bad or has come loose in the bowl, or if the float valve is really bad.
Generally speaking, if it's just a case of the float valve not set right, gas will leak through the main & cap jets before it rises to the level of the top of the bowl. The float valve should be set at 5/8-3/4" from the lip of the casting.
Open the carb again. If the float is still in place, take it out & shake it to see if you can hear gas sloshing. Check the float setting. Put it back together, tightening the main bolt until the lock washer just flattens. If it still leaks when you turn the gas on, it is almost certainly the float valve.
Why did you decide to replace the bowl gasket? Was it leaking before?
Jim,
The carburetor I purchased from one of our club members, he said it had sitting on the shelf for many years. I thought I'd get lucky, so I just hooked it up and tried it. No luck, it leaked around the gasket, so I replaced it. Still doing the same thing as before I changed the old gasket. I will check the float to see if it has a hole in it. Thank you for your help.
The carburetor I purchased from one of our club members, he said it had sitting on the shelf for many years. I thought I'd get lucky, so I just hooked it up and tried it. No luck, it leaked around the gasket, so I replaced it. Still doing the same thing as before I changed the old gasket. I will check the float to see if it has a hole in it. Thank you for your help.
Ron in Quincy
Well-known member
Are you sure the gas line going into the carb is not leaking at the connection ? If so, the gasket between the upper and lower half of the carb will get wet and drip fuel. If the float valve is not shutting off the level of the fuel would be so high you probable couldn't even get the engine to start and run properly, it would flood out.
Ron
Ron