Carb or pump question

[smythge]

I just got my motor running in my Dart and I was driving it tonight trying to get the carb and timiing tuned etc. It was running ok but around 3500 rpms it really sputters and if I mash it from a dead stand still it bogs, at higher RPM no problems at all. I have a brand new edelbrock 750 brand new mopar orange box igniton, new plugs wires etc. the motor is a stock 440.

I have 2 weird issues with it, 1. the gas gauge reads Empty and I don't know if it works, but I can only put 1 -2 gallons in at a time then it starts to over flow. 2. I was coming up fast to a stop sign so I nailed the brakes which caused the motor to die, I then got it restarted but it ran rough like it was running out of gas sputter for a about a minute then it died again (luckly I was a block from home) got it home added a little gas, got it running again but it was really rich smelling and did not want to idle finally it died again. I have one of those glass filters and it is has a very small amount of gas in it. I am thinking bad fuel pump, but am looking for any suggestions you might have.

 

[Longgone]

Have you cleaned that gas tank well and changed the sock on your sending unit?The fuel line from the tank to the pump can get filled with crud too, especially the first foot or so as it leaves the tank. If your car has the 5/16 fuel line and it`s gummed up inside you can`t have much fuel getting through. The stock 440 A-bodies came with the 3/8 fuel lines and pick-ups.You might want to clean those parts up first though!

 

[Orionsax7]

Sounds like the float settings may be too high also. If the rear float is too high, it will flood the secondaries under hard deceleration and then the motor will make those symptoms you are talking about. It will also smell like gas. I had the same problem before on my car. Just double check your float settings. The gas should be just at the bottom of the sight plug hole with the engine running.

-Alex

 

[smythge]

I started it in the light today with the air cleaner off and gas was just pouring out of the top of the carb. Now I am coming back to either bad fuel pump, pumping to much air or fuel, or just gunk that has gotten in the carb causing the needle to stick open. Unfortunately It's an edelbrock so there are no external float adjustments. My problem is: I have not been happy at all with the carb since I bought it last sunday. I know if I take it apart to check the floats and clean out the needle and seats Auto Zone won't return it. Is there anyway to get the needles unstuck without disassembly? I have tried light taps with a screw driver which has not helped. Any help is appreciated.

 

[SGGDuster]

How yould they know it had been disassembled? I have an Eddy carb and I'm not wild about it. It might just be because I haven't gotten it tuned correctly yet. Is your fuel filter the glass kind that you can see through? The kind with the little glass cylinder sandwiched between the two metal inlets? I had one of those and it started loosening itself habitually then wouldn't even stay together and leaked gas everywhere on top of starving the car under acceleration. I threw that piece of trash where it belonged and got a regular filter.

 

[smythge]

yeah it is one of those crappy glass ones which is getting replaced today. This is the second Edelbrock I have had on it in two weeks the first I bought used used and someone overtightend the air fuel mixture screws and cracked the aluminum so fuel just poured in, of course I didn't know this until I spent the money on a rebuild kit and spent an hour cleaning it. Now this one is flooding over and when it does run has a bogging issues. I suppose I am going to need to crack it open to play with the jetting anyway and you're probably right they would never know if had been taken apart. Just wondered if there was a quick cure to get the needles unstuck.

 

[superdart]

I have one of those glass filters on my car and haven't had any probs with it.

I have Fram universal can filter before my electric fuel pump. Then I have a Spectra glass filter installed between the engine and frame fuel line sections, with the regulator by the carb. I put the glass filter down low so it was under my motor, and the rubber hoses on it serve as flex points.

 

[smythge]

Took the top of the carb cleaned it out and put a new filter on, running fine now.

 

[rumblefish360]

smythge, Orionsax7 said this,

Sounds like the float settings may be too high also. If the rear float is too high, it will flood the secondaries under hard deceleration and then the motor will make those symptoms you are talking about. It will also smell like gas. I had the same problem before on my car. Just double check your float settings.

The only wrong thing here is there is no rear float. Just one on each side of the carb. Recheck your float settings. Good move on getting rid of the clear glass filter. A metal one shoudl be used. Otherwise, this is the key to that.

I started it in the light today with the air cleaner off and gas was just pouring out of the top of the carb.

To much feul pressure or wrong float setting. Sincve you didn't metion a hi-po pump.....
You said;

1. the gas gauge reads Empty and I don't know if it works, but I can only put 1 -2 gallons in at a time then it starts to over flow.

Well, if I was putting 1 -2 gallons of gas in my fuel tank and watching it overflow, My guess would be that it's full. Check connections starting at the tank / gas line strap and then gauge itself.

I know if I take it apart to check the floats and clean out the needle and seats Auto Zone won't return it.

I wouldn't tell'em crap about that and just return it. Though you just need to tune it and it'll be fine.