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Fuel System Problems...  Rating:  Rating
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 Posted: 07-04-2006 02:41 am
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Jim Weatherford
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I just replaced the fuel hoses from the tank to the fuel pump and started it up and it was running fine then smoke started coming up and a checked and fuel was running out of the bottom of both stroms.  What is going on?  Now, I can get fuel to the carbs and I could have easily turned into a molotov cocktail!  Any ideas?  Thanks.

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 Posted: 07-04-2006 07:37 am
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edward_davis
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Replacing those fuel lines could have freed up some gunk in the fuel system that stopped up your float valves, keeping them from sealing.  It would be a lot like getting a heart attack.  You should make sure you have a fuel filter in the fuel line at the carbs and that it's clean.  If not, you can take the carbs off and open up the float bowls and clean out the float valves.  If you're really worried about it, you could get a rebuild kit and put in new float valves. 

It's just important to have that fuel filter in the engine compartment, and probably another one back between the tank and the fuel pump to keep the pump from being contaminated by crud from the tank or from a gas station's tank, etc.

Come to think of it, I should have a fuel filter in my engine compartment and not just the one back by the fuel pump...  I better get on that!

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 Posted: 07-05-2006 10:17 pm
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pc
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The plugs in the bottoms of the carbs are made of plastic and sealed with o-rings.  They're held in only by compression of the o-rings between the bowl and plug.  They get old, they get weak and they start leaking. 

 

Try pulling them out and inspecting them.  The fit should be quite snug.  If you can pull them out easily or they're damaged in any way they need to be replaced.

 

 
PC.

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 Posted: 07-06-2006 02:06 am
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Mark Rosenbaum
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Actually the plugs are held in both by friction from the o-rings and by integral plastic fingers that press against the top of the bore into which they fit.  Removing a plug without breaking it usually requires removal of the float bowl from the body of the carb.

New o-rings are part of the standard rebuild kits, are available separately from the usual suspects, and even from a good hardware store.  For further info, see the post on o-rings at the very end (earliest post) of the Miscellaneous folder elsewhere in this forum.

 

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 Posted: 07-06-2006 06:21 am
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pc
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Mark Rosenbaum wrote: ...the plugs are held in both by friction from the o-rings and by integral plastic fingers that press against the top of the bore into which they fit.  ...
Agreed.  But the fingers can get weak over time.
 
After putting out an engine bay fire in my car* I found that it was not the infamous fuel tee but rather the float bowl plugs leaking onto the starter.  They were easily removable by just reaching under the carbs and pulling them by hand.
 
I replaced both the o-rings and the plugs.  It’s never a bad idea to replace plastic parts that live in a bath of gasoline.  They’re cheap too.
 
 
PC.
 
 
*Luckily I caught it quick and only a couple parts needed to be replaced.

Last edited on 07-06-2006 04:29 pm by pc

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 Posted: 08-17-2006 06:43 am
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pc
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By the way, anybody know what size those bowl plug o-rings are?
 
 
PC.
 

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 Posted: 08-17-2006 07:03 am
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Mark Rosenbaum
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Yes.  See my post elsewhere on the message board at:

http://www.jensenhealey.com/forums/view_topic.php?id=13&forum_id=10

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 Posted: 08-17-2006 07:30 am
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pc
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Woo-hoo, thanks Mark!
 
I was thinking –114.  Thanks for confirming it.  Just ordered a pack of Mil-Spec Viton –114’s.
 
 
PC.
 

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 Posted: 01-05-2007 05:32 am
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JJones
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I had a problem that appeared to be fuel leaking out of the bowl on my Stromberg and found the plastic float had filled with gas and sunk. Just one more thing to look out for.

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