Setting of float in carb?

[Ed Carr]

I have a '73 Newport w/ Atomic 4. The needle valve in my zenith carb seems to not be sealing. This results in gas slowly dripping into the throat of the air intake (just belowthe spark arrestor) near the choke damper. In past years, I was able to turn my engine off without having to ever secure the gas line shut-off valve. Now if I don't remember to secure this valve, gallons will empty from the tank -- overflowing the throat and spilling into the bilge. And even when I do remember to secure the valve, I will still get a few ounces of gas that leaks out (obviously a portion of gas that exists in the copper line between the carb and the shut-off valve). I've read through previous posts on the same issue on Don's site; I've torn apart the carb 4 times, replaced the gasket twice, and even flushed the gas tank out twice with new gas. Granted the tank is old and I have had some orange setiment each and every time I've pulled the carb apart... howver, I also remember the orange setiment in previous years, and never had leaks. The needle valve and valve seat are clean. What's left? Adjusting the floats, perhaps. But how does one adjust them, and by how much? Any help would be greatly appreciated as temporary solution I've been forced to employ is to secure the gas line valve and wait 5 minutes to run the engine until it dies. A crazy process to endure, but gas in the bilge isn't fun.

[Don Moyer]

Ed,

I'd suggest two actions:

1) Take a bluntly pointed 3/16" wooded dowel rod, and rotate it while pressing hard against the brass seat of the float valve. This will polish away any anomalies or dirt that might be around the edge of the orifice in the seat and create a better seal between the seat and needle.

2) Adjust the floats (if necessary) so that they lie level with the bottom of the upper housing of the carburetor when you hold the housing upside down, with the floats resting on the needle valve. If anything, you should err in the direction of the floats being ever so slightly in an upward slant.

Don

[ed carr]

Don,

Thank you for the advice. I will try the blunt wooden dowl method and let you know. I will also adjust the float as you describe.

--Ed Carr

[Bob Earle]

I just read about the poor guy with the leaking carburetor and it described my recent problem to a "T". My problem corrected itself when I removed the small wire clip that held the float valve to the float assembly and reset the float as described by Don. When the carb was reassembled and intalled on my engine I started it up a " voila" no leak (so far) . I'm keeping the clip in
case ---- .
Please let me know how you make out.
Bob Earle

[jnevins]

I found gas dripping from my carb this week-end on my 1972 Ericson 32'... I disassembled the carb and cleaned off the needle valve, which had some gunk on it... I put it all back together and thought the problem was fixed until I was leaving to go home... I was sorry to see the drip resuming with a vengeance... My next move will be to try Don's dowel polishing trick. Let's hope that works!

[bayway27]

I had a problem with the engine shutting off unless I pulled out the choke.
Reading the manual I believed it was dirt and proceded to clean the carb. My problem is now I have a constant flooding of the engine and fuel dripping out thru the choke valve assembly. I believe that the float is hitting the side wall of the carb chamber and not shutting off the fuel intake. I only assume this as when I reassemble the carb in the upside down position I see the float rising as the assembly is put back together. I am getting to be very proficient in the removal and installation of the carb but unfortunately not in the proper repair. Any help or ideas would be greatly appreciated.

Dennis

[tenders]

Sounds like that little rubber-tipped needle valve isn't seating correctly, or the float has a hole in it and isn't floating, or the pin it swivels on is distorted -- something like that.

Don sells a repair kit as you probably know but I don't think it has all those parts in it. There are worse things than having a backup carb in your toolkit...

I haven't had to take the carb apart in a few years but I seem to remember it's also possible for the float to get hung up on the gasket if it isn't put together quite right.