Holley carb rebuilt, now both floats sank!

[Jeff H]

I rebuilt my Holley 4557 carb and when I went to start it tonight it ended up spitting gas through the vent tube and I found both brass floats sunk. Any thoughts to what might have caused this? I want to give it another try tomorrow. I checked both floats in water and they float fine and the needle and seats are new.

[VintageMusclecar]

Jeff;

Were these new floats?

Eric

[Jeff H]

No, they are the original brass floats from the carb. Can they go bad over time from sitting?

[VintageMusclecar]

Yep.

Put a new set of brass floats in it and go from there.

Eric

[GeorgeLyons]

Correct, New Brass Floats, not the JUNK new plastic ones. They are trouble a lot of the time. It amazes me that some reliable carb rebuilders still put plastic ones in.

[Jeff H]

Well, new brass floats, another new set of needle and seats, new fittings and same result. It looks like it might have just been the secondary float that sank right away this time. Fuel came spewing out the vent tube. I'm not sure what it could be but it's getting old being covered with gas!

[VintageMusclecar]

Jeff;

Do you still have the bronze filters installed behind the fuel inlet fittings? If not, install them. Unless there's something wrong with the float bowl or the float pivots are sticking, the only thing that will cause a float to hang up and spill over is debris in the needle & seat.

Eric

[JoeG]

Take the fuel bowls off--turn them upside down and then right side up again to make sure these foats are moving freely . Turn the fuel bowls upside down and blow thru the inlets to check needle valve seating.--Watch the gas with your light and ignition....keep a fire-extinguisher and marshmellows near...........Work slow careful and sometimes it's just better to walk away and take a break......

[Salvatore]

Hey Jeff, I got a better idea.......just send your carb to Eric. Then we can holar at him if the floats stick, but I doubt they will.

[Jeff H]

[ QUOTE ]
Hey Jeff, I got a better idea.......just send your carb to Eric. Then we can holar at him if the floats stick, but I doubt they will.

[/ QUOTE ]

Sam, that's my backup plan. I decided to take a break, have a cigar and a beer and started to think of how I could mess up something so easy. I think I figured it out, I'm basically an idiot and had the float springs in wrong. I pulled the bowl off my JL8 carb and saw how it was oriented and sure enough I had them in wrong. So hoepfully tomorrow will be a success in getting it running right again. In the computer industry we refer to this as 'user error'!