Holley 4160 float level question

[Mr Lee]

My carb does not have the ability to set the floats externally.  You have to remove the bowls and turn them upside down and bend the little tabs.  I just want to make sure I have this right.
When you turn them upside down and measure the gap under them, if the gap is too big, that would mean that the float is shutting off fuel prematurely and the fuel level would be too low.  Correct?  This would be the opposite of causing a rich condition? 

The pic shows the fuel bowl upside down.  Needle and seat is on the bottom.  If the float is too high while it's upside down, then it is too low when it's right side up yes?  Just want to make sure I'm not crazy here.  My car has been running rich and fouling plugs, but the floats were both too high (too big a gap underneath them when I checked them off the car).  So wouldn't this make it run lean?  Or at least, not rich? 

Maybe I have too much fuel pressure?  My idle mixture screw are only at 1-1/4 turns out. 

[ek3]

more gap is less fuel. lower float level. [ it doesnt look to bad] there should be a measurement to set it @ holley web site. if you bend the float arm to drop them you will have less fuel. usually the needle and seat is bad and that lets extra fuel pass. thats the most common reason for flooding at idle i know of short of trash on the seats. be sure of that " if " they have good needle and seats in them. its something simple. dont go crazy looking for something....my bet is trash or bad needle-seats...

[Mr Lee]

@ek3

The pics shows it after I adjusted it but it was about 3/16" too high in the front of the carb (primaries) and about an 1/8" too high in the rear.  They are proper now according to the service manual at 15/64 front and 17/64 rear.  But one thing I did NOT do is look at the seats to see if there was some junk in there.  Thank you.  I will do that next.   I'm really hoping it's something stupid like that.  Car used to run great and everything is new / rebuilt from the engine to the carb...   

[ek3]

you could just go ahead and put in the new ned. and seats  and clear the fuel line and check or change the filter. usuall rust in the fuel lines is real small and hard little parts of rust stick to them ! 

[Chryco Psycho]

Your first statement is correct SO with the bowl upside down you need more gap  between the top of the float & bowl to have a leaner condition / lowered float level .
If it is running rich that is not the problem .
Is the power valve good & IS it closed at idle this needs to be checked while in gear if it is an automatic ? So if the vacuum at idle is 8" you need a 6.5 Powervalve or lower to stay closed  , are the gaskets good , is the secondary metering plate tight ? Are you using the correct gasket for the front metering plate?

[Mr Lee]

The needle seats are gooped over so i cant remove them.   But I was able to test them by pouring some fuel in the fuel inlet and controlling the float by hand.  The needle seems to operate as it should and stops fuel when its closed. Checked the primary side of the carb too.
Everything is new - fuel tank, lines etc. So rust shouldnt be an issue.  Was hoping to find some dirt on the needle seats but they seem to be working fine.

The car is a 4 speed

Power valve is a 6.5.  Pulls about 14" of vacuum at idle on the manifold port

Right now the carb is off but last time i checked the power valve (by turning the mixture screws all the way in) the car stalled but only when i turned the right side screw in.  Turning the left side screw in didn't make it stall.  I blew air through the screw hole and it was clear.  Blew air through a few more holes under the meter block and they were clear too

Secondary metering plate is tight

Are the gaskets good?   They seem good.  Although i dont really know what to look for aside from tears / damage.  I did just replace the gasket for the metering block.  However i noticed the new gasket is missing one hole.  I dont know what that hole is for but the original gasket has it and the gasket in my holley rebuild kit doesn't.  Scott Smith rebuilt the carb.  I would imagine he put the correct one in originally. Not knowing any better, I put the hole in the new gasket in the same place after taking these photos. Should i not have?  The hole doesnt seem to line up with anything.





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[Mr Lee]

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[Chryco Psycho]

Either the jet sizes are way off which I doubt as you said what jets you have in there , or there is a internal fuel leak causing it to run rich enough to foul the plugs . if you suck on the PV will it hold the valve closed without leaking ? , It may be worth replacing it anyway .
Both mixture screws should work equally , if one is not something is wrong does the side that will not stall the engine at least alter the mixture so it changes how it runs .
Adding the extra hole in the gasket will make no difference .
There should be 2 gaskets in the rear a full size gasket that seals the bowl & metering plate & a smaller gasket between the metering plate & a thin steel plate . The gasket between the body & base could be wrong also there are 3-4 choices for the correct gasket there .
I can phone you if you think this will help .
Neil

[Mr Lee]

Yes the power valve does stay closed when i suck on it.  I will change it anyway since my kit came with one of the same size. 
The one i removed had a gasket on the power valve and another gasket on the body of the metering block. Not sure if this is even worth noting but the kit only gave me one gasket so so im putting the new power valve back on with only one gasket there. 

The mixture screw that doesnt make the car stall -  yes, it does change the way the car runs... at least it used to - im not certain if it does now.  Will check when i put it back together. But it definitely used to make it stall.  Not sure why it doesnt now. 

PM sent.  Thanks







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[Chryco Psycho]

Often the gasket for the power valve tears apart so it starts as 1 gasket but when you unscrew the PV the gasket layers tear apart so it looks like 2 gaskets  . I finally found a corrct picture of the secondary idle speed screw