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Too much fuel in engine - a lesson learned

ke6rwj

creating havoc one broken bolt at a time...
Steel Soldiers Supporter
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Location
Alabama
I been working to get this m37 running. We had been able to get good sputter with ether and manual fuel to the intake. We discovered a "hidden" electric fuel pump near the tank. After getting that running, the fuel still won't pump from the tank. We rigged up an outboard boat fuel tank to the pump just to see if everything else worked.

We Hooked it up, turned it on and tried starting, nothing. We let the pump prime up and waited. Tried to start again.

I noticed a small splash of liquid from the top of the air intake!!! Huh, why is there a splash there?

So we stopped and I looked down the air cleaner and saw the whole intake full of fuel.

Ouch! If that had fired you can call that a blow torch!!!

Moral of the story

There is a small valve in the fuel input on the carburetor, helps shut off the fuel when the bowl is full. Be sure it's there. Especially with an electric fuel pump.

Starts and runs good after removing all the excess fuel... Talk about flooding!

Chris
 

Gamagoat1

Active member
745
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28
Location
Kiowa, Colorado
Even if the float valve is present, some / most electric fuel pumps will force the needle of it's seat and "flood" the engine ,as you've stated. Please don't ask how I know. $$$$$$$$$$$$
 

hbbaxter

New member
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Location
buckeye, AZ
Chris Hello,you might check and be sure that you have a good need and seat by inspecting for debris and pits,then a fuel
pressure regulator should keep it down to the 6-7 psi that is the max. and you might check your fuel filter for water and other contaminates.as you had mentioned the air horn was full of fuel another avenue you might explore is the float! I have seen many sunken floats that had pin holes in them, just a thought.
hb
 

glcaines

Well-known member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
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Location
Hiawassee, Georgia
You can actually break a piston if that much raw fuel enters the intake because when an intake valve opens, fuel can fill the cylinder and when the piston comes up on compression, the liquid is not compressible.
 
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